THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — these Findon Chronicles were created by Valerie Martin and contain scenes from her home village of Findon,
West Sussex, U.K.    Everyday stories about real people.    In fact a potted history of the village.

THE GREAT CISSBURY SELL-OFF

Copyright Valerie Martin 2010

I have endeavoured to cover every possible aspect of the area of Cissbury Ring from before time began ....to Victorian excavations .......and to Rock concerts and the present day.     You will not find a more comprehensive history anywhere.... on the Internet nor in hard copy.

Here are a couple of little known facts regarding Cissbury Ring.    Have you any idea what Lester Piggot had to do with Cissbury Ring in the month of August?  

Obviously his connection with the Ring was not because he climbed to the summit in the month of August.     I doubt whether he has ever climbed up to the Iron Age form.    On 31st August 1992, he rode Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk's horse, named CISSBURY RING at the racecourse in Warwick.   This horse was trained by the local trainer, Lady Herries in nearby Patching.  

Secondly, do you know what connection the Daily Express newspaper had with Cissbury Ring in the 1920s?

This was well before my time but the area of Cissbury Ring was purchased in 1925 following an appeal via the Daily Express.

Returning to a more recent year, 2009 was a year of controversy for us all. In the spring we had the threat of ploughing up the Findon Valley meadows on the south-east of the Ring..... but public opinion beat that one.... then we had to stop the Council's Great Cissbury Sell-Off....

   click to enlarge

I am talking about the fields and little wooded areas where our dogs scamper.   The slopes where we do bird watching - and see the Buzzards who bred on the Cissbury Estate this year....and the little Skylarks singing their hearts out above the fields.    We have witnessed Swallows, Warblers and Ring Ouzels that rest and feed-up on the Cissbury Downs on their long spring and autumn hauls to and from the African shores.

The Council-owned land in question at Cissbury is in two vital sections.   

(1)  A mile and half along the ridge of Tenant Hill between Charmandean and Cissbury Ring.    

(2) Three quarters of a mile of downland on Mount Carvey, between Findon Valley and Cissbury Ring.

Unfortunately, Worthing councillors had quite conveniently forgotten the public purposes for which this downland was originally acquired.   The land was acquired by the Council many years back to protect it for the benefit of the public. 

The Council played a central role in helping the National Trust to buy Cissbury Ring itself - the Iron Age Hill Fort and its Stone Age flint mines.    Up until comparatively recently the grazing land in question had been leased to a farmer, who died in 2006. The council have decided not to re-lease the land, but instead to sell the freehold through an agricultural agent.    Now the downland was being described as "a piggy bank" to raise money for the Council.    They were asking £200,000. for the Mount Carvey land..... the real value of the land to Findonians was priceless.

A most successful rally against he Cissbury Sell-off was held at 11 a.m. on a Saturday morning in November.    As I approached the Coombe Rise Car Park in Findon Valley I was half thinking that perhaps everyone would be too complacent to turn up on a wet, gusty unpleasant day.    I was surprised to find cars parked all along the road..... so slewed in with the Honda and walked to the car park.

Not many banners of support in evidence..... but I immediately spied some balloons... and I could hear a loudspeaker...


 

Click to enlarge all of today's photographs taken at the rally.

Standing room only.    I did notrecognise ANYONE from Findon Village..... and only a couple from Findon Valley..... but please forgive me IF you were present and I didn't see you!

Nearly everyone brought a dog.... and they all had a say, from the youngest pup to the largest....

Suzie and Katie stood back and let their spokesman say ..."Hands off our Cissbury"..... and it would take a very brave Council to defy him.

   I met Tony Wray from Findon Valley and between us we agreed to roughly guessimate there was a good crowd of over 200 present.  An excellent turnout indeed.   Go to the top of the class for effort everyone.

The gallant protestors set off to walk the bounds..... watched by Tony, Katie and Suzie......

Meanwhile, the extremely long crocodile of supporters wended its way up the blustery Cissbury downland....... 

Brave citizens indeed..... cheered by flares........

As the crowds dispersed, I spied someone approaching me.

...   ..... yes, John Greves all the way from Walton-on-Thames had made the effort to be present...

By this time the walkers were disappearing on the skyline.  

 Well, we beat the Council at their own gave that time but I could not help but wonder if this Protest would be the last..... or perhaps the first of many concerning future attempts at a Cissbury Sell-off?  

Continue to read about the 12 inch Deep Snow in Findon Before Christmas