On leaving the Campus we follow Valley Road down to Potley Bridge and the former site of the stone wharf owned by the Bath Stone Firms and into Pockeridge Drive. Potley Bridge was designed by Isambard Brunel and is a Grade II listed structure built 1836-41.

Pockeridge Drive originally went to Pockeridge House, the former MOD Corsham Officer’s Mess. The Drive was once a tramway route to Spring Quarry (Westwells) for the transportation of Bath Stone to the Corsham Station wharf. Halfway along the drive are the hidden manmade Pockeridge Lakes.

Emerging onto Spring Lane we pass on the right MOD Corsham and on the left a fenced off reservoir. Following a footpath up through woods we emerge into Westwells. Walking past the former Moor Park Quarry we follow paths to emerge at the entrance of Wadswick Green Retirement Village the former site of HMS Royal Arthur. Prince Philip was instructor here between 1946 and 1947. Whilst here he became engaged to the late Queen Elizabeth.

At Wadswick we turn east along a quiet lane with far reaching views out to Westbury and Salisbury Plain and onto Bakers Corner. Passing Neston Lodge, we will go past the still active underground stone quarry at Park Lane Quarry.

Turning north towards The Ridge we will pass by Monks Chapel. Monks Chapel has remained a dedicated place of Christian Worship since it was built by the Quakers in 1662. Situated just over five miles from the Town of Chippenham, it was built in response to the Five Mile Act passed by Parliament.

At that time King Charles II was on the throne, and his Parliament took it upon themselves to revise the English Prayer Book. As a consequence, Ministers were required to use “fixed forms of service” and give their agreement and consent to the New Book of Common Prayer.

As a result, thousands of Ministers across the Country left the established Church, or were evicted from their posts for rejecting the new rulings on their beliefs and freedom to worship.

Later that year Parliament passed the Five Mile Act. This meant Ministers had to take an oath and promise that they would not interfere or try to change the Government of the Church. Any Ministers refusing to take the oath were barred from entering any Town or Borough and had to stay a minimum of five miles outside of the Towns boundary.

Leaving the chapel, we make our way across field towards Corsham, down the Cleeve and across the railway walkway close to the site of the former Corsham Railway Station and back to the start.