Seventeen local people completed a 4 mile walk around Erwarton on 5 December. They walked through the park to Erwarton Church of St Mary which dates from the 15th Century, although a church was here much earlier as can be seen from a 14th Century window in the chancel. Ann Boleyn regularly visited Erwarton Hall when she was a child and also after she became Queen of England. Legend has it that she asked on her death bed that her heart should be buried in Erwarton Church. In 1836 while work was being undertaken on the South wall, a lead casket was found and when opened it contained a small quantity of black dust. The casket was resealed and is now interned in the Lady Chapel valut beneath the church organ. We then walked passed the Almshouses inscribed "The Gift of Sir Philip Parker Long Bart to the poor of Erwarton 1740"<see picture>. We passed the Queen's Head, up the hill to Shop Corner then along the track to Warren Bottom Cottages to Convert Wood. We stopped to look at trees my Dad carved his initials WW in 1917. Then we walked back along Warren Lane to Shotley Village Hall.

• For more details of Shotley Walking Club, click here
• See report on walks consultation.