M is for Manningtree Walk

Today we reached M in our alphabet of walks with a scenic walk from Manningtree around Dedham Vale.

This was the invite from Joyce.

"Monday June 16th M is for Manningtree. This is going to be a super walk using St Edmunds Way, The Essex Way and visiting Lawford, Dedham, Langham, Stratford St Mary, East Bergholt and Flatford. We will meet outside Manningtree Railway station at approx 10.20am. Toilets here. All trains seem to arrive at 10.19am from Ipswich, Cambridge, Diss etc if you wish to travel by train. The car park is £6.00 for the day I believe. I have devised a circular walk of about 11.5 miles. There should be plenty of opportunities for drinks en-route but not food so pls bring your packed lunch. Again, this is a walk to showcase places that you may wish to revisit so on this occasion we will focus, briefly, on the churches of Lawford and Stratford St Mary but miss out Dedham/ Langham/East Bergholt for another time."  

This was our route today.

Here are a few of my photos.

We met at Manningtree station.

We started by heading to the Grade I listed St. Mary, Lawford Church where Gill and Gary met us.

The oldest fabric in the church is in the south wall of the nave, dating from 1200 or earlier. The chancel, the south porch and the first tower were built in 1340. The tower was rebuilt in the 16th century, and again in the following century. In 1826 the north wall of the nave and the north aisle were added.

In 1906 a two-manual pipe organ made by Norman and Beard was installed. This was replaced by an electronic organ made by Copeman Hart in 2005.

Onward through the Essex countryside.

We caught a glimpse of Stratford St. Mary church.

We followed the Essex Way to Dedham.

We came across a number of artists with their easels.

We stopped for drinks at The Marlborough. I managed to resist the inviting looking gourmet snacks.

We passed Dedham Mill and lock, iconic sights painted by John Constable (see here).

We walked along the Suffolk bank of the River Stour.

There were plenty enjoying the summer sun at Le Talbooth.

Walking through the estate of  Langham Hall, we found some ripe cherries. Rather small but nice and sweet.

We stopped to visit St. Mary's, Langham Church.

Shaun and I marvelled at the organ. The organ gallery is predominately of English oak, with the structural stanchions encased with purpose made fibrous plaster columns of the Tuscan order. The organ was built by Roger Pulham of Charsfield, Suffolk, in 1997 (the Great) and 2003-4 (the Chair). It is largely a rebuild of a floor-mounted Hill organ of 1868 (enlarged 1897), many pipes of which were included in the new instrument.

I was reminded of an event in Philadelphia in March when the department store Macy's there finally closed its doors. The store was home to the amazing Wanamaker organ.

You can hear the final recital on the day the store closed here.

It was downhill again to the river Stour...

to Stratford St Mary.

We climbed the hill to Stratford St. Mary's Church and went in to have a look.

Lovely paths through the crops here.

Great views across Dedham Vale.

We passed East Bergholt church but didn't visit.

A classic view of Dedham Vale....

...where we had our group photo. 

Down now to Flatford.

And then it was back along the River Stour...

...to Manningtree station.

Thank-you Joyce for organising and leading us round and thank-you everyone else of the additional company.

You can find more details of our 12.25 mile route here on MapMyWalk (or download a GPX file here) and see more of my photos here on Flickr.

Other related walks you can find on my blog include

Bury St Edmunds Ramblers Walk - Dedham (Jun 2018)

East Bergholt Walk (Mar 2019)

East Bergholt Walk (Nov 2019)

East Bergholt Walk (Oct 2022)

St Edmund Way Part 7 - Nayland to Manningtree (June 2024)

P.S. A couple of special moments from the final recital on the Wanamaker Organ

• Pines of the Appian Way, from Pines of Rome - Respighi where Peter's page turner shares the 6 keyboards and pedals.
• Liebestod, from Tristan und Isolde - Wagner, showing the wonderful range of expression of the instrument.
• The final piece  Komm, Susser Tod - Bach (Come sweet death). Watch how the stops are all "pushed in" (and at the end literally) so the sound dies away to nothing.  And notice how he gave "Baby" a love pat after he finished playing