Whelnetham Railway Walk
An easy waymarked walk along the old railway line in the village of Little Whelnetham in West Suffolk.
From the pleasant, grassy path there are some nice views of the surrounding countryside.
The route runs along the old Long Melford–Bury St Edmunds branch line. The railway ran between Long Melford on the Stour Valley Railway and Bury St Edmunds on the Ipswich to Ely Line. The line opened on 9 August 1865 and closed to passengers on 10 April 1961 and freight on 19 April 1965.
To extend your walking head north west to visit the lovely Nowton Park.
Whelnetham Railway Walk Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Whelnetham Railway Walk Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Whelnetham Railway Walk OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Whelnetham Railway Walk Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
The path follows the edge of a wheat field, between the A134 and the former railway line, marked by the trees ahead.
Line walk, Little Whelnetham. A steep section of the former railway line between Sudbury and Bury St Edmunds, now a signposted walk (though not officially a public footpath). Cow parsley has invaded the route and only a narrow path remains.
Welnetham Railway Line Walk
Wheat field at Great Whelnetham
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Welnetham station (site), Suffolk. Opened in 1865 by the Great Eastern Railway on the line from Long Melford to Bury St Edmunds, this station closed to passengers in 1961 and completely in 1964. Distant view of former forecourt, the single platform having been behind the building. This is now a private residence.
Where's The Bridge Gone? Presumably at this point where the old Bury St Edmunds to Long Melford line crossed this minor road there used to be one!
Little Whelnetham Church. The parish church of St Mary Magdalene is a medieval church with origins that are not precisely known. The tower is typical of the 14th century, as dated by Pevsner, but it may have older parts possibly dating back to the 12th century. To the east of the church stands a four-metre structure of flint and rubble, almost certainly part of a circular tower and perhaps an earlier church. The area was once home to the Priory of the Holy Cross, a monastic priory dedicated to Thomas Becket, founded in 1274 and dissolved in 1538. There is some uncertainty about whether it was located in Little Whelnetham or Great Whelnetham. A Tudor house in Little Whelnetham, known as The Crutched Friars, is believed to have been part of the priory and is now a private residence.
Barn at Great Welnetham Hall. Located about two miles south of Bury St Edmunds, Great Whelnetham had a population of 820 in 2005. The parish includes the hamlet of Cocks Green and the village of Sicklesmere, with which it is contiguous. In 2019, an excavation of a 4th-century Roman cemetery in Great Whelnetham revealed unusual burial practices. Among the 52 skeletons found, up to 40% had been decapitated, providing new insights into Roman traditions. The burial ground contained remains of men, women, and children, likely from a nearby settlement. These decapitated skeletons represent a rare archaeological find.