DIARY

Click on a date for the Diary entry -

 

03January2008
12January2008
01August2008
01September2008
15thNovember2008

 

see also the Proposal for the work to be done

 

3 January 2008

Linda Ball writes: "A small group of volunteers is undertaking an archaeological and historic landscape survey of Memorial Common.   The aim is to improve understanding of the historical uses, features, tracks and roads over time, and to make this information available to the Society and interested members of the public.

 Starting in the autumn 2007, members of the archaeology group have gathered documentation, maps, survey reports and consulted with professional archaeologists who have already carried out some work in the area.   Early in 2008, before the spring growth starts, and to take advantage of some of the recent winter scrapings, we will be walking the Common to record all visible features, using photography and map-making and documentary references.

 As you probably know, the Commons were used extensively by the army for training during the first and second world wars, and some features may be from this period.  However, evidence of more ancient track-ways, pits and quarries have become apparent from our early observations, and we have some questions to pursue about the nature and origins of these.  

 In the recent past, did you know that in the 19^th century there was a livestock market at North Common on land where there are now houses, between St Mary's Church and the Murco Filling Station. (This is marked on the 2^nd edition OS map as 'Cattle Sale Yard,' showing the livestock pens.)  The area around the cross-roads must have been a hive of activity!   I believe that the market continued until the railway opened in Haywards Heath, when it was re-located there - run by Bannisters.  We wonder if Chailey residents might have more information about this?" 

12 January 2008

Linda Ball writes:

"A walk was arranged at short notice, to take advantage of Sue Harrington's stay in Chailey over the Christmas period.   A dozen or so people turned up, in spite of the wet weather.  Very soon, the rain cleared away and the sun came out.

 The walk began with a review of maps and aerial photos gathered for the project.   Interesting features to note include trackways, the cattle pens, and the presence of quarrying - evidenced by the early OS maps.   (See the notes from the 3^rd January for more about the Historical and Environmental Record for the area to be surveyed.)  

Sue introduced some background to the area, referring to evidence of Roman occupation and iron working, the brick works, quarrying, and enclosure of parts of the Common.  Two sites in North Chailey have produced evidence of Romano-British occupation - iron workings and pottery kilns.  The area around Chailey marked the northern boundary of anglo-saxon settlement in Sussex, which was principally located in the more fertile land beneath the north escarpment of the Downs.   Note that Newick and Fletching churches have anglo-saxon origins. 

Roads and tracks have evolved over time, taking note that drove roads running south to north predominated in medieval times and earlier.   There could be evidence of Roman roads (for industrial purposes) and more ancient track-ways.   Most of the ancient paths and tracks will have been trodden by peasants and local travelers, getting from A to B, and may fall between boundaries of estates - to be further explored.

Of course, during the Great War and WW2, the Commons were used extensively for training and over-run with tanks.  Aerial photos for this time show a desolate place, with little evidence of trees.

 The walk began in a clockwise direction, setting off from the Sports Pavilion to investigate the trackway crossing Memorial Common from the South West to North East, aligning with Downsview Crescent, as it leaves the Common at the A275.  Is this part of an important east-west route?  

 Our next port of call was the searchlight/gun site just to the south east of the Sports Field."

 Ian Seccombe writes:  "Regarding the searchlight/gun site on Memorial Common, following the walk last weekend, I remembered that sometime ago Cyril MacG Williams was researching the Gun/Searchlight site. I'm not sure whether he continued this but it might be worth contacting him.  I understand that the Searchlight was manned by men from the 34th Searchlight Battalion of the Royal Engineers.  There is a reference to Chailey by one of these men (Stanley Bentall) on www.anti-aircraft.co.uk where he says that 3 bombs were dropped on the site on 25/26 August 1940. There are also photographs of the equipment though none, I think, were taken in Chailey.
I couldn't find any reference to the site in the Defence of Britain database nor in the NMR but it might be worth trying their research and enquiry service or going direct to the Royal Engineers Museum."  

 Linda:  "This sounds very exciting, and Ian is going to follow up.

Next we walked to the possible WW2 foxholes and a small concrete water cistern in the shaw of birches, oaks, ash and hazel bordering the A275. (What was this for…?  When does it date from?)   The most interesting features here are four or five parallel tracks, both raised and sunken paths, interspersed with what could be evidence of old quarry workings.   Further investigation is needed here.   Could some of these features be natural?  One of the raised tracks could possibly be Roman?   Where these leave the Common and cross the A275 diagonally in a north easterly direction, do they continue on the other side, which would make them older than the A275 itself?    Could some of the parallel trackways be more ancient alternative routes running south to north? 

 Sue suggested we contact specialists in industrial and Roman archaeologies to explore this area further, and look at the wider picture - ie the relationship to roads and tracks crossing Sussex in this area.

 Further on we searched for the possible bomb crater (adjacent to Beggars' Wood Road) and found a site filled with water. Is this it?  Along the south main track we saw evidence of lynchets?  Ridge and furrow? Or are these natural features of the landscape.  For this we need to consult specialists in soil and geology.

 Moving on, we walked the major track that crosses from the south west to north west in a northerly direction, and emerges on the A272 by the junction with St George's, passing the finger post where a path branches off in a NE direction.  Could this be the other end of the track that enters the Common from Downsview Crescent? 

 So the walk produced more questions rather than answers, and lots of possible avenues of exploration.   A mapping exercise will be a useful start, to gather together all the existing material, and make contact with people who can help us.   It may be useful for the Chailey Commons Society to join the Sussex Archaeology Society, so we can tap into their resources and knowledge.

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01 August 2008

On Friday evening August 1st. we arranged a walk with a group to hear of the experiences and memories of someone who could remember the war in the Chailey District. Bob Adams had asked his neighbour George Freeman to come along and have a look at some of the features and identify the trenches and other marks on the ground, to piece together some more of the war time history of this corner of the commons at Memorial Common. Thanks to Bob Adams for arranging to transport George to see us. See the Gallery for a few pictures of the walk.

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01 September 2008

William Coleman and Linda Ball visited the County Archaeology Department for a detailed discussion with Greg Chuter about the Historical Environment Record for Chailey Commons.   We now hold some up to date maps and our next steps are to prepare our own sketch maps of the features on the Commons with reference to existing evidence, once the vegetation has died down - in the autumn.   We are interested in two periods:  WW1 and WW2 sites of buildings and possible track ways and boundaries from the medieval period and earlier.    Both these have recently been the subject of investigation by Chris Butler on Red House and Memorial Commons.

 

Recent developments around the WW2 features on Memorial Common include a walk on the 1st August, in the company of Burgess Hill resident, George Freeman who had been stationed near the Commons during WW2 in association with the searchlight and gun emplacement sites.   This really brought alive some of the detail about what the use of the fox holes and how the gunners worked.   Ian Seccombe has prepared a detailed record of the features we examined, located on the far east boundary of Memorial Common (For his report, see the link below - Descriptive Survey WW2 Memorial Common Jan 2009 update ).

 

 

Tony Turk, local historian, has provided early 20th century postcards and press pictures of the North Common Crossroads and cattle market on the site of the Murco station and the houses behind, which closed in 1935, and this site continues to be of interest, and may have evolved from a stock-holding enclosure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Ian Seccombe's Research Paper - click on the link

 

 Descriptive Survey WW2 Memorial Common - Update Jan 2009

 15th November 2008

Saturday 15 November 2008

Rumours of a recent sighting of a Roman soldier in the vicinity of Chailey Common drew a group of 20 enthusiasts to a morning of practical archaeology, field-walking and surveying on Red House Common. (Thanks to this excellent poster by Lionel Reuben! )

 

 

The Spring scrapings had exposed undulations and well-defined routes across the north east side. We felt that a study of these might help us to understand similar forms and parallel routes running in a south - north direction on the eastern boundary of Memorial Common, and in other parts of the Commons.

Iron workings and the Romans

A briefing by Linda included a review of historical and archaeological sites in the area, including a Roman bloomery at Downsview, and evidence of iron workings through to medieval times and into the 17^th century.   The site of a furnace at Cinder Hill, finds of slag and chalybeate springs in the area indicate that Chailey was indeed a site for iron mining and production.   This is further evidenced by a 'Sale of Purchase' estate map, held by the East Sussex Record Office, of part of Warren Farm (adjacent to the A272, east of the King's Head cross roads) in 1651.   The land was owned by Sir Henry Compton, and clearly shows an area marked 'slag' in the layout of the farm (just north of Glendene Fruit Farm).   This warrants further investigation.

(Incidentally, historical records show reveal that Sir Henry Compton tried to enclose part of Chailey Common.   Fletching people pulled down the fences and gun fire wounded one man. The dispute had to be settled in the Court of the Star Chamber; Hodgkinson J, 2008, p.119).

Indeed, Jeremy Hodgkinson's excellent recent illustrated book (2008) 'The Wealden Iron Industry' (Tempus Publishing / The History Press) provides a detailed insight into the impact on the wealden landscape.   Buy the book (£15.99) or you can read more on http://www.wealdeniron.org.uk/hist.htm (extract below)

When the Romans invaded in AD 43, they found a well-established local tradition of iron making, using small, clay bloomery furnaces. With growing markets generated by the building of towns, villas and farms, the Romans encouraged this native industry. Sites from the period have been found all over the eastern part of the High Weald.

The 'Classis Britannica', or British Fleet, an imperial supply organization as well as a navy, took a strategic role in iron production. It managed several large smelting sites in the area around Hastings, such as one at Beauport Park, near Battle. This may have produced as much as 30,000 tonnes of iron over 130 years, and a substantial bathhouse was built there for some of the workforce.

Ridges and trackways

Map work indicated some possible ancient routes and their evolution over time, linking with the crossing of the Ouse at Sheffield Bridge.   Aerial photographs showed clearly visible tracks running from the Wivelsfield Road, crossing Red House Common and emerging towards Blackbrook Lane, also converging with another route from the south crossing Memorial Common and linking up with the path to Wapsbourne towards the Ouse crossing.

Survey work

With the aid of Chris Butler's recent paper investigating the ridges and landforms on Red House Common, people worked in teams, first of all, on a walkover looking out for 'foreign' matter on the ground, and a range of finds were brought together including part of a child's leather boot, small pieces of iron slag, iron stone, glazed pottery, brick, rough pottery shards and bones.  

Then we walked to the site north of the Red House car park to count and estimate the dimensions of the visible ridges. Ten ridges were clearly observed, and evidence of a possible sunken lane.   William Coleman and friends measured their height and depth and William has constructed a graph from the measurements.

The morning ended with speculation about the ridges. Were they remnants of agricultural management (lynchets), or migratory or pack routes?    Why were there so many of them?    One explanation, as put forward by Chris Butler, is that tracks were used until they became impassable on the sticky ground, and then animals or humans migrated to one side and started another.   The number may indicate that these were important routes aligning with pack trails, drove roads and animal migration.  

Retracing our steps to the Sports ground, several of us continued with our discussions over maps and sandwiches at the King's Head after a very enjoyable morning.

  Linda Ball, November 2008

RED HOUSE COMMON RIDGES

Here is a Graph of the profile pattern of the ridges. The total width of the ten ridges is over about 75 metres, and the depths of them vary but up to one metre in places. They are flat topped and vary slightly in width, but continue over 10 ridges in a similar way....................

 

 

 and here is a wonderful picture to show the ridges, taken in the February 2009 snow, and  illustrating the details - thanks to Ian Seccombe

 

 

 

 

 

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