This website created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K. 

CROP CIRCLE PUZZLE BELOW CISSBURY RING, 1995

Map indicating the position of crop circles discovered on a hillside in the Findon locality. These were revealed below Cissbury Ring on agricultural land belonging to Lychpole Farm.

Text first published in the West Sussex Gazette in June 1998.

Text copyright Valerie Martin 1999.

 

On 15th July 1995, incredible crop circle activity was triggered off in a comparatively poor quality yield of wheat in the Findon area. This was near the Iron Age Fort of Cissbury Ring, known as Lychpole Bottom, map reference 155 087. Situated on a steep slope, this immediately became the most spectacular local event of the year. It was an array of six amazing off-centre rings. The formation was a startling effect and an exciting sight. The precision with which this composition was executed, especially the elaborate off-centre geometry, was extraordinary. The view of the field from the nearby Bostal Road was hypnotic, causing many astounded drivers to pull off the road for a better look.

Crop Circle enigma to the north east below Cissbury Ring.

Measurements were taken and recorded, and the new massive phenomena totalled a surprising diameter of some 238 feet. How could hoaxers perform a Herculean task with such accuracy?

Detail of the neatly swirled wheat.

This was not the end of the excitement for the Findon neighbourhood. Ten days passed and nothing untoward happened in the countryside. Then, just as the story was subsiding, on 25th July 1995 there was an amazing occurrence. A group of fresh gigantic designs appeared alongside the first on the slope in the same field at Lychpole Bottom.

Further teasers appeared overnight in the same wheat field.

Seeing was believing. It was almost too good to be true. The gathering of symbols in the crops consisted of a triangular shape, a sizeable circle, and a separate, very elaborate design of a group of circles and patterns. Did hoaxers have the skill, the time and the energy, to prepare such a feast of humorous deception under cover of darkness?

The complete compilation showing their proximity to those originally formed — north east of Cissbury Ring.

It was a photographer’s field day. From the Steyning to Sompting road, the view of this field was virtually entirely smothered by crop circle formations and was beyond belief. The new design's length was a gigantic 248 feet. It became apparent that the additions held some obvious imperfections and were not as precise as the original patterns designed in the field.

View of the wheat field looking east.

It is interesting to record that on the same night, crop patterns were also flattened into a farmer’s wheat field directly to the right of the famed Long Man at Wilmington. What strange circle-making forces had been busy under cover of nightfall in Sussex on 25th July 1995?

Continue if you would like to read about Flower Power on Long Furlong.

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