# 🥾 Walk 642 - The Parish of Wickham

On Saturday 8th June, Mike and Alison led a 6½ mile walk around the parish of Wickham. Fifteen of us (including some recent joiners and newcomers trying us out) assembled outside the primary school in the village of Wickham. Crossing the main road we followed Windingwood Lane, a tree-lined sunken track, heading westward and then southward to Radley Bottom. Here we stopped for an early light lunch, sitting on a grassy hillside with views of Heath Hanger Copse and some wheat fields.

After lunch, we headed upward and eastward into woodland containing the remains of a Roman road. Emerging from the woodland, we were at Radley Farm, where we saw a lot of lambs in a field by the footpath. They weren't at all shy, and came over to examine us.

![Following the Roman road through woodland near Radley Farm.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/wickham-roman-wood.jpg)

Passing through another wood containing a section of Roman road, we continued eastward and then south-east past Clapton Farm. At Elcot Farm we turned north, on our way back to Wickham village.

On the way, we stopped off at St Swithen's Church, where Mike had promised us an unusual sight. Inside the church were eight papier-mâché elephant heads attached to the roofing timbers. These had been acquired at the Paris Exhibition in 1862.

![Following a footpath through Clapton Farm.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/wickham-clapton-farm.jpg)

As Mike was explaining this, a gentlemen already in the church, possibly the vicar or verger, joined in with a lot more information about the church and the local area. He also explained that the Saxon church was built on the site of a Roman fort, and furthermore, the Saxon church had been rebuilt by the Victorians. The original Roman lookout tower was used as the church tower by the Saxons and then an extra section added on top by the Victorians.

Now back at Wickham village, the walk was over. See our route on Google Maps. Some of us went to the  local Five Bells pub for refreshments and chat while others went on their way.

![The elephant heads in St Swithen's Church, Wickham.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/wickham-elephants.jpg)

![Stopping for refreshments at the Five Bells pub.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume48/images/wickham-five-bells.jpg)

*Thanks go to Mike and Alison for leading this walk.*

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