Text First Published in the West Sussex Gazette in March 1999. Copyright Valerie Martin 1999.

I have been looking into the life of Napoleon Bonaparte who was a Corsican born in 1769, of poor but noble descent. He was an unlikely candidate to have any effect upon the Findon countryside. He eventually crowned himself Emperor of France, and for nearly twenty years dominated the continent of Europe. It was at this time, during the Napoleonic Wars, that his influence was brought to bear on Findon history.

Napoleon I's wars were a series of campaigns between 1800 and 1815 when the French army was pitched against various coalitions of other European powers. By 1803, peace with Britain had disintegrated and he prepared to invade our coastline. I have discovered that he organised a huge naval base at Boulogne with his army and a fleet of flat-bottomed vessels in readiness to invade. British ships were on vigilant patrol off the French coast to defend the realm. The villagers of Findon began to feel a distinct draught blowing from across the Channel and up the wind-gap in the South Downs.

Plans were put into action in case of a landing and invasion on the coast to the south of Findon. Every worker employed on the Findon land was issued with his responsibilities in the event of war. It was the duty of some, at the point of invasion, to drive the flocks of sheep to safety; some to deal with the cattle; others the horses, and take them further inland and out of reach of the anticipated French invaders.

Napoleon endeavoured to ruin Britain by imposing an embargo on all trade in and out of Britain. British goods, therefore, had to be smuggled abroad.

Britain was constantly at war with France from 1803-15. Many French prisoners of war were brought back to Britain. I think that the French panelling in older residences in Findon, such as at "Kingswood", may be a legacy of their workmanship.

The first military presence in our area during the Napoleonic Wars of any note can be traced back to when the Carnarvonshire Militia was based in the barracks where the Worthing High Street now stands.

It is said that in 1804, a clergyman was riding his horse along the Worthing sands and narrowly escaped injury when a musket ball whizzed past his head.  He had accidentally strayed in to a shooting range set up by the troops.   Apparently some troops settled in Worthing after their unit was disbanded in 1811.

There are numerous old flint walls in the Findon area, originally built to enclose the larger properties, particularly in the High Street. I expect the inhabitants were quick to make use of the naturally occurring flints in the area and the supply of cheap labour in the form of the French captives.

Over one hundred years previously, the long Napoleonic wars had drained France of men, money and supplies, and eventually led to Napoleon's downfall and he died in 1821. His men left a legacy of flint walls in Findon. I notice that many villagers have endeavoured to incorporate at least some flint work in the elevations and boundary walls of new properties, and have assisted in keeping this characteristic feature of the village.

Continue if you would like to read about Military Camps in the Area