THIS IS
FINDON VILLAGE —
www.findonvillage.com created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her
home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.
THE ELEPHANT MYSTERY
Copyright Valerie Martin 2004
Devil's Dyke in 1905 |
This summit of Devil's Dyke is easily visible
from the top of Cissbury ring (through binoculars).
The above photograph depicts the Dyke Hotel and
shows swings and other amusements plus a large 110 ton wooden cannon (said to be
the property of the proprietors of the hotel).
|
c. 1905 — Hopton Gun
at Devil's Dyke (the base of the gun is inscribed HOPTON GUN).
Perhaps named after the owners of the hotel on the site? The strange
name is still a mystery.
|
I wondered at first why a cannon was situated at
Devil's Dyke? John Stepney of Findon said,
"I dimly recall the idea of
the gun was to raise money for World War One veterans but I could be completely
wrong".
25th March 2005
Dear Valerie,
Even after all these years, the fiendish strategy of the Hopton Gun has
still had you all fooled!
It is, of course, not a gun at all. It is a powerful telescope pointing
out across the English Channel to keep an eye on what our European
partners are up to. During WW1, the Germans were reassured that the "Gun"
appeared to be pointing at London, so they left it alone.
In fact it was
giving excellent early warning of the Zeppelins. Between WW1 and WW2 it
was removed from Devil's Dyke and hidden in the caves at Dover, where it
continued to give yeoman service.
It is only recently that the Freedom of Information Act has allowed the
truth to creep out.
All good wishes ..... Mike.
Mike Cooksey, Bristol.
|
Chris MBrien in Aberdeen has
sent me the picture below... it is of the nearby landmark of Devil's Dyjke where the views cannot possibly be put into
words. Almost the whole of West Sussex rolls away before the eyes.
The picture depicts the approach to the nearby
Devil's Dyke c.1908.
Devil's Dyke OS Grid Ref: TQ258110. It is the
entrance to the dyke, showing the road to the Brighton and Dyke Hotel and
grounds.
I immediately asked Chris if he had any idea why
there were statues of elephants on the gate posts!
|
9th June 2004
I suppose they may have come back from India with an ex-Army person.
I thought that there used to be a small Zoo at the Dyke but my friend tells
me that the Zoo was near where my parents lived at Withdean Stadium but that
was quite short lived. It certainly wasn't there when I ran around the track
in about 1959-60 time.
Regards Chris.
Chris McBrien, Aberdeen, Scotland.
|
Chris has also forwarded a picture taken from the
same spot a few years later.........
The Devil's Dyke summit and hotel in 1911. |
Fascinating
stuff. The question I am going to ask is......... has anyone else
come across Devil's Dyke in association with elephants?
| 20th October 2004
Dear Valerie,
Devil's Dyke
I've just come across your interesting site.
As a child in the early 1930s, I travelled with family members by train
from Hove Station to the Devil's Dyke for lunch, and returned the same
way, that afternoon.
I clearly remember boarding the train at Hove, and at Devil's Dyke walking
up the long (to me) path from the Station to the road and then on to the
Hotel, as no doubt the people shown in one of your photos are doing.
I can't remember any other detail including elephants ! I wonder
when the branch line closed ?
If you've not yet solved the identity/background of the elephants. I
suggest they could have been representations of the Elephant Label/Trade
Mark of Fremlins, the Maidstone Brewer; the Devil's Dyke Hotel may have
been tied to them at the time ?
With all good wishes
Michael Young
|
Being a Kentish girl, born in Maidstone, I was
intrigued by your theory, Michael. I remember the aroma of beer
swamping the whole town when the wind was in the right direction on the days
that Fremlins did a fresh brew.
Continue if you would like to read
Looking Across to Devil's Dyke.
This
is Findon Village —
www.findonvillage.com is
a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for
documenting life in Findon.
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