Warnham, Warnham Mill, Field Place and Warnham Manor

The parish was not mentioned in the Domesday Book, but the church of St Margaret, built of a honey coloured local stone, has a long history nonetheless. The earliest parts of the building are 14th century, while the tower was added in the 16th century, at the side of the main structure. The church has a dominant position in the village and is approached by an impressive yew tunnel, planted in 1885, when the west porch was added.

Inside, the oldest item is a 12th century marble font. On the north wall of the Caryll Chapel is a fine monument to Sir John Caryll, who died in 1613, and his 'sweetest and most religious wife', Lady Mary. Their effigies kneel on either side of a prayer desk. Below are figures representing their four sons and five daughters. Four of the children carry skulls, indicating that they died in infancy.

In the south aisle is a showcase containing items of historical interest, including finely bound altar books, donated by Shelley's grandfather and father, a facsimile of the register entry for the poets baptism on 7th of September 1792, the tuning fork and spectacles of a 19th century choir leader, and two constable's staves.

Shelley is not buried here - his ashes were interred in Rome, and his heart at Saint Peters Church, Bournemouth, with his wife, Mary. There are, however, further Shelley family memorials, including one to his American great grandmother, Joanna, in the Caryll Chapel and another in the vestry to his son Charles Bysshe.

The path by the church leads out to cross fields to Warnham Nature Reserve, which has been created around a mill pond, formed when the stream was dammed with spoil from nearby iron ore workings. The ore supplied a blast furnace, built in 1580. Its bellows were driven by two water wheels on the mill stream. Some of the periods largest cannons were produced at Warnham Iron Mill, but it was destroyed by Cromwell's troops in 1645.

Later that century, a flour mill was built within the old walls, and this was restored in 1983. It is visible by the road just beyond the nature reserve's visitor centre, and the mill pond sluice gates. Although it is privately occupied today, the water and the woods and meadows that surround it provide valuable habitats for over 100 species of birds, more than 180 kinds of flowering plant, and at least 100 types of fungus.

Warnham Mill Pond draws birds from a wide area. Mallard and herons may be seen all year round, and with patience, you may spot the reserve's resident kingfishers. The reed beds and marsh provide a habitat for a large range of plants and animals, including yellow irises, marsh marigolds and flowering rushes, reed and sedge warblers, dragonflies and damselflies, grass snakes, roe deer and foxes.

The grassland on the edge of the pond is managed as a summer meadow to encourage a variety of wild flowers, including germander speedwell, knapweed, bird's-foot trefoil and lady's smock. These attract butterflies, among them meadow browns, small and large skippers, small tortoiseshells, gatekeepers and speckled moths. The black and yellow cinnabar moth caterpillar feed on ragwort leaves here, while blackcap and willow and garden warblers may be spotted in the hawthorne and willow scrub.

The Walnutree Plantation to the north of the pond has been restocked since the devastating storms of October 1987. Oak, ash, cherry and walnut trees have replaced some of the conifers that grew here, although wrens still nest in the shells of fallen trees. Common spotted orchids and broad leaved hellenborines grow along the margins of the young woodland.

A unique feature of the reserve is the Discovery Hub and Shelley Garden, near the visitor centre. As a child, Shelley often visited the mill pond to fish and sail. In adulthood, he would write longingly of the wildflowers of his Sussex youth. To commemorate his links with the reserve, a special garden was planted here with many of the flowers mentioned in his poemThe Question.

Field Place, where Shelley was born, is not far away. Built in the 15th century and owned for many years by the Michell family, it was bought by Edward Shelley (1670-1747), from his stepfather John Michell, and remained in the Shelley family until about 1850.

Field Place probably originated as a farmhouse in a forest clearing. The poet knew it as a modest mansion built of local stone, and roofed with Horsham slabs. Today's privately owned house, whose rear is visible from the road down a tree lined drive, has a collonaded stucco front looking onto immaculate lawns, which lead to a small lake where young Shelley sailed paper boats.

At Field Place, the poet and his sister Elizabeth wrote the youthful verses, for which they adopted the pseudonyms 'Victor' and 'Cazire'.

The young Shelley appears to have enjoyed life on the estate, even involving myself in pig breeding. At one stage he was a favourite with the servants, and enjoyed playing with the younger members of his family, four sisters and a brother, making up stories to entertain them. Favourites included The Great Tortoise that lived in Warnham Pond, and the mysterious Cornelius Agrippa, an ancient alchemist who lived in a secret attic at Field Place and who later occupied a cave.

The return to the village along quiet country lanes and field paths makes it easy to understand how the rural charms of the Warnham area established in Shelley his love of the countryside, and his keen appreciation of natural beauty.