Discover Stowell: Building History and Walking Routes

Stowell combines a layered building history with paths through the countryside. If you are considering a stay, Stowell Farm House, Clare Farmhouse, St Mary Magdalene and two references to footpaths provide specific starting points for planning. The buildings tell different stories: Stowell Farm House is notable for its medieval origins and later rebuilding, while Clare Farmhouse stands out for its building materials and a cheese room that has undergone little alteration. There are also paths across fields and a field boundary alongside a tributary. Together, they create a picture that brings architecture and the rural landscape together.

The building history of Stowell Farm House

Stowell Farm House dates back to the 15th century and was largely rebuilt in the 19th century. Its medieval origins therefore sit alongside a substantial later phase of construction; the house cannot be reduced to a single date of origin. An external south chimney dating from the late medieval period adds a distinctive architectural feature to the chronology. Its position on the south side connects this specific detail with a further point of reference in time. The building is also Grade II listed. Its origins, rebuilding, chimney and listed status offer different perspectives on the same architecture: its creation, alteration and heritage designation.

Clare Farmhouse: materials and room

Clare Farmhouse is an 18th-century farmhouse built of local stone, with Ham stone ashlar details. The material descriptions distinguish between the stone used for the house and the worked Ham stone details. There is also a cheese room at the rear that has been little altered. In contrast to Stowell Farm House, where the building phases and chimney stand out, the distinctive architectural details here are the choice of materials and the room's layout. Those interested in historic rural architecture will therefore find two different perspectives: a history spanning several building phases, and a farmhouse with specifically identified stone materials and a largely preserved room.

Footpaths and landscape

Two route descriptions should be distinguished for a walk. From a green lane on the road between Milborne Wick and Stowell, a public footpath crosses fields towards Clare Farm. A cattle grid near Stowell gives walkers access to the footpath to Starve Acre. The two routes have different destinations: the first heads towards Clare Farm, while the second leads to Starve Acre. Path and field conditions may change on both routes. Before setting off, check the latest information about public rights of way and local access.

Near Stowell, a field boundary runs alongside a tributary of the Gascoigne River. The watercourse and adjoining field structure provide a specific landscape feature alongside the buildings and footpaths. If the countryside matters to your trip as well as the architecture, this landscape feature is one of the aspects that characterise Stowell as a destination.

Planning a visit to St Mary Magdalene

No opening hours are listed for St Mary Magdalene in Stowell. Contact the church directly for more information if you are planning a visit. This will help you include this stop in your day's itinerary in advance.

Discover more destinations: Wellington, Ashwick, Brent Knoll, Winsford, Beckington, Milverton, Burnham-On-Sea, Stawley

For the broader travel overview: Somerset.