Haddenham, Notley Abbey, Chearsley, Nether Winchendon and Cuddington

A path follows the tree fringed mill leat towards Notley Abbey, a community of Augustine Cannons founded in the early 12th century by Walter Gifford. A few remnants of the church and cloister buildings have been incorporated into later barns. The sumptuous Prior's Lodgings, finished in 1530 shortly before the Abbey was dissolved, survived as a house that later became famous as the home of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. Today, the remnants of the abbey are privately owned and are used to host weddings.

As you approach Notley Farm, a modern stone farm house, you can see earthworks associated with the medieval abbey farmstead. Among the farm buildings is the 15th century cruck-built barn, which must have been the monastic tithe barn. To the east of the farm, the majestic abbey dovecote stands isolated in an arable field.

On the other side of the railway is Chearsley, a village remarkable for its deep cut lanes. Sir Nicholas's parish church is very attractive and unpretentious, with whitewashed walls, a Georgian west gallery, and unusually, two sets of Royal Arms. Immediately south of the church are the earthworks of a moated mediaval manor house that has long since been demolished.

Beyond, in Cuddington, there is a cut off which allows you to miss out the loop to Lower Winchendon if you are pressed for time. The main route however, turns north at the edge of Cuddington's village green, which still has its old parish pump and is surrounded by a delightful group of witchert cottages. On the other side of the River Thame, you reach Nether Winchendson. This small village has many timber-frame cottages and an excellent 16th century manor farmhouse, complete with barns. The atmospheric church interior boasts box pews, a three-decker pulpit, a squires pew and a fine west gallery.

Nether Winchendon House has a medieval core, the best part of which is a room with Tudor linenfold panelling. The house was formerly owned by Notley Abbey, but owes much of its present appearance to Scroat Bernard, an amateur architect who 'gothicized' the building in around 1800.

You return through Cuddington, another village dominated by witchert walls and cottages, though Tyringham Hall opposite the church is in stone. The hall is all that remains of a much larger Tudor mansion. Its gabled left wing was altered in 1609. Some of the mullioned transomed windows are in stone, and some in rendered brick.

The route re-enters Haddenham near Cobwebs, a witchert cottage that is dwarfed by its ornate brick chimneys, which were added in the 1920's. As you meander through the village, on the way back to the church, you pass many more cottages, walls and outbuildings in witchert. Even the Methodist Chapel of 1822 in the High Street is built of this distinctive material.