THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE ― These Findon Chronicles are created by Valerie Martin and are progressively growing to be the only record of life around Findon, West Sussex, England.  Everyday stories about real people..... in fact, a potted history of the village.  The topics today, are the history of tomorrow.

Copyright Valerie Martin 2000

In 1890, I have discovered that Edwin Douglas the artist and his family were living in Crescent Road in Worthing. Edwin was now 42 years old and they had moved to the south coast in a bid to improve Christiana's health.

Their family home, Lawbrook House in Surrey, was sold that year and Edwin commenced looking around for a piece of ground in Sussex, where he might build a property. With luck and by chance he heard of a parcel of downland that was going on the market. It commanded a position on the heights to the east above Findon and was more than six hundred feet above sea level on the north side of Cissbury Ring. Edwin looked at the site and acted quickly and became the fortunate possessor before any other buyers appeared on the scene. Perhaps if the owner of one of the larger estates in Findon had known a house was imminently to be built across the Downs and within sight of their own substantial property, they may have purchased the land to prevent the building project. It was not to be and Edwin's plans went ahead. The artist with the Scottish accent was soon seen in and around the village.

Edwin was at first a little concerned as to what to do with all the land he had so quickly acquired. He very soon discovered that Albert Short of Findon Farm was anxious to hire the downland to run his sheep on. The nearby racehorse trainers also desired to use it for exercising their horses, and the difficulty was resolved.

There was great excitement in the Douglas family at the prospect of building their own house. The view from the plot was marvellous. Two windmills could be seen, that of Findon Windmill and also the mill at High Salvington on the opposite hillside. Their nearest neighbours-to-be, the cottages on Nepcote Green, appeared like dolls houses in the distance.

Edwin fell in with a congenial local builder, Alderman George Baker, and quickly took upon himself the task of "architect", and the house to be known as Fox Down was soon designed for the selected elevated spot.

Soon the actual construction of the property started.  The building site was reached by a steep track that snaked up the slope of the Downs from Findon village. The house grew and appeared as a bungalow-style, nearly all the living rooms being upstairs, and also containing a stable and coach-house. The views from the property were just marvellous with wide expanses of the glittering sea between the Downs. Fox Down itself was well bolstered by downland. Edwin and Christiana were delighted. 

No fear of ghosts carrying candles in a new house such as Fox Down as they had experienced at Lawbrook House.

The locals did not give encouragement. Well-disposed advisers shook their heads and murmured glumly that no house would stand the gales. Others dolefully forecast the newcomers would die a miserable death of cold in the winter. Other gloomy suggestions were that the family would be snowed up or perish from starvation. Being so exposed, without a tree or barn nearby, it was even put forward that lightning in the first thunderstorm would inevitably destroy Fox Down. Suspected water shortage, famine and heat in summer were other pessimistic Job's comforters.

As time went by, the Douglas family was, in fact, to be much envied for their fine bracing air, pure and abundant water supply, and terrific views, by their nearest Findon neighbours far down in the valley.

The Douglas family had high hopes of moving into Fox Down early in 1892, that is to say, in January or February, but for nine weeks the frost played such havoc with the plaster and cement that this was made impossible. It was not until the 13th April that eventually they could take up residence. They once more unpacked their warehoused furniture, and began to make things look shipshape for the first time since leaving the manor house at Lawbrook. Edwin retained an able carpenter to work in the house on the doors, chimney-pieces, and woodwork generally under his direction.

It was not long before an accident occurred. Edwin upset some boiling oil over his right hand. As a result he was badly burnt, and might have injured the hand for a long time to come if Christiana had not come to the rescue. Rushing to the kitchen to get some whitening or potato to put upon the afflicted area, she bumped into the carpenter, and telling him of the mishap, he immediately told her to lave it in vinegar, which quickly soothed away the pain and took away all inflammation.

During the upheaval of moving, Edwin still found time to paint. The canvas named "Ground Game" became the possession of George Ralli of The Vale Stables in Findon, together with several other subjects, such as a portrait of Ralli's hunter, named "Pale Face". A view across the neighbourhood of "Findon Park Farm" depicting sheep ended in the hands of George Winne in 1894.

Life at Fox Down was anything but the round of dreary monotony predicted by some of the Douglas family's town friends. Beginning the day by getting up at six, Edwin saw the sun rise over the hills. While enjoying the view and breathing the balmy air of morn, he often heard the thunder of hoofs break on his ears as racehorses swept by in a trial. Others walked placidly in a long picturesque string just as they do today with their gay-coloured clothing, now hidden in the haze, now coming into view, appearing and disappearing as the rising sun dispersed the mist.

Life at Fox Down was going to be good, Edwin decided. The one acre or so garden was eventually carefully laid out. Raspberry canes were planted and soon some young Douglas firs were installed around the area of the house (the remnants of these can be seen today).

The owner of the Cissbury Estate also planted out a row of ilex oaks on the downland. This may have been an attempt to obliterate the new house from the landscape as it lay in full view of his estate across the Downs.

Continue if you would like to read about Fox Down's Water Problem.