Distance: 3.1 miles

Difficulty of the terrain: medium

Get the route via: Ordnance Survey Maps or download the GPX. file from Dropbox

Walk from the bus stop in Bromyard town centre to the National Trust’s Brockhampton estate, hidden within which stands the moated, timbered late medieval Lower Brockhampton house and its orchards.

The Story

The Walk

Getting Back

National Trust’s Bargain Hunt Moment

Situated a couple of miles east of Bromyard in northeastern Herefordshire, Brockhampton is a sprawling estate (1,700 acres) now part of the National Trust.

While parts of the estate are open for people to walk in, unusually, rather than the mid-18th Century great house, sat on top of the ridge, being the great draw, rather Brockhampton’s great attraction is nestled in the valley.

Here unusually, stands a far older great house, albeit one which is far smaller than the big Georgian property above it. 

Having taken on the estate from the final private owner Colonel John Lutley in 1946, the National Trust came to realise that a farmhouse, nestled in a valley beneath Brockhampton’s parkland was a deeply significant property. 

Known as Lower Brockhampton it is a wooden framed primarily 14th and 15th Century moated former manor house, which had undergone relatively few alterations. There is also a ruined Norman chapel adjacent to the house, and the bridge to the house is guarded by a wooden gatehouse constructed at the end of the 1530s.

In 2010 the National Trust undertook an extensive restoration of Lower Brockhampton utilising traditional wattle and daub techniques. The National Trust have also nurtured a “traditional” orchard across 21 acres around Lower Brockhampton house, in addition to a further 124 acres of orchard elsewhere on the estate. Between 2019 and 2022 the National Trust planted a further 700 trees around Lower Brockhampton.

The Walk

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps or download the GPX. file from Dropbox

I create the Walk Midlands routes via Ordnance Survey Maps Explorer enabling me to take them on my phone. Subscribe yourself via the banner above.

This walk to the National Trust’s Lower Brockhampton house and orchards begins from Bromyard town centre.

Buses from Hereford (and very sporadic services from Ledbury and Worcester) put down at Pump Street just off Bromyard’s historic high street.

Upon alighting the bus turn left and walk a short distance up past the gable end of the timber framed Falcon Inn.

Once on the high street turn right, and begin walking along the road.

Presently just past the market square where the derelict Hop Pole Inn stands, you come to a t-junction.

Here at the junction turn left and follow the road as it runs towards the edge of the town.

The road curves around and runs downhill past the industrial estate situated where Bromyard’s railway station used to stand.

Continue past the industrial estate and the depot of DRM Buses.

Reaching the edge of the town the pavement runs along a causeway for a short distance.

Having walked past a sports club you approach the white painted former pub which houses the Holly Tree B&B.

Just beyond the Holly Tree B&B there is a turning onto a narrow road called Burying Lane.

Turn right and head up Burying Lane.

Continue along the lane heading uphill.

Presently you reach an old stone house, next to a green, which had daffodils out on it when I walked the route in March 2024. Upon reaching this green the lane turns sharply to the right.

You continue following the track carrying on straight as it runs uphill. Soon the lane curves sharply to the left. Then the track runs even more sharply uphill.

Soon you come to the end of the lane, at a fork, on the edge of a largish scrap of common land called Bromyard Downs.

Here to the right there is a grassy patch of land in front of an old cottage. Walk straight ahead across this grass and then head to the left following a path across the common land.

Keep on walking straight ahead across the path across the common land. There are quite impressive views from this vantage point across the Herefordshire countryside towards Worcestershire.

Presently you come to a junction, here turn left and carry on along the path past a house high up on your left.

Soon you reach woodland which you walk through, passing the stone wall of a large house.

Just past the stone wall you come out onto a driveway. Carry on walking straight along the driveway to the left.

Continue along the driveway until you reach a junction. Here turn left and head up a slight rise until you reach the side of a main road running along the middle of the common.

Upon reaching the side of the road turn right and begin walking along the side of the road downhill. You can see the Malvern Hills looming large on the horizon in front of you.

Look out on your left for a footpath running clearly across the common up a short steep hill on your left.

Upon reaching the path follow it across the grass uphill.

At the top of the grassy slope there is a well worn path running along the brow of the ridge. Upon reaching it, turn right.

Walk along the path for a short distance until you reach a path running through a thick hedgerow to your left.

Turn left and head along this path.

Follow it walking straight along the side of a field, steadily approaching the side of the A44 between Worcester and Hereford.

There is a great view of the Malverns straight ahead of you.

Just before you reach the side of the road the track becomes paved.

Upon reaching the side of the road turn left and begin walking along the (thankfully) wide verge.

Soon, just beyond a Victorian vintage gatekeeper’s house stands the turning for Brockhampton.

Turn left here and begin walking down the driveway. Just before you reach the estate church there is an entry kiosk.

Past the entry kiosk you reach a gateway next to a cattle grid which you cross. On the far side turn right and follow a sign pointing to the left downhill.

You pass another cattle grid and then turn right.

Soon at a sharp bend where the driveway curves dramatically into a long loop down the hill there is a gate with a pathway beyond leading into woodland.

Walk through the gate and continue along the pathway a short distance until you come to a fork.

Here turn left and follow a steep track downhill until you rejoin the driveway.

Once back on the driveway turn right and carry on walking towards the edge of the woodland.

Follow the driveway walking along a raised verge through fields approaching Lower Brockhampton which you can now see in front of you.

Approaching the house turn right into the car park approaching the entrance booth which is the way into Lower Brockhampton.

This is where the walk ends.

Getting Back

Being more than a mile away from a main road Lower Brockhampton is not served by any public transport directly. At the time of writing in March 2024 there was a limited bus service (once a day either way during the working week, with two services each way on Tuesdays) between Worcester and Bromyard departing from a stop near the top of Brockhampton’s driveway next to a Caravan Club site. However, this is not at times of day which are likely to be useful to those looking to visit Brockhampton without a car. For this reason it is probably wisest to walk back to Bromyard’s Pump Street bus stop from where there are buses (as of March 2024) at 14:30 and 17:00 back to Hereford which has a railway station and buses to many destinations. To return to Pump Street either retrace your steps or walk along the side of the A44 back into Bromyard. The A44 is not a bad road to walk along as A roads go, as there is a wide verge on both sides, which turns into a pavement halfway back towards the town.