53
The Puddingstone Track
BY E. A. BUDGE
Two years have elapsed since the last report on this track appeared in the
Essex Naturalist, and the time is opportune to record the results of field-
work since 1954.
All the evidence which has since come to light confirms in every detail the
earliest deductions that a continuous trail of natural, irregular boulders of
puddingstone lay in a sinuous line from Grimes Graves in Norfolk to the
Thames near Pangbourne. Many of the stones are now missing, and gaps of
several miles exist, but the general pattern of the arrangement is so striking
that no doubt remains of the uniformity of the system throughout its length.
No branching trail of similar boulders has yet been found; nor is there any
confusion with other surface boulders distributed at random.
Much of the effort of the past few years has been devoted to closing the
gaps, particularly in Suffolk where surface boulders are rare; and the following
lists should be correlated with the sites recorded in previous papers. In some
cases corrections have been made, where the presumed course proved incorrect
in the light of fresh evidence.
Starting from the northern end, from Thetford the track follows the line of
an ancient road known as the Cowpath, running parallel to the Bury Road
and about a half-mile west of it. At one time in the past, the Cowpath seems
to have been a thoroughfare from Ingham to Thetford, but later it was
diverted on Culford Heath, making a right-angled turn to the west to lead to
the Icknield Way. The boulders marking this section are:—
869830 Thetford, the Ouse ford—Maltings stones.
865796 The Grafton Arms, Barnham—stone in yard
861768 West Farm, Barnham—stone beside barn.
855735 Nevillehouse Farm, Culford—stone beside barn.
855708 Ingham Crossroads—end of wall by roadside.
858692 Timworth Green Farm—behind wall of farmyard.
864672 Hall Farm, Fornham—the 'hiring' stone. (Plate 5).
From Fornham there is a considerable gap until we reach the end of the
Kersey series at Bildeston, and until recently every attempt to determine even
the approximate direction of the alignment has been unsuccessful. A year ago,
a typical boulder was found at Felsham Manor, near the entrance to the drive,
and a fresh line of investigation opened up. Felsham is midway between
Fornham and Bildeston, and indicates that the alignment will ultimately be
found leading across Rougham Heath and the upland plateau of Brettenham.
The Bildeston stone deserves special mention. It originally stood in the
middle of the market square, at the intersection of two 'Roman' roads. When
the present clock tower was built, the stone was moved to the south side of
the square (1864), to a position outside the Old Bull Inn. Recently the inn
was converted into a private residence and the boulder again moved to the yard
behind the premises. (Plate 6). The name 'Bildeston' is recorded variously as
Bilestune (1066) and Billestona (1130).
From Bildeston the track follows the course already described, to Kersey and
Whitestreet Green; and recent discoveries now indicate the route from the
latter to the Suffolk-Essex border. It seems that the Stour crossing was not at