Wraysbury & Ankerwycke
Colne Valley Park Walk 19
A varied and picturesque walk along the Colne Brook, the magnificent Wraysbury Lakes, the National Trust Ankerwycke Estate and the village of Wraysbury
Access: Generally flat ground. A few stiles and steps. Certain paths and fields can be wet and muddy in winter.
Refreshments: Two pubs, The Perseverance (A), The George Inn (B). A café and some shops in Wraysbury, and one small shop in Hythe End.
Public Transport: Trains from Windsor and Staines stop at Wraysbury station. Buses: The 305 from Colnbrook to Staines and the 10/10A/10S from Slough to Heathrow T5 both stop in Wraysbury.
By Road: Exit the M25 at J3 and follow signs to Wraysbury, or follow local roads through Colnbrook and Horton or Datchet. Parking: Free 2 hour stay car park in Wraysbury High Street. Limited on street parking in Wraysbury Village. Parking at Wraysbury Station is subject to charges. Very limited on-street car parking in Hythe End.
Postcode: TW19 5DB (approx.) OS Grid Ref: TQ 005 741 Latitude: +51.4571, Longitude: -0.5541
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Point of Interest/History
A) The lagoon and nearby lakes form part of an important SSSI for water birds. Just before a stile at the main road, explore the edge of the grass on the left to find a stone commemorating a dispute over water rights.
B) The splendid black walnut tree ahead was planted in the early 1800s by John Blagrove as part of his Ankerwycke Manor parkland.
C) On the hillside to your left is the RAF memorial at Coopers Hill which has the names of 20,000 airmen who died in WW2 with no known grave.
D) The old ponds on the left were formed as artificial fish ponds for food supply in Elizabethan times for the nearby Benedictine Priory.
E) The Benedictine Priory of St Mary Magdalene was founded in 1160 by Gilbert de Mountfichet, lord of the manor and village of Wraysbury. It catered for a small number of nuns, and operated until its dissolution around 1536 by Henry VIII. A post-dissolution mansion house was built by Sir Thomas Smith, Provost at Eton and Secretary of State for Queen Elizabeth I. The mansion house passed through several ownerships until it was partially demolished in about 1805 by John Blagrove. He built Ankerwycke Manor on a site to the north but this house too was demolished after a serious fire in 1954 following use as a gentleman's retreat in the 1930s and an Ealing Studios film set in the 1940s.
F) This ancient tree is 30 feet in circumference and has been dated as over 2,000 years old. The Magna Carta was sealed in 1215, quite possibly on this site. The yew is one of the 50 Great British Trees selected by The Tree Council in 2002 to spotlight trees in honour of the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
G) "Magna Carta Island" is in the Thames to your left. It achieved its name in 1834 when George Harcourt of Ankerwycke Manor installed a stone slab there and had it inscribed with information about Magna Carta. In its wisdom, Ordnance Survey recorded this stone and the island name on its maps – thus is a legend born.
H) St Andrew’s Church, Wraysbury, was originally built in the 13th c., but was rebuilt in 1862 by Raphael Brandon who added the stone spire. Two 16th century brasses inside the church are worth a visit.