Badby wood can be found just south of Daventry on the edge of the village of Badby.
The village is one of those little picture postcard villages, especially by the church.
The wood is a private wood owned by the Fawsley estate connected to Fawsley hall .The hall was created by the Knightley family after buying Fawsley Manor in 1416 and Richard (jr) the son of Richard Knightley was knighted by Henry VII and consequently built the first wing on the house. The manors of Badby and Newham were granted to Sir Edmund Knightley who was the the grandson of Sir Richard as exchange for Alderton and Stoke .
The Elizabethan hall was built in 1575 and was visited by Elizabeth I herself .The Knightleys were prominent puritans and Sir Edmunds nephew was briefly imprisoned for distributing pamphlets.
The Dower house in the field next to the wood is believed to be the oldest brick building in Northamptonshire and dates back to the 1400s.It was last inhabited in 1704 and is now an at risk building that is protected by English heritage but is sadly in a bad way.the Knightley's involvement in Fawsley ended in 1913 after 500years and is now a fine country hotel and spa where you can enjoy splendid afternoon teas.
The wood is a mix of plantation and ancient woodland comprising of some serious beech trees and oaks.Parking is off the single track out of the village called Chapel lane and there is a small carpark with a sign for the wood here .You can walk up the track with the cricket club on the right and eventually you will come to an impressive arch that was once part of an even more impressive extensive building of which the arch is the only part left.
There are two options at the arch, go straight on down the track or turn left, if you head off left you can loosely follow a path that skirts the edge of the wood around the conifer plantation .The upside here is that it is relatively mud free as the conifers suck the water up but the downside is that it hasn't been managed and can be difficult to overcome some obstacles along with a few inclines testing your lungs.Eventually it loops around at the end of the wood next to the track that comes straight up from the arch .From here you can see the Dower house in the open fields.At the start of the walk by the arch if you chose to go straight, there is a fair bit of winter mud and the on the right side the mud can be pretty grim.The wood is noted for amazing bluebells and in the summer, it is a spectacular walk with the imposing trees around.
It can have a little eerie feel about it with the odd Badby shrine and stories of the lady on the white horse who was murdered by her husband after he caught her with her lover.I am sceptical but I do get goosebumps at times in there.
Another option here is the open fields to the right of the arch on the outer part of the wood, you can walk into the village across here coming out onto a small street opposite the church via the cemetery and from opposite the church through a small signposted footpath alongside a row of houses you can access the wood again.This is part of the Knightley way .
Badby I believe has a pub that is dog friendly so that's something to consider at the end of the walk.
I have always enjoyed the walks here but spring and summer is definitely the premier time but it's horses for courses with the mud.Whatever lifts your skirt up.
suppose.
The village is one of those little picture postcard villages, especially by the church.
The wood is a private wood owned by the Fawsley estate connected to Fawsley hall .The hall was created by the Knightley family after buying Fawsley Manor in 1416 and Richard (jr) the son of Richard Knightley was knighted by Henry VII and consequently built the first wing on the house. The manors of Badby and Newham were granted to Sir Edmund Knightley who was the the grandson of Sir Richard as exchange for Alderton and Stoke .
The Elizabethan hall was built in 1575 and was visited by Elizabeth I herself .The Knightleys were prominent puritans and Sir Edmunds nephew was briefly imprisoned for distributing pamphlets.
The Dower house in the field next to the wood is believed to be the oldest brick building in Northamptonshire and dates back to the 1400s.It was last inhabited in 1704 and is now an at risk building that is protected by English heritage but is sadly in a bad way.the Knightley's involvement in Fawsley ended in 1913 after 500years and is now a fine country hotel and spa where you can enjoy splendid afternoon teas.
The wood is a mix of plantation and ancient woodland comprising of some serious beech trees and oaks.Parking is off the single track out of the village called Chapel lane and there is a small carpark with a sign for the wood here .You can walk up the track with the cricket club on the right and eventually you will come to an impressive arch that was once part of an even more impressive extensive building of which the arch is the only part left.
It can have a little eerie feel about it with the odd Badby shrine and stories of the lady on the white horse who was murdered by her husband after he caught her with her lover.I am sceptical but I do get goosebumps at times in there.
Another option here is the open fields to the right of the arch on the outer part of the wood, you can walk into the village across here coming out onto a small street opposite the church via the cemetery and from opposite the church through a small signposted footpath alongside a row of houses you can access the wood again.This is part of the Knightley way .
Badby I believe has a pub that is dog friendly so that's something to consider at the end of the walk.
I have always enjoyed the walks here but spring and summer is definitely the premier time but it's horses for courses with the mud.Whatever lifts your skirt up.
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