Create your own Christmas wreath with materials collected from the downs. Take a festive walk and collect your holly and ivy. Return to historic Saddlescombe farm to make your very own Christmas decorations in front of log burning stoves. Mulled apple juice, mince pies and roast chestnuts will be included.
Booking essential. Four sessions available: Monday 21st, Tuesday 22nd December 2015, 10:00–12:00, 13:30–15:30; admission £5.00, all ages. More info here.
A talk by Jayne Shrimpton to the Henfield History Group at 8:00pm on Tuesday 10th November in the Free Church Hall in Henfield. The speaker is a professional dress historian and ‘photo detective’ who has published half a dozen books and published numerous articles. Her talk will focus on civilian and military photos taken during WWI. The photos above show Jayne Shrimpton’s grandmother, father, and aunts in 1917
Dead Men do Tell Tales: what we can learn from skeletal remains, a talk by Sarah Green to Beeding & Bramber Local History Society on Wednesday 4th November at 7:45pm in Upper Beeding Village Hall.
The author Leonard Holder is to visit Fulking on the afternoon of Thursday 29th October and will speak at 2:30pm in the Village Hall about his novel and the local history that underlies it. The heroine of the book is the eponymous Selina Page from whom the author is descended. Selina was the châtelaine of Perching Manor, and the Page family ran Perching Manor Farm from 1857 until 1920 when the Harris family took over.
Ian Everest talks to the Beeding & Bramber Local History Society on Wednesday October 7th at 7:45pm in the Village Hall, Upper Beeding.
Oxen were still in use at Chyngton and Exceat Farms in Seaford until the mid-1920s and were reckoned to have been in use on the Sussex Downs for over one thousand years before. The talk includes photographs of them at work in Seaford, Bishopstone, East Dean and Lewes, together with some of the more unusual non-agricultural work that they were used for. Following the demise of the oxen in Sussex, the talk looks at the evolution of farming to horses and steam power, the rioting when the threshing machines were introduced and the arrival of the first tractors.
[GJMG notes: I attended a different talk by this speaker in Henfield a couple of years ago. It remains the best local history talk I have heard. Ian Everest was brought up on one of the farms he discusses and he really knows his stuff. In addition, he is an excellent speaker with well organized material.]
Join mycologist Martin Allinson for a day of recording as many species of fungi as possible across Newtimber Hill on Friday 9th October from 9:30am to 3:00pm. Wear suitable clothing and bring lunch. Tea and cake will be served upon return to Saddlescombe. Supervised children are welcome. Booking essential. Click the image for more information.
An illustrated talk with demonstration items by Jay and Terry Cambell. In the Club Suite, Hurstpierpoint Village Hall, Tuesday 12th May at 7:45pm.
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’s workshop and more. This year we are [again] delighted to introduce our new farmers Roly and Camilla — so watch out for newly born lambs and their sheep dog Belle. Tea and home-made cakes available.
Sunday 26th April, 10:30am–4:00pm, adult £5, child £2, family £13.
Agenda Annual Meeting of Council
This is then followed by the Annual Parish meeting
Agenda Annual Parish Meeting
The evening will be rounded off with refreshments.
Derek Blackhall, Clerk to Fulking Parish Council
01273 846186
22 Kymer Gardens
Hassocks
West Sussex
BN6 8QZ
(using the email address below)
andreadicksonfpc@gmail.com
Saddlescombe Farm, Sunday 8th February 2015, 10:00am — 1:00pm, all tickets £3.00, children and dogs on leads welcome, slightly challenging walk, advance booking not needed.
This walk starts at Devil’s Dyke and gives you an opportunity to discover an ancient downland farm and its surroundings. Saddlescombe Farm has seen over 1000 years of history and still retains many of its old buildings, including the donkey well and 17th century barn. The surrounding downland holds even greater allure with over 3000 years of stories to tell. There will a break at the Hiker’s Rest tearoom at Saddlescombe before the return walk to Devil’s Dyke.
More information: Graham Wellfare, 01273 857712, graham.wellfare@nationaltrust.org.uk