Hempstead: History and Circular Walks

For a stay in Hempstead, historical architecture and local history as well as circular walks are both options to focus on. The earthworks at Wincelow Hall, several buildings with datable architectural histories and two circular routes offer specific topics to explore during your time here. The walks differ mainly in length: 5 km compared with 7 km.

Historic Sites and Architectural History

On a hill 500 m northwest of Hempstead church lie the earthworks at Wincelow Hall. They comprise a square, 94 m-wide moat aligned northeast–southwest, as well as an adjoining pond. The site preserves archaeological information about its use and development and is protected as a Scheduled Monument. In the late 13th century, it was associated with the family of John Wynselowe.

Old Hall Cottage, a building dating from the 16th or 17th century, is the only surviving part of the Wincelow Hall site. The manor house was destroyed by fire in the 19th century. Hempstead Hall has its own architectural history: the timber-framed building, constructed around 1580, has an H-shaped plan and was extensively altered and extended in the 19th century and later.

St Andrew’s Church dates from the 14th century. Its tower was rebuilt in 1933 after the previous tower collapsed about 50 years earlier. The church also has a specific burial history: in 1883, William Harvey’s body was moved from the damp crypt at the Royal College of Surgeons to a marble sarcophagus in St Andrew’s Church.

The inn is recorded as The Bell in 1705. Local history links it to the birth of Dick Turpin; his father ran the inn. The same premises later went by the names Rose and Crown and Bluebell Inn. The inn closed in 2020—so these earlier names refer to the same place, not several inns.

Circular Walks in Hempstead

The Hundred Parishes Quiet Lane Walk 302 is a 3.4-mile (5 km) circular walk that lies entirely within the parish of Hempstead. The route description was updated on 4 April 2026. This makes it the shorter of the two routes mentioned.

The Hundred Parishes Circular Walk 135 covers 4.3 miles (7 km) through the countryside and village of Hempstead. The route description mentions country paths and quiet roads. It was updated on 22 May 2025. Compared with Walk 302, Walk 135 is the longer route and takes in both countryside and village. The lengths and areas described can help you choose between the two circular walks based on the distance you want to cover; no walking time or difficulty level is specified. Check the latest route description for your chosen route before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Witham, Basildon, Stansted Mountfitchet, Walton-On-The-Naze, Tiptree, Harlow, Epping, St Lawrence

For the main travel overview: Essex.