A two-mile trail, featuring nine artistic stiles, promoting the village’s history and landscape while supporting community projects, local businesses and well-being initiatives.
Officially opened by Steve Harris from BBC Radio Dorset on 28th June 2025 at The Trooper Inn
Introduction
A two mile loop (consisting of 2 smaller loops or an all accessible trail) has been designed to incorporate nine stiles. These stiles have been ‘adopted’ by local businesses, charities, organisations or artists to re-design, develop or enhance.
The aim was to generate funds towards the village ‘Raise the Roof’ appeal, but, just prior to its opening, the target was reached. Instead, The Stile Trail is there for all to enjoy, showing off the landscape and local skills. Using the blank canvas’ of these crucial pieces of landscape furniture, the Trail could inspire a new way in how our countryside can be acknowledged and valued.
The Trail has also been produced to attract people into the countryside for alternative reasons. It hopes to encourage well-being and entice those less motivated into the landscape to explore. It creates awareness of the unique village history, spanning centuries, and its connections to the modern world, weaving between the ruins that provide the evidence. The route, starting and finishing at The Trooper Inn, is then dotted with the colourful installations of the designers, highlighting the local crafts, services and schools of the area.
Please be aware this is an active farming environment and therefore livestock may be grazing in fields. In turn the enclosures require electric wiring. The sections on the paths can easily be removed and reattached using the plastic handles.
Please also abide by The Countryside Code.
Summary
Distance: Approx. 2 miles circular
Time: Around 1–2 hours
Terrain: Grass paths, fields, tracks and stiles. Can become muddy after rain.
Difficulty: Moderate rural walk
Parking: Limited parking available at Stourton Caundle Village Hall and outside the pub
Dogs: Welcome, though some stiles may be difficult for larger dogs
Accessibility: All Accessible route an option
Refreshments: The Trooper Inn
Highlights: Historic landscapes, countryside views, hidden ruins, folklore and traditional Dorset scenery
Please Remember: Follow the Countryside Code, keep dogs under control around livestock and leave no trace.
The Participants
Stile 1. Dean Harris Creations – Stone Mason, Marnhull. Self-taught mason who creates a range of artistic works using the local Marnhull stone. Built by JST Building Services. The stile had been blocked for some time and the reopening of the route now allows easy access from the centre of the village into the surrounding landscape. However, its approach travels along the edge of a private garden, please respect privacy.
Stile 2. All Saints Primary School, Bishops Caundle. Upholding the school ethos of ‘Nurturing Hearts and Inspiring Minds’, the school has created an interactive stile where you can take a pebble and read, reflect and replace. Dogs may find this stile difficult; if needed, follow the road back into the village to rejoin the route at the top of Brimble Cottages.
Stile 3 & Stile 4. The Village Stiles, either side of the bridge. A collaboration of local services, experiences, crafts and creatives. They include:
- Brimble Handmade
- Caundle Cookie Co.
- Gwen Lole Yoga & Therapy Solutions
- JMS Physio
- Tess of the Vale
- The Trooper Inn
- Vanessa Boal Garden Design
- Yoga and Pilates with Sarah
Look out for a number of wind chimes and feel free to add your own decoration with the chalk!
Stile 5. Dorset Forge and Fabrication, Alweston. Combining practical metalwork with creative art work, all using recycled materials.
Stile 6. Conygar Timber, Child Okeford. Mills and sells timber. Most of their timber comes from the woods neighbouring their yard as part of an ancient woodland restoration.
Stile 7. Castle Gardens, Sherborne. A famed garden centre for its annual Christmas display. Has a sister shop in Poundbury. Take care when climbing as the sunflower is not as secure as its post and can be a bit wobbly!
Stile 8. Countrymen UK, Holnest. Charity group, catering to all abilities, encouraging health, well-being and practical skills in the countryside.
Stile 9. Jennifer Simon – Artist, Stourton Caundle. Local artist bringing Enid Blyton’s Magical Faraway Tree into to the village.
Village History
Emerging from the wild and untamed medieval hunting grounds of The White Hart, the name ‘Caundle’ derives from the surrounding slopes where the small streams flow into the Caundle Brook. Its history includes love of family and in marriage, loss of pride, property and power, devastating plague events causing deaths across generations, and a fortified manor, similar to Wiltshire’s Wardour Castle.
The famed Dick Whittington married into the landowning family of the FitzWaryn’s and his admiration for cats was cemented in the name of Cat Lane; the village at the time being one of only a few in the country that had faith in the felines during the plague.
Stourton Caundle has experienced turmoil over religious disputes, leading to a notorious downfall involving murder, execution and unsuccessful appeals to royalty. The notable family of the Stourtons dedicated their name to the settlement and in their wake are earthworks of their castle’s foundations, the decorative fishponds and a ruined chapel, but their spirit lives on at the National Trust site of Stourhead.
The 18th-century pub reflects 19th-century military history, recruiting men during the Napoleonic War. Meanwhile, the landscape has encouraged literary inspiration in both fact and fiction. Enid Blyton, during her ownership of Manor Farm, based her book ‘Five on Finniston Farm’ on the castle’s tragedy and tunnels. The woods could even be home to the Magical Faraway Tree.
The Route
- From the Trooper Inn, turn right then right again to take the path alongside the edge of Bridge Cottage’s garden to Stile 1.
- Bear left over the first field and head through the access in the electric fence. Bear right to a farm bridge over a little stream hidden in the hedge.
- Climb straight up the other side, through the next two fields, to meet Waterloo Lane (another nod to the Napoleonic War).
- Turn right, walking up the hill with views back down the valley over the village to the tower of St Peter’s Church.
- Take the next right, onto Cat Lane, and drop down the hill to pass Brunsell Farm.
- Continue along the road to find Stile 2 on the right just before the stone bridge over the river.
- Bear left and cross the stream for the second time using the wooden bridge between Stiles 3 & 4.
- Cut straight over the meadow to Stile 5, placed in-between the gardens of Brimble Cottages.
- Walk up Brimble Cottages to the main village road and turn right. Take the next footpath on the left, just after the turning to Barrow Hill, to meet Stile 6.
- Enter an open field, with views over the Blackmore Vale to Bulbarrow Hill and the hillfort of Rawlsbury and head straight up to the farm gate.
- Turn right onto the track to the rear of Manor Farm to find Stile 7 on the left.
- Bear right in the field and drop down the slopes with the barns of Manor Farm below. Amongst them is the Medieval Chapel that once belonged to the lost castle.
- Skim the wooded lakes to meet Stile 8 in the fence ahead.
- Cross over the farm track to meet Stile 9 at the end of the bridge.
- Bear right, crossing the lost castle’s landscape, to meet a farm gate at the barns.
- Continue straight ahead on the farm lane to return to the village road.
- Turn right passing the converted Methodist Chapel to arrive back at The Trooper Inn.
For the shorter routes, either cut back to the pub after Stile 5 or walk straight up to Stile 6.
All Accessible Route
- From The Trooper Inn, turn right to pass the converted Methodist Chapel.
- Take the next lane on the left, up the hill and bend to the left, passing the lakes on the right.
- Curve up through the barns on the right, past the Medieval Chapel and follow the farm track to meet Stiles 8 & 9.
- Retrace your path to return to The Trooper Inn.
A longer walk, exploring the history of the village in greater depth, is available here.
One thought on “The Stourton Caundle Stile Trail”