The Monarch's Way is a long-distance footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester. It runs from Worcester via Bristol and Yeovil to Shoreham, West Sussex.
All of the route is waymarked, using a logo with a drawing of the ship Surprise above a Prince of Wales three-point feathered crown on a silhouette of the Royal Oak tree (which is at Boscobel House). The route is shown as a series of green diamonds on the Ordnance Survey (larger scale) 1:25000 maps, and of red diamonds on its 1:50000 maps.
The route was established in 1994 by Trevor Antill, and was published in a three volume guide . The trail is maintained by the Monarch's Way Association in partnership with local highway authorities.
Route description
From its starting point at Worcester the route travels north to Boscobel and then south to Stratford upon Avon. It then continues south to Stow on the Wold before turning south west towards Bristol via Cirencester.
South of Bristol the route is almost directly south across the Mendip Hills to Wells, continues through Somerset almost to Yeovil and then south west to Charmouth in Dorset. There is then a short section along the Dorset coast before turning north again to Yeovil, before turning east and following much of the escarpment of Cranborne Chase, the Hampshire Downs and South Downs to Shoreham-by-Sea where it has a short extension to neighbouring Brighton and Hove, being its historic port and today a main yachting centre in Sussex.
The Monarch's Way is an approximation of the King's route using available public rights of way and visiting places noted in the historic records. Most of the route has been radically changed in the intervening centuries by enclosure, mining, urbanisation and the building of roads, canals and railways. Use of canals and disused railways allows a more pleasant walk than taking to the public highway and provides an insight into industrial history particularly of the Black Country.
Worcester to Stratford-upon-Avon via Boscobel ()
A memorial near Powick Bridge commemorates the thousands of Scots who perished in the Royalist cause at the Battle of Worcester. Powick Bridge saw both the first and last engagements of the English Civil War. From here the footpath follows the banks of the River Teme and River Severn across the battlefield to enter the 'Faithful City' of Worcester . The King watched the battle unfold from the tower of the cathedral before fleeing with Colonel Charles Giffard of Chillington and others.
The Monarch's Way leaves the city past the Commandery, now a museum, on the towpath of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal then crossing to the Droitwich Canal, to Droitwich. Heading north it passes Chaddesley Corbett and Hagley on its way to Stourbridge. Here it joins the towpath of the Stourbridge Canal negotiating the four locks at Stourton to join the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. Continuing north along the canal to the Bratch Locks at Wombourne to pick up the trackbed of the former Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway now the South Staffordshire Railway Walk to Oaken. Leaving the railway the northerly route continues passing Pendrell Hall and Boscobel to White Ladies Priory. The King was hidden overnight in the house by Richard Pendrell.
The next part of the route traces the King's unsuccessful attempt to cross the River Severn to escape into Wales. Leaving White Ladies and the nearby Pendrell home at Hubbal Grange the route turns west via Tong to Evelith Mill and Kemberton. Reaching Madeley it became apparent that the river crossings were well guarded and the King spent a night in the 'Royal Barn' before beating a hasty retreat. Retracing the route through Norton and Beckbury to Boscobel House where the King hid in an oak tree to avoid capture. A descendant of the Royal Oak stands in the grounds of the English Heritage property.
An alternative plan was hatched for the King's escape and the path now heads east. Crossing the grounds of Chillington Hall and using sections of the Shropshire Union Canal and Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal it reaches Moseley Old Hall, now a National Trust property, where the King was hidden in a 'Priest hole'. From Moseley Old Hall the King left in the night for Bentley Hall with Colonel Lane. The Monarch's Way passes Northycote Farm and Essington before entering the fringe of the urban West Midlands. The route follows the Wyrley & Essington Canal the 'Curly Wyrley' and the ancient forest at Rough Wood to reach Bentley Hall at Bentley, West Midlands.
The Monarch's Way picks up the closed Anson Branch Canal. This section of the Monarch's Way follows the canal system through the heart of the Black Country using Walsall Canal, Wednesbury Old Canal, Netherton Tunnel and Dudley Canal to Halesowen. Then Bromsgrove, Headless Cross, Alcester, Wootton Wawen, Snitterfield and Welcombe Hills Country Park. Finally following the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal until it joins the River Avon in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon.
Stratford-upon-Avon to Charmouth ()
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon is the start of this leg of the Monarch's Way. Following the west bank of the River Avon south and passing Holy Trinity Church, with its connections to William Shakespeare.Explorer Map 205: Stratford-upon-Avon & Evesham. Published in 2006 by the Ordnance Survey Crossing both the River Avon then the River Stour near to Stratford racecourse. The path then follows the route of the Honeybourne Line to Long Marston. Leaving east on the route of the Heart of England Way and passing through Lower Quinton and Upper Quinton to meet with the Centenary Way which it follows east round Meon Hill at the start of the Cotswolds. Leaving the Centenary Way in a south westerly direction it enters Gloucestershire and passes Hidcote Manor Garden, owned by the National Trust, before rejoining the Heart of England Way. The path crosses Campden Tunnel on the Cotswold railway line and enters the market town of Chipping Campden.
Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Northleach, Cirencester, Tetbury, Chipping Sodbury, Wick.
The Monarch's Way enters Somerset, having crossed the River Avon at Keynsham, where it diverts from the route taken by Charles II into Bristol and instead runs alongside the River Chew, where it shares the route with the Two Rivers Way, through the Chew Valley to Chewton Keynsham, Compton Dando and Woollard.Landranger Map 172: Bristol & Bath. Published in 2006 by the Ordnance Survey It then crosses the river at Pensford and turns north to Norton Malreward, skirting the prehistoric henge monument of Stanton Drew stone circles, the second largest stone circle in Britain, and travels along Dundry Down to the village of Dundry. From Dundry there is a northerly loop to Leigh Court at Abbots Leigh where Charles II stayed on the night of 12 September 1651. The path then returns to Dundry and heads turns south to Winford and passes Regil before passing between Chew Valley Lake and Blagdon Lake to Compton Martin,Landranger Map 182: Weston-super-Mare. Published in 2005 by the Ordnance Survey where it climbs up into the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, passing East Harptree before entering the Forestry Commission plantation Stock Hill. On leaving the woods the path skirts the Priddy Mineries and Priddy Pools Site of Special Scientific Interest and continues south to Wookey Hole before entering the city of Wells, where it passes the Cathedral and Bishop's Palace.
South of Wells the Monarch's Way crosses the River Sheppey and passes through Twinhills Woods and Meadows before entering North Wootton, continuing across the Somerset Levels and the A361 and A37 roads, through East Pennard, to Hornblotton. It then crosses the River Alham and travels east crossing the River Brue and the A371 before entering Castle Cary.Landranger Map 183: Yeovil & Frome. Published in 2005 by the Ordnance Survey
South Cadbury, Trent, Dorset
The King was sheltered by Colonel Wyndham at Trent Manor House. The next part of the journey leads down to the Dorset coast where a ship had been found to take the King to France. At Montacute the Monarch's Way passes in front of the Grade I listed Abbey Farmhouse, which incorporates the gateway of the medieval Montacute Priory.
Ham Hill, Crewkerne, Drimpton, Hawkchurch, Charmouth The King stayed overnight on 22 September 1651 at the Queen's Armes before taking passage; the plan fell through and the King beat a hasty retreat inland, returning to Trent.
Charmouth to Shoreham ()
From Charmouth the Monarch's Way follows the South West Coast Path east along the Jurassic Coast of Dorset past St Gabriel's Mouth, over Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast, through Seatown, over Thorncombe Beacon and past Eype's Mouth to West Bay. From here it heads north up the River Brit to Bridport, swinging west and north to Pilsdon Pen, briefly joining the Wessex Ridgeway eastwards before reaching Broadwindsor. The King hid overnight in the George Inn, Broadwindsor on 23 September 1651.
From here it continues eastwards to the north of Beaminster, before zig-zagging north and east to Winyard's Gap near Chedington, where it meets the head of the River Parrett Trail. Continuing north the path enters Somerset and passes Hardington Marsh, swinging east from Hardington Mandeville to East Coker and then north through Yeovil and Mudford.
Crossing the River Yeo and back into Dorset, the path returns like the King to Trent. The King stayed here before setting out for the south coast and exile in France.
Skirting north of Sherborne to Sandford Orcas then re-entering Somerset the path passes to the south of Corton Denham to Charlton Horethorne and South Cheriton, then north to pass under the A303 to Wincanton. From here it continues north-east to Penselwood.
After crossing the Stour Valley Way and River Stour, the path enters Wiltshire at Zeals. From here it crosses the A303 dual carriageway and passes Zeals House before reaching Mere, passing West Knoyle and climbing Cleeve Hill. Crossing the A350, the path continues east to Hindon, Berwick St. Leonard, Fonthill Bishop and through part of Grovely Wood to reach Great Wishford. Here it crosses the River Wylye to Stoford before heading north and east near Stapleford to cross the A360, dropping down into the valley of the Avon at Middle Woodford before crossing at Lower Woodford. Traversing the country to the north of Salisbury, the path next crosses the A345 and the River Bourne at Winterbourne Dauntsey. After passing Figsbury Ring the path crosses the A30, to follow the course of the former Roman road from Winchester to Old Sarum. As it approaches Middle Winterslow, the path is joined by the Clarendon Way, the two paths following the Roman road over the county boundary.