Latest News of Local Interest
Mud on the Downs
Charlie Cain, the National Trust’s Head Warden for the South Downs, writes:
The situation is not ideal and it is our intention to remove the cattle as soon as we can. The grass growth this year has been exceptional due to the long summer and we need to keep it under control. The grazing of cattle is the most effective natural way of doing this. The excessive rainfall this autumn has made the situation worse. The grass is still growing and the cattle are causing more damage because the ground is so soft.
I am regularly monitoring the condition of the paths. We intend to replace the cattle with sheep for the winter but at the moment sheep would not consume enough grass. I am unable to predict exactly when this will happen. It will depend on how much the grass continues to grow.
As regards fencing, we have let some of the fences fall into disrepair lately. This is because a larger area is more-efficiently grazed by cattle. When a fence is situated up and down the hill you tend to get more ungrazed areas because you change the grazing pattern of the animals. Our plans for next year however include splitting the Fulking hillside into three paddocks. This may make it easier to control damage to paths because we will be able to move cattle away from the worst-affected areas.
One thousand posts
This is the 1,000th post published since the new Fulking website went live nearly three years ago. Of these, five hundred have appeared since mid-February this year.
The individual responsible for the majority of these posts is relinquishing his ‘news editor’ role at the end of December and returning to his primary duties as local history editor, much neglected of late. Pigeon Post type news, which is typically strictly local to Fulking, is now in the capable hands of PP‘s new editor. But the website has been covering much else besides: the National Park, local jobs, property for sale or rent, planning issues, Mayfield, the South Downs Way, the Rampion trench, Woods Mill events, the local National Trust, the neighbouring villages, and the state of the nearby trunk roads, inter alia. Thus we have a vacancy (or two). If you think you might be interested in taking some of this on, get in touch. No great technical expertise is required and the existing website team will be happy to provide tutorials, mentoring, whatever, as appropriate.
St. Andrew’s Day Quiz
A table has just become vacant for the quiz that is taking place this Friday, 28th November. If you want it, you need to round up three other people and call 01273-857322 or 07812465557 as soon as possible. The event is at 7:00pm (for 7.30pm) at Preston Nomads, tickets £7.00 per person which includes a Ploughman’s Platter. There will be a bar and raffle and, as the date suggests, the quiz is held in support of Edburton Church.
Fulking–Hassocks–Fulking by Bluebird
Bluebird takes note of this inaugural event.
Wreath DIY at Saddlescombe
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 a roaring fire in the Tudor Scullery. Mulled apple juice, mince pies and roast chestnuts will be included.
Booking essential. Monday, 22nd December 2014, 10:00am — 1:00pm, adult £6, child £3. More info here.
Portable antiquities
Over the last decade, nearly fifty small archaeological objects (aka ‘portable antiquities’) have been discovered in and around Fulking. The British Museum has a website where you can view a database that includes a lot of information about these finds together with a photo or drawing (in most cases). You can view it here.