Lacock - Tithe Barn & Abbey

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Spy Mission around Lacock Tithe Barn & Abbey, with Agents tracking enemy spy ring L.A.P.S.E. after undercover agent Lex Posure goes AWOL, following his clues and extracting him from the village.

The operation is approximately 1 mile and should take around 1.5 hours to complete. You'll begin at the National Trust Lacock car park, investigate quiet lanes around the village, pass The Red Lion Inn, follow East Street, continue along a gravel lane, cross a ford by bridges, work through churchyard and cemetery sections, then return to the car park via High Street.

This Trail is marked as wheelchair accessible and pushchair accessible. The route is described as along quiet lanes and fairly even ground, with roads, pavements, a gravel lane, a ford crossed by bridges, a churchyard path and a cemetery. Some surfaces may get slippery when wet.

Cross roads several times, including at a zebra crossing and along roads with traffic. Keep Mini Agents close near the ford, around road crossings and wherever village traffic is moving through the mission zone.

Getting There

By car: Lacock is signed from the A350. Start your mission from National Trust Lacock car park (SN15 2RQ), using ///stops.infringe.slopes. Parking here is free for National Trust members or costs £4.

The Red Lion (SN15 2LQ) is an alternative for disabled badge holders.

By public transport: Make your way to the National Trust Lacock car park to begin the mission. From there, the circular route returns to the car park via High Street once Lex Posure's trail has been followed through the village.

Need the Loo?

Toilets are in the car park behind The Red Lion, around Clue 02, and are also signposted from the route - handy intel early in the operation.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

Four-legged Agents can join the mission, with one important restriction. 🐾

This Trail is dog-friendly, but there is one clue set in a cemetery where a member of your team will have to wait at the gates with your spy pooch. The route also includes roads, pavements, a gravel lane, a ford crossed by bridges, a churchyard path and surfaces that may get slippery when wet, so keep canine operatives close around traffic, water and busier village sections.

Food & Drink Stops

Spy work around Lacock comes with good refuelling options. Pubs, cafes, tea houses and a bakery are available en route, and The Red Lion Inn is on the route.

There is a picnic area with a playground near the start/end points. For an optional extra wander, take the first right after the pub to stroll around West Street Courtyard for gifts, antiques and crafts. There is also a children's play area at the rear of the Inn.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Lacock Abbey and village

Lacock's unspoilt medieval village is a brilliant place to linger once the mission is complete. Its half-timbered cottages have made it a popular setting for film and TV dramas, including 'Pride and Prejudice', 'Emma', 'Lost in Austen', 'Moll Flanders', 'Wolf Hall' and several Harry Potter films.

The 14th century Tithe Barn

The Tithe Barn on East Street is a standout stop for Agents with an eye for history. This was where villagers brought their rent in kind - one tenth of their output. The tiny lock-up next door is where some would have slept off a night's drinking.

Lacock Pottery and Harry Potter's parents' house

Along the gravel lane is Lacock Pottery. Nearby, from the 13th century there were pottery kilns on Naish Hill, and skins and hides were processed at a tanyard. At the end of the lane is a house that was the home of Harry Potter's parents in the first film, 'The Philosopher's Stone'.

King John's Hunting Lodge

King John's Hunting Lodge on Church Street is the oldest house in the village, dating from 1210. King John would bring his 'kills' back to the lodge, which retains much of its 13th century cruck beam structure.

Sign of the Angel

The Sign of the Angel is a 15th century inn named after a gold coin minted in 1461 in the reign of Edward IV. Film-spotting Agents may also recognise it from Harry Potter, where it appeared as The Babberton Arms.