Chanctonbury Ring
Chanctonbury Ring (known as Chanklebury in Sussex dialect)[1] is a hill fort based ring of trees atop Chanctonbury Hill on the South Downs, on the border of the civil parishes of Washington and Wiston in the English county of West Sussex. A ridgeway, now part of the South Downs Way, runs along the hill. Bertrand Russell once remarked that any view that includes Chanctonbury Ring is a good view.Chanctonbury Ring was originally a small hill fort in a commanding position looking across the weald to the north. Pottery found and carbon dating on an animal bone suggest the fort was built in the early Iron Age, in the 6th to 5th centuries BC, but some Bronze Age pottery has also been found on the site.
[edit] Roman temples
After the abandonment of the hill fort, the ring was used by the Romans as a religious site (possibly due to similar Iron Age religious activity there). Two temples were erected, although it is not clear whether they stood at the same time or whether one succeeded the other. One, of Romano-British type with towered central sanctuary and outer ambulatory, certainly dated from the later Roman period. The second Roman temple may have been earlier and was more classical in form and consisted of a polygon of perhaps eleven sides. Human remains approximately one thousand years old have also been found there.
Copse of beech trees, c.1904
[edit] 18th century copse
The fame of the Ring, however, is due not to the hill fort but to the beech trees, which were planted in 1760 by Charles Goring within the earth bank of the fort,[2] which is still prominent today. The trees became a prominent landmark, very thickly wooded; however, the Great Storm of 1987 destroyed most of the trees and the replanted trees are only now beginning to restore the ring to its former glory.Local legend has it that Chanctonbury Ring was created by the Devil and that he can be summoned by running around the clump of trees seven times anti-clockwise. When he appears he will offer you a bowl of soup in exchange for your soul. The Ring is also rumoured to increase fertility in women who sleep underneath the trees for one night.
If you come to the Ring at summer solstice and recite Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare, magic little people may appear in front of you.
The Ring is mentioned in folklore and legends. There have been a number of reports of Ghosts and UFO sightings by visitors.
In 1974 three members of a Worthing based paranormal research group visited the site and one member of this team was said to have levitated whilst walking amongst the trees which crown the hill. As the story goes, he remained suspended in mid air for several seconds and during that time he was crying out 'No more! No more!' and was obviously in some considerable pain. He was then thrown to the ground injuring his back[ci
Inaccurate Chanctonbury Tour!
Chanctonbury Ring (known as Chanklebury in Sussex dialect) is a hill fort based ring of trees atop Chanctonbury Hill on the South Downs, on the border of the civil parishes of Washington and Wiston in the English county of West Sussex. A ridgeway, now part of the South Downs Way, runs along the hill. This is my Chanctonbury ascent with added chronic fatigue for good measure. I spent about four hours going up, taking photos, writing notes and coming down. It was a glorious day. Warning, this video contains me singing a line or two from Kate Bush's Oh England My Lionheart...
WILD CAMP ON A HILLFORT IN THE RAIN | CHANCTONBURY RING
PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR THE HISTORY OF BOTH HILLFORTS IN THE VIDEO:
Chanctonbury Ring is a prehistoric hill fort atop Chanctonbury Hill on the South Downs, on the border of the civil parishes of Washington and Wiston in the English county of West Sussex. A ridgeway, now part of the South Downs Way, runs along the hill. It forms part of an ensemble of associated historical features created over a span of more than 2,000 years, including round barrows dating from the Bronze Age to the Saxon periods and dykes dating from the Iron Age and Roman periods.
Consisting of a roughly circular low earthen rampart surrounded by a ditch, Chanctonbury Ring is thought to date to the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age. The purpose of the structure is unknown but it could have filled a variety of roles, including a defensive position, a cattle enclosure or even a religious shrine. After a few centuries of usage, it was abandoned for about five hundred years until it was reoccupied during the Roman period. Two Romano-British temples were built in the hill fort's interior, one of which may have been dedicated to a boar cult.
After its final abandonment around the late fourth century AD, the hill fort remained unoccupied save for grazing cattle until a mid-18th century landowner planted a ring of beech trees around its perimeter to beautify the site. They became a famous local landmark until largely being destroyed in the Great Storm of 1987. Periodic replanting on a number of occasions to replace old or destroyed trees has afforded archaeologists the opportunity to carry out a series of excavations which have revealed much about the history of the site.
Cissbury Ring is a hill fort on the South Downs, in the borough of Worthing, England, and about 5 kilometres (3 mi) from its town centre, in the county of West Sussex. It is the largest hill fort in Sussex, the second largest in England and one of the largest in Europe overall, covering some 60 acres (24 hectares). The earthworks that form the fortifications were built around the beginning of the Middle Iron-Age possibly around 250 BC but abandoned in the period 50 BC - 50 AD.
The site of the fort contains a Neolithic mine, one of the first flint mines in Britain. Around 200 shafts were dug into Cissbury hill over around 900 years of use. Shafts were up to 12 metres (39 ft) deep with 7 metres (23 ft) diameters at the surface. Up to eight galleries extended outwards from the bottoms of the shafts, often interconnecting with one another. There is concern that the site is being irreversibly damaged by illicit use of metal detectors, police say.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BOTH SITES, PLEASE FOLLOW THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
So, onto the walk and the wild camp. I was joined by Candice for this 10.5 mile route which started at the car park for Chanctonbury Ring, followed the uphill path beside the ring to meet the South Downs Way, which we followed for some time until we reached the foot of Cissbury Ring. We climbed up to that and stopped for a bit of lunch out of the wind before heading back down and continuing on with the walk all the way back to Chanctonbury Ring, where we swapped out our day walking packs for our wild camping kit and headed back up to the hillfort. At this point it started chucking it down and we even had some severe thunder and lightning. We had trouble finding the ring in the dark and the heavy rain so we opted for a spot in the woodland immediately next to the ring, set up and waited for our mystery guest to arrive and set up camp with us!
Once he arrived it was still raining for the rest of the night but it was much more enjoyable knowing we had someone else with us who knew the area!
A LINK TO OUR MYSTERY GUEST'S CHANNEL AND HIS VIDEO OF THE CAMP:
South Downs Way, East to West, Part 3 of 6 - Ditchling to Amberley
This series of six videos is a detailed and authoritative photographic flipbook guide to all 113 miles of the South Downs Way travelling from east to west.
The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath and official National Trail that traces the length of the South Downs National Park. In doing so it predominantly follows the scarp slope of the range of chalk hills stretching from Eastbourne in East Sussex to Winchester in Hampshire.
Links to the rest of the SDW east to west series
Part 1 Eastbourne to Alfriston:
Part 2 Alfriston to Ditchling:
Part 4 Amberely to Petersfield:
Part 5 Petersfield to Exton:
Part 6 Exton to Winchester:
The National Trail Web Site
Ordinance Survey Maps covering the SDW
1:50000 Map Nos. 185, 197, 198, 199
1:25000 Map Nos. 132, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123
Public Houses and Inns
02:14 The Plough, Pyecombe:
03:52 The Devil’s Dyke, Devil’s Dyke:
04:02 Shepherd and Dog, Fulking:
10:36 Frankland Arms, Washington:
14:59 The Bridge Inn, Houghton Bridge:
Places of Interest
00:28 Ditchling Beacon:
01:28 Jack and Jill Windmill Society:
01:48 Pyecombe Golf Club:
02:18 The Church of the Transfiguration, Pyecombe:
02:28 Sustrans:
03:14 Saddlescombe Donkey Wheel:
03:16 Saddlescombe Farm:
03:38 Devil’s Dyke:
04:06 Fulking Escarpment:
04:13 Perching Medieval Village:
04:30 Edburton Hill Castle Ring:
04:51 Truleigh Hill:
05:08 Truleigh Hill Youth Hostel:
05:35 Lancing College:
05:58 River Adur:
06:07 St Botolph’s Church, Botolphs:
06:31 Annington Hill Pig Farm Debate:
07:03 Steyning Bowl:
07:08 Freeflight Paragliding:
07:08 Purple Haze Paragliding:
07:56 Chanctonbury Ring:
08:14 Cissbury Ring:
10:46 St Mary’s Church, Washington:
12:03 / 12:14 Sullington Hill and Chantry Hill:
12:51 Springhead Estate:
13:15 Rackham Banks:
13:35 Amberley:
14:10 Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre:
14:34 Arun Valley Railway:
14:51 River Arun:
Music
Light Awash Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Disclaimer
Visitors who use this guide and rely on any information within it do so at their own risk.
Chanctonbury Ring to Cissbury Ring
Cissbury Ring is a hill fort on the South Downs, in the borough of Worthing, and about 5 kilometres (3 mi) from its town centre, in the English county of West Sussex.
Chanctonbury Ring is a hill fort based ring of trees atop Chanctonbury Hill on the South Downs, on the border of the civil parishes of Washington and Wiston in the English county of West Sussex. A ridgeway, now part of the South Downs Way, runs along the hill. Bertrand Russell once remarked that any view that includes Chanctonbury Ring is a good view.
South Downs Way, West to East, Part 4 of 6 - Amberley to Ditchling
This series of six videos is a detailed and authoritative photographic flipbook guide to all 113 miles of the South Downs Way travelling from west to east.
The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath and official National Trail that traces the length of the South Downs National Park. In doing so it predominantly follows the scarp slope of the range of chalk hills stretching from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex.
Links to the rest of the SDW west to east series
Part 1 Winchester to Exton:
Part 2 Exton to Petersfield:
Part 3 Petersfield to Amberley:
Part 5 Ditchling to Alfriston:
Part 6 Alfriston to Eastbourne:
The National Trail Web Site
Ordinance Survey Maps covering the SDW
1:50000 Map Nos. 185, 197, 198, 199
1:25000 Map Nos. 132, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123
Public Houses and Inns
00:29 The Bridge Inn, Houghton Bridge:
05:10 Frankland Arms, Washington:
11:36 Shepherd and Dog, Fulking:
11:38 The Devil’s Dyke, Devil’s Dyke:
13:28 The Plough, Pyecombe:
Places of Interest
00:29 River Arun:
00:52 Arun Valley Railway:
00:59 Amberley:
01:17 Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre:
02:11 Rackham Banks:
02:36 Springhead Estate:
03:14 / 03:25 Chantry Hill and Sullington Hill:
04:57 St Mary’s Church, Washington:
07:16 Cissbury Ring:
07:30 Chanctonbury Ring:
08:25 Purple Haze Paragliding:
08:25 Freeflight Paragliding:
08:32 Steyning Bowl:
08:53 Annington Hill Pig Farm Debate:
09:27 St Botolph’s Church, Botolphs:
09:33 River Adur:
10:01 Lancing College:
10:30 Truleigh Hill Youth Hostel:
10:39 Truleigh Hill:
10:55 Fulking Escarpment:
11:00 Edburton Hill Castle Ring:
11:26 Perching Medieval Village:
11:56 Devil’s Dyke:
12:18 Saddlescombe Farm:
12:27 Saddlescombe Donkey Wheel:
13:14 Sustrans:
13:25 The Church of the Transfiguration, Pyecombe:
13:40 Pyecombe Golf Club:
14:08 Jack and Jill Windmill Society:
14:58 Ditchling Beacon:
Music
Light Awash Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Disclaimer
Visitors who use this guide and rely on any information within it do so at their own risk.
Highlights Part 3. of The South Downs way.this is a walk I done 2012 UK made by Huggie Huggie2love
The South Downs Way I walk in 2012 Starting from the Seaside Town Eastbourne in Sussex to Winchester in Hampshire, UK Hope you like and enjoy this new video of the Highlights Part 3. of The South Downs way. my Part 3 - video a follow up to Part - 2. - I am coming from. Chanctonbury Ring Iron Age hill fort and Roman remains Via Amberley picture postcard village overlooking the Arun flood meadows. The walk takes me on to Washington Village up Barnstam Hill. Sullington Hill big climb up Kithurst Hill Amberley Mount off the walk is the Amberley picture postcard village overlooking the Arun flood meadows.
Queen Elizabeth Country Park. After a challenging walk up hill of Butser Hill with its Bronze Age field patterns. Are Panoramic View as far as the Isle of Wight can be seen from Butser Hill the highest section of the trail I’ve put a 12 minutes long the video is and this time the music plays right to the END. I do hope you like and enjoy and my Featuring Video and Pictures of South Downs Way. Chanctonbury Ring Iron Age hill fort and Roman remains. Washington Village. Barnstam Hill. Sullington Hill. Kithurst Hill.
Amberley Mount. Amberley picture postcard village, overlooking the Arun flood meadows. Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Butser Hill. is the highest point in the South Downs Way walk. My next video of the Highlights will be Part 4 –To the finishes at the Cathedral City of Winchester.
Bignor Roman Villa is situated in the centre of the designated South Downs National Park, only metres from the Downs themselves. The site commands unrivalled views of the Downs to South, East and West with instant access to miles of beautiful footpaths heading in all directions . – Manorfarm Downs on to Hill Barn Crypt farm down hill to the beautiful Cocking Village. Up Treyford Hill on to Hearting Downs below is the picture postcard village of Buriton.
The walk takes you on to the Beautiful Queen Elizabeth Country Park Old Winchester Hill Iron Age hill fort Butser Hill with its Bronze Age field patterns. Ice Age Chanctonbury Ring Iron Age hill fort and Roman remains Chanctonbury Ring – said to be haunted, it’s the site of an Iron Age hill-fort dating back to the 6th Century BC. Fantastic views out to sea and along the downs
Panoramic View as far as the Isle of Wight can be seen from Butser Hill on a clear day. After a challenging walk up hill. The summit is the highest point in the South Downs Butser Hill is a National Nature Reserve and is incorporated within the Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Looking east from Beacon Hill with its radio mast on the Horizon. The Meon valley lies below, and on the other side of the valley (in front of Butser Hill. is the chalk ridge which leads to Old Winchester Hill fort and barrow cemetery This is a beautiful area. Our ancestors have been walking the ridgeline of the South Downs for as far back as we can discover, all sharing the views that found Virginia Woolf “overcome by beauty more extravagantly than one could expect.” They crossed between Bronze Age barrows, with grassy ramparts still clearly visible at Old Winchester Hill, or as a circle of beech at Chanctonbury Ring and Iron Age hillforts, lit the beacons at Ditchling and Firle to warn of the coming Armada.
South Downs Way Experience some of our finest countryside between Winchester, the first capital of England, and the white chalk cliffs at Eastbourne The South Downs Way was Britain’s first long distance bridleway. It stretches for 100 miles, from the historical splendour of Winchester to the coastal town of Eastbourne, just beyond the dazzling white cliffs of the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head. It’s an ancient trail which follows droveways and old paths along the chalk escarpment of the South Downs, which divides the beautiful Hampshire and Sussex Weald from the south coast of England. For much of its length this wonderful National Trail follows the crest of the Downs, with views stretching north across the fields and woodland as far as the North Downs, some forty miles away.
Looking out to sea on a clear day you can see as far as the Isle of Wight. The route also drops down into a number of pretty downland villages and picturesque river valleys.
There is an enormous variety of scenery along the way and the sense of space and quiet isolation is all the more enjoyable If you're looking for attractive wildlife, visible prehistory, fine pubs and pretty villages, or if you just fancy a challenge, the 100 miles of the South Downs Way is Steeped in history there are ancient hill-forts, barrows, a Roman road and deserted medieval villages. The area has a rich diversity of natural habitats including flower-studded chalk grassland, ancient woodland, flood meadow,
Thatched cottages with colourful English Gardens on this walk in Southern England. Hope you like and enjoy this new video of The SouthDowns way. much ԼƠƔЄ (((Hugs))) from Huggie xoxo
Made by Huggie Huggie2love
Weekend Walk 17 - Amberley to Steyning (South Downs Way)
The ninth stage of my South Downs Way adventure, picking it up after a break over summer. Up to the downs from Amberley, the half way point, with amazing views to the north and south, to Chanctonbury Ring and the town of Steyning.
churchill tank .old coin and me on the south downs
i had some wind problems(not me the camera) the base of the shell may be from a tank shell im not sure.the coin the best i can work out its a wellington penny or half penny it looks like it may have been re struck.
Walks in Sussex: Mystery Woodland Walk
Have you ever been travelling along in your car and seen the signs for public footpaths from your car and wondered where they went? I have. To the walker they offer a new sense of adventure; a chance to explore somewhere new and lead to unexpected surprises.
Today I am on a mystery walk. Why not join me.
I am Richard Vobes, the Bald Explorer, exploring Britain. Check out my website at: and
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Walking the South Downs Way: Day 4
Tuesday 28th May 2019
After my third night of camping, I set off east from Washington, soon to climb past Chanctonbury Ring, with a view to ending my day at another campsite just north of Ditchling Beacon. Along the way I would look out for the Devil's Dyke, two water taps and a race against the clouds to get pitched up in time to stay dry!
Blog posts:
Information on the South Downs Way:
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Music from YouTube's Audio Library:
'Traveller' - The 126ers
'Between The Drops' - The Whole Other
'The Bucket List' - Quincas Moreira
'We Can Hear You Big Eyes' - The 129ers
'Solar Flares' - Silent Partner
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Thank you for watching.
Olly Parry-Jones - June 2019
UFO Captured ON FILM. August 2014
UFO HOVERING OVER North London
Evening Trail Run Across The South Downs
Movescount movie of an evening trail run, out and back along the South Downs Way. Read more about my trail running adventures at ultrarun.in
Five poems on the South Downs Way
These are 5 poems I wrote last week while on the South Downs Way from Winchester to Eastbourne, and set to music.
HMS Mercury
Am G#m
On top of the high downs
C#m G#m
The last place to find a ship
F#m A
A relic of the cold war now
C#m F#m
A resting place for eco-warriors hip
In sustainable bangles and chai tea
Yurts tepees and soft pink April blossom
Gazing towards Butser and the sea
With the wind blustering east to chill some
Walkers like me trying for Sussex
Who have spent the day cooing at sheep
With backs aching and knees that won't flex
But thanks to Mercury have a safe place to sleep.
Beacon Hill
D F#m G A
Today I tasted harsh mortality
G A Em
Soaked and cold to my bones
D F#m G A
As the southerly squalls beat without pity
G A Em
My fat frame and ill- prepared clothes
F#m/D Em F#m/D Em
Lost to me the beauty of Harting Down
F#m/D Am G
The valleys and forests in the driving rain
F#m/D Em F#m/D Em
I cursed Pen Hill, the wet chalky ground
F#m/D Am G
Never wanting to ever walk again
My dreams of Wainwright and Himalayan treks
Seemed like the ramblings of a foolish mind
I thought i might die sticking out my neck
Further than Eastbourne pier in the tide.
I prayed, and the sun started to shine
I met the first fellow travellers of the day
By Cocking it seemed the whole day had been fine
But I stopped in the church to pray anyway.
Chanctonbury
E/D D
I left Cocking on the 8am bus
Fmaj7 - Am Em
A coward seeking a softer path
E/D D
Down to Chichester then a train I could trust
Fmaj7 - Am Em
To whisk me east for an early bath
Am Em - Am
At Amberley I resumed the trail
G Am Em Am
Panted upwards till I reached the sky
Dm Am
In heaven-sent sunshine soft winds on my tail
Am - Em Am
I glided to Washington as the crow flies
Down to the road then up a steep lane
Pali chanting to protect me from harm
As the enchanted ring welcomed me back again
I'd heard how the devil can trap you with charms
I lingered but briefly to search for a stone
I'd found there last year but left by a tree
Too scared to risk taking back to my home
I remembered the stone but it hadnt waited for me
I passed an old lady with tousled white hair
And two white dogs, she gave me a grin
Was she one of them the bringer of nightmares?
I smiled back and quickened my pace towards Steyning
The monarch's way down the side of the camber
Past sheep and a blacksmith through a broad lea
Across the Adur to sleepy Bramber
And the Castle Hotel for a pot of tea.
Southease
Long shadows from the low May sun
Creep softly into this quiet room
Stealing light from the stove, its work done
For another winter, now become
A mere ornament in this old stone tomb
This place for travellers on the hills
Who like the mayflies before their doom
Seek adventure, liaisons and furtive thrills
Tomorrow a new guest will sleep in my bed
As ephemera rise from the wet grass
I will leave at dawn bound for Beachy Head
And the old stove will not move as the shadows pass
Toby Darling
Em/A x0x000
Am/D xx0555
C: x3201x
Am/D xx0555
Em 0xx000
D xx0232
C: x3201x
D/A x0423x
D/Adim x0422x
Escape
Am D Am
Last night in the hostel was hell
Am F Am D
The first to bed but last to sleep
G C D Em
Only to dream of being attacked
Bb D7
By a BnB landlord
Em D
Who screamed at me his place wasnt chic
Am D
(I told him I wouldn't play
Am D
But he still refused to go away)
G D E7
I woke to the top bunk banging
A warning about my terrible snoring.
After that I dared not sleep
So watched as the daylight seeped
Into the quiet bunked dorm
The darkness in my head welcoming the dawn
So I could pack my things and scuttle out
The first to wake except perhaps the cows
And sheep and rabbits, fish and crows.
I was up at the trig by halfpast six
With the sun peeping over the brow
Asking myself what makes my life one which
Cannot be like those others down below
They that are fit, drink beer and dream
While I am in pain, can't drink only seem
To be like my fellow man
Trudging east hating everything I am.
Toby Darling
The Biddenden Piper on All Saints Church - 11th November 2018
Jo Goddard climbs the 112 steps of All Saints Church in Biddenden, Kent, at 6am to play the bagpipes from the top of the tower on Remembrance Day to mark the end of the First World War 100 years ago.
Check out Piper Jo's FB page:
My videos are funded 100% by people like you. If you enjoy them, please help me make more:
I am Richard Vobes, the Bald Explorer, exploring Britain. Check out my website at: and
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You can also Support me via Patreon here: or Donate at
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I film with a Gopro and Zyiun Smooth 3 Gimbal, Rode Lavalier and Zoom H4 recorder..
Zyiun Smooth 3 Gimbal:
GoPro Hero range:
Rode Lavalier Mic:
Rode Smartphone mic:
Zoom H4n:
Tascam DR-60Mk2:
My children's books are here: