Category Archives: Local History

Truleigh Hill Radar Station

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GEE Radar Receiver Set as used on Truleigh Hill
An illustrated talk by Roy Taylor, author of Shoreham’s Radar Station: The Story of RAF Truleigh Hill (2007) and the organizer of the Marlipins Museum exhibition on the same topic. Roy served there as a radar operator, using the receiver in the sketch above, during the final years of its operation in the late 1950s.

Sussex Military History Society, 7.30pm for 8.00pm start on Wednesday 18th May in the Function Room of the Royal Oak Public House, Station Street, Lewes. Admission for non-members is £3.00.

Sussex Agricultural History

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Threshing machine C19
A talk by Dr. Geoffrey Mead (University of Sussex) to Henfield History Group at 8:00pm on Tuesday 10th May in the Free Church Hall, Coopers Way, Henfield. The Sussex landscape is a complex linkage of natural features and processes — the geology and topography of the county. This has been adapted by man into a human landscape which is largely one of agricultural development. The talk will consider the regional and historical variation in Sussex agriculture.

Southwick Roman Villa

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Uncovering the history of Southwick's lost Roman villa
A talk by Jeffrey Leigh to Beeding & Bramber Local History Society at 7:45pm in Upper Beeding Village Hall on Wednesday 4th May.

The villa waa probably built in the first century AD, some 50 years after the Romans first arrived and was palatial in size, the second largest villa in Sussex. As such, it would have been the centre of a large and important estate. The site was lost until the 19th century when people found coins and pottery in what was then a market garden. The first excavation followed in 1845. The site was excavated again in the 1930s and then donated to the Sussex Archaeological Trust in 1932 by an anonymous benefactor. Subsequently, Manor Hall Road was driven through part of it. Nowadays, the Manor Cottage Heritage Centre has a permanent exhibition about the villa’s history and about the various efforts to excavate the site.

Saddlescombe Farm Open Day

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Dew pond at Saddlescombe Farm
The National Trust writes:

Discover this ancient downland farm that was once owned by the Knights Templars. Tours of the 17th century buildings, the surrounding downs and the walled garden. Displays and demonstrations of traditional work including; hurdle making, shepherding, carpenters’ workshop and more. Tea and home-made cakes available.

Sunday 24th April, 10:30am–4:00pm, adult £5, child £2, family £13.

The Royal Sussex at Gallipoli 1915

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Royal Sussex Regiment
Matthew Jones, Assistant County Archivist at the West Sussex Record Office in Chichester, will talk about the Royal Sussex Regiment’s role at Gallipoli, using photographs, letters, posters, diaries, and regimental records held by the Record Office. Beeding & Bramber Local History Society at 7:45 pm on Wednesday 6th April in Upper Beeding Village Hall (there’s a car park immediately opposite).

Local Scratch Dials

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A talk by Gerald Gazdar to Beeding & Bramber Local History Society at 8:30pm on Wednesday 2nd March in Upper Beeding Village Hall (there’s a car park immediately opposite).

Scratch dials (aka ‘mass clocks’) are primitive medieval sundials to be found on some of the oldest buildings in the country, mostly churches. Quite a number are located in the area around Beeding and Bramber: they can be found at Botolphs, Coombes, New Shoreham, Old Shoreham, Kingston Buci, Southwick, Lancing, Hangleton Manor and Old Erringham Chapel. St. Andrew’s in Edburton boasts no fewer than four. The talk will provide a copiously illustrated survey of these archaeological relics.