THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE TEMPLE AT FINDON

Copyright Valerie Martin

Did you know that Findon boasted a temple at one time.... yes, a temple?  

All that remains of the Findon Temple/Shrine today is a dip some 35 ft. in diameter now lying within a bygone settlement at map reference TQ 1009.  It is on a prominent part of the hillside on the Findon downland and about 4 km from the Chanctonbury Temple as the crow flies.

No, this is not on Cissbury Ring but at the Muntham Court Estate.   

Past excavations on the Muntham site during 1953-4 revealed the robbed-out foundations of a round timber building.   Various artefacts have been discovered dumped in two shallow pits outside the presumed temple entrance.  These included ox-skulls (leftovers from ritual feasting perhaps);  earthenware jug;  3 in. long clay model of a leg (human);  plaque in bronze of a crouching bear;  sacrificial bronze knife and pommel; a number of brooches and some pins, plus three Roman coins and 1st. to 4th century pottery.   

This is where the mystery comes in.  What does all of this indicate?   What date can be attached to it?

The temple site dates from 1st - 4th century A.D. (mostly of the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. based on the pottery evidence that has come to light).  

The circular area of the Iron Age and  Romano-British Temple/shrine served some religious purpose..... perhaps belonging to a healing cult.   Very little is known about the priests who conducted these little local  rituals in our area.   

Religion and superstition were integral parts of people inhabiting our patch in ancient times.   The ritual offerings left by visitors to the site were maybe a fulfilment of a vow made to the deity when asking for help.  They were possibly displayed in and around the temple before being taken down and buried.

Continue if you would like to read North End That Was.

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.