Physical Character & Historical Ecology
Starting from Staithe Road at TG456187 the footpath goes north with a width of about four feet between close-boarded garden fences until it reaches the field beyond. Here it turns east for about 15 yards with a garden fence on the south side and then north again across cultivated fields. As it crosses the fields it has no boundaries as it is across land that is regularly ploughed for crops after which the path is walked and reinstated again. For a short stretch it has a bank on the west side which once had a hedge growing on it.
At TG455191 the path reaches Moregrove Lane and then continues - at about four feet wide - west around the edge of the property which used to be Moregrove Manor Farm. On the north side of the path is a low wooden fence on the edge of a pond. On the left is a steep bank about six feet high which many centuries ago formed the boundary of the moated settlement of Moregrove. (This stretch of the path is a diversion as it used to go straight on through the farmyard). At the end of the bank the path turns north – still with a width of about four feet – with the close-boarded fence of Moregrove on the east side and a post and wire low fence on the west side. See photo 6. On the other side of the fence is a wooded area, part of which was planted on the site of the ancient Moregrove Manor House which was demolished about 1970. A few feet away from the path we found a medlar tree – the only one seen on our walks. Also near the path were walnut, crab apple and silver birch.
At TG454192 the path reaches a track (green lane) about 12 feet wide without hedges, where it turns west along the track until it reaches Ferrygate Lane at TG451190. It is thought that this track has existed since at least the 13th century, being the route from Moregrove Manor to the river.
