Stawley offers several ways to plan a stay: listed churches, a war memorial, the architecture of Cothay Manor, and riverside attractions and walks. For planning, it is worth considering historical dates and route information together: the buildings offer different cultural points of reference, while the two walking routes described here provide guidance by distance or route.

Buildings and history

The Church of St Michael is a Grade I listed building. The Church of St Peter is a Grade II listed church dating from 1860. The Kittisford war memorial to the First World War was erected in 1920. Together, these offer different historical points of reference: two churches with different designations and a memorial whose date of erection is precisely recorded. The years 1860 and 1920 make the passage of time between the church building and the later war memorial clear. If you are particularly interested in heritage conservation and commemorative culture, you can compare the listed church architecture with a memorial to the First World War.

Cothay Manor

Cothay Manor raises a different architectural question: it is an outstanding example of a late-medieval hall house. A hall house is a building type in which the hall is the central space that defines the design; this classification focuses attention on the architecture rather than on a single construction date. The grounds of Cothay Manor include a 200-yard-long yew walk. If you plan to visit this feature, check current visitor information, as the garden arrangements may change. At Cothay Manor, the architectural style and a specific path through the grounds offer different interests.

The River Tone and walks

The River Tone flows beneath Hagley Bridge and reaches Stawley Mill. Passing Cothay Manor, it flows beneath Greenham Bridge. The bridges, Stawley Mill and Cothay Manor provide specific points of reference for the River Tone in the landscape.

Two walks offer different ways to plan your day. The route published in 2021 is about five miles long; it starts at Stawley Church and heads north towards the old railway viaduct. The approximate distance helps with planning your day in broad terms and offers a different point of reference from the second route description. Another route, published in 2021, passes through woodland to Hagley Bridge after crossing the River Tone. Here, the route through the woods and its destination take centre stage. Path conditions can vary, so check local conditions before setting off. Taken together, the routes offer two different aids to decision-making: an approximate distance starting from the church, and a woodland walk with a named destination.

Discover more destinations: Highbridge, Brompton Regis, North Petherton, Horsington, Buckland Dinham, Queen Camel, Williton, Shepton Mallet

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