THIS IS FINDON - A Ramble To Buddington Bottom

A RAMBLE TO BUDDINGTON BOTTOM — AND BACK

This walk takes the intrepid walker through the now long lost community at Upper Buddington Farm shown on an old map of c.1875.

Commence at Cissbury Ring

(Map reference TQ140 080) at

the car park on the north side of the Ring — approached passed the ancient Wattle House on Nepcote Green — where the Findon Sheep Fair is held annually.

Head

north from the car park (armed with your binoculars because you never know when you are going to see some deer or something of interest), with Chanctonbury Ring always temptingly in your sights ahead. It is a sorrowful shadow of its former glory after the great hurricane of October 1987, but is well on the way to full recovery, albeit somewhat slowly.

Ignore the first crossing of paths with The Downs racing stables' straw piled high on your left.

This area, in fact, the site of the property and garden called Fox Down built by (and lived in by) the Findon artist, Edwin Douglas (1848-1914) before it was demolished soon after his death.

In later years, Captain Ryan Price of The Downs unsuccessfully attempted to get planning permission to build a house there and since then it has been a dumping ground for used straw from the stables.

Go left at the second crossing of tracks — this is a surprisingly wide and stony one and at one time was an old coaching route running from Steyning to Findon. This track heads west towards Findon and Nick Gifford's Gallops are on your left — and the training hurdles for the racehorses can be easily seen. Church Hill is straight ahead — and St. John the Baptist Church can be seen nestling in the woodland.

There are two turnings to the right but ignore these and continue passed the site of the old Findon flour mill on your right — now long gone, but the Mill House painted white stands out.

Ignore the gated footpath here on your left over the Gallops — and also the later turning to the left wending its way down to Nepcote Green.

The eventing yard of Kristina Cook (Gifford) is on your left and her horse box is often parked in the lane.

At the T-junction turn right. The walker now finds a concrete road under foot, which is the private drive to Gallops Farm.

Continue through the farm. Cross a rough track and bear left down across a small field to a narrow lane.

Turn right and walk along the single-track tarmac lane, passing farm buildings on your left. At the joining of tracks, leave the tarmac and take the left-hand bridleway (rather muddy in winter but O.K. the rest of the year) to Buddington Bottom.

Follow this path through the trees and pass through the gate-way into the open green valley which is sometimes occupied by cattle — and numerous pheasants. Once in the valley, Chanctonbury Ring disappears from your view. Proceed up the gently sloping valley and head for the gate-way into the woods.

This track winds through the trees passed the site of Upper Buddington Farm — and cottages complete with well, now enveloped in the undergrowth.

This is just prior to where the path culminates in a fairly stiff climb alongside fields. You will now see Chanctonbury clearly once again as you come out of the valley.

The above photograph is part of a map of the area in 1911.

Buddington Farm. A dim memory of yesteryear that was. Date unsure, you will have to make a calculated guess.

John Stepney of North End, Findon, tells me that while researching his family history (in particularly John Styles his Great Great Grandfather who was a coachman at Wiston House) he heard that some of the Buddington children of yesteryear walked northwards to the Wiston school — now a private house. To get to school each day they had to walk in all weathers up to Chanctonbury Ring — and down the steep North side before eventually arriving at school.

Others walked to the south each day for their education to School Hill in Findon. Sometimes in the winter, due to the dark or mist, they were late and got the cane. The teacher was aware of the distance they had to travel across the downland and fields but this did not stop them children being punished.

To help the pupils get to school on time (and back home at night in the mist or dark) one of the concerned Buddington fathers laid large lumps of chalk along the way to guide them.

Here are the remaining foundations that I photographed in 2003 —

— and part of an iron bedstead abandoned in the undergrowth on the site of the now lost cottages .... perhaps used by the last occupants?

In February 2011, John Greves, ex-Findonian.... on of Walton on Thames, emailed....."Buddington Hamlet....Nice piece of Research Val,

Many Farms and Villages cleared during the war to prevent covert/hostile occupation .... some asbestos sheds provided later as War Damage Compensation.

Water supply must have been a problem ... SE Chanctonbury dew pond had an underground water storage cistern on the Buddington slopes .... more in keeping than the secondhand petrol tank that's there today .... Very large/deep Well in the bushes across the track to the west of Stump Barn .... God only knows what has been thrown down that one. Tanks feeding cattle troughs filled by a pump in Findon Park Farm .... (ball valves could do with some maintenance)

Regards John"

The cottages at the nearby tiny hamlet of Buddington received friendly fire but were not rebuilt after the Second World War and the community went out of existence. (Whether this was by the Canadian army I am not sure).

The Mill Cottages adjoining the Findon Windmill site also received the same friendly gunfire and were demolished and the site was forgotten.

click to enlarge

Aerial photograph showing the site of Buddington in 2010

To continue with the walk in the 21st century. On emerging to a wider track bear left and immediately left again at the cross-roads heading straight towards Chanctonbury. Passing through the gateway to the right of the cattle-grid, you will see a restored dew-pond on your left. Straight ahead are the few remaining beech trees of Chanctonbury Ring plus newly planted saplings.

At Chanctonbury take a turn round the Ring to discover first hand how well the newly planted replacement beeches are thriving in their fenced off areas. Sit on the slopes and bask in the sun (if it is shining) and look southwards to Cissbury Ring and Findon — and you will sigh as you see how far you have to walk to get back.

To return home, head south-east, passing another dew-pond on your right just before a second cattle-grid and gateway. At the next joining of paths, take the south path and continue, without deviation, until arriving back at the car park on the north side of Cissbury Ring.

I would love to hear from you if you take me up on this walk and if you are not too tired perhaps you would let me know what you come across.

Continue if you would like another walk, this time A Hike to Stump Bottom — and Back.