Date: Sat 10 Oct
Start: Stansted, Rowlands Castle
Start Time: 09.00
Distance: 9 miles
Terrain: Undulating
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Journalist Simon Jenkins knows a thing or two about churches. As the author of England’s Thousand Best Churches, his authority on the subject is hard to dispute. So when, writing in The Spectator in 1994, he described our Downland churches as having the power to “move the spirit” in a way that “not a cathedral in England” could match, it’s worth paying attention.
Jenkins wrote that article after visiting Up Marden church, having been directed there by the architectural historian Ian Nairn. Both men wax lyrical about this tiny, isolated building, praising its unaltered interior and saying that it has a presence that, in Jenkins’ words “disturbs us unbelievers”. Yet the same could be said of several of the eight churches that make up the Octagon parish, of which Up Marden is just one.
Visiting all eight of these rural churches by car is no small task. They are scattered across a wide area and connected by the narrowest and most winding of lanes, more maze than map. On foot, however, the journey makes far more sense. Walking not only allows you to visit the churches with ease, but also to experience the landscape that binds them together: rolling sheep pasture, high beechwoods and the crunch of flint underfoot.
The Octagon Way
The Octagon Way links the eight small and quite distinct Downland churches of the Octagon parish in a circular route of roughly sixteen miles. In 2026, we’ll be completing the route over two separate days – allowing time to explore this beautiful and largely unspoilt countryside at a comfortable pace. Each section is around eight miles. Completing both days will offer not only a real sense of achievement, but also a deeper familiarity with this quiet corner of the Downs.
This walk is the final one of this year. It will go clockwise from North Marden visiting the churches of East Marden, Stoughton, Racton and Stansted.
It is a linear walk, so a little logistics planning is required. As the walk finishes at Stansted House rather than Rowlands Castle, we will all meet first in the Stansted House ‘walkers’ car park (full details will be provided nearer the time). Half the cars will remain at Stansted, while the other half will ferry people to North Marden for the start of the walk. Lifts arrangements will be reciprocated at the end of the day.
This walk will conclude with a visit to St Paul’s Chapel – this requires us to make a donation towards the upkeep of the chapel.
Well-behaved dogs on leads welcome.
RURAL STRIDES
Rural Strides is passionate about the rich history and cultural landscape of the Western Weald. Through our engaging guided walks, we bring the land to life. We interpret its stories, uncover its heritage, and reveal the character that makes this corner of the South Downs so special. Along the way, we introduce you to inspiring local businesses, each rooted in the community and landscape we share.
Our aim is simple: to create authentic, memorable experiences that connect you with the place and its people. By the end of a Rural Strides walk, you won’t just have explored the Western Weald, you’ll feel like a local.
