dense woodland
english history
iron industry
medieval droveways
medieval settlements
st leonards forest
west sussex
Imagination Time....
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
July 19, 2007 7:20am CST
As most of my friends will know, I love to delve into the history of places in my Country, particularly around the area in which I live.
This time, I want to focus on the Forest of St. Leonard. This densely wooded area, stands high on the Weald of West Sussex, between Horsham and Crawley, and most definitely holds some kind of energy, which makes me feel strange whenever I travel through it on my way home from my Son's house on Sunday,early evenings.
From quite bright evening light, travelling the country lanes, you are suddenly plunged into the darkness of arching bows overhead, and all you can see is tree trunks, planted quite close together, darkening the way through. A couple of times,I've gone through and felt this energy... it's a weird feeling which I can't describe... so, I decided to wise up on the area, and here are my findings.
St. Leonards Forest is a post Medieval landscape, reclaimed from hunting grounds, which contains ancient routeways and droves. Many of the ancient woodland sites and settlement areas have been replanted, but there is still evidence of pillow mounds, which are old, commercial rabbit warrens, Wealden Iron hammer ponds and mill sites. This would follow, because the village in which I live, used to contain an Iron Forge in Medieval times, and the village is on the edge of St. Leonards Forest.
I find all this pretty interesting, and it explains to me the powers of the forest, so I think I'm going to have to explore a bit more, and maybe we'll make this our next walk. We'll have to drive to a starting point, but I think we're in for a bit of educational wonder, here! I hope you'll all join me.
1 person likes this
7 responses
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Jul 07
No, it doesn't give me the shivers exactly... the feeling is difficult to explain, but there is most certainly something there, my friend.
Need a map, you say? My village is Bolney, near the bottom of the map and we need to go just north of Mannings Heath.:) Found it?
@weemam (13372)
•
19 Jul 07
I will certainly join you my friend , I love stories like this , we have places near us that are much the same as you describe , Maybe not the same history but the same growing of the trees and the different feel as you drive through them , a kind of stillness , as if you were there at a different time xxx
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Jul 07
You hit the nail on the head Weemam. Cetainly Something I can't describe. Something's there. xx
american natives
ancestral roots
ancient sites
bernard cornwell
british history
canadian history
canadian natives
dark ages
forest of st leonard
medieval iron foundry
natures energies
ordnance survey map
quest for the holy grail
saxons
slaugham
the power of the forest
the tudors
uhtred
vikings
warlord trilogies
west sussex history
world war ii
@GardenGerty (169564)
• United States
19 Jul 07
Oh boy, I will really enjoy this. I have done a little more entertainment reading this summer. I have been reading the author Bernard Cornwell, books about Arthur, some about the dark times, and some about the time of Alfred. I will have to go look up some of this on the maps included in the front covers of the books. His family traces to some of the well known places in Great Britain. Some of it is pretty graphic, as well, about battles, and invaders and the pagans and Christians. I am looking forward to our next walk.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Jul 07
Oh WOW!!! You found my favourite author and his Arthur books. Winter King is the first of the Warlord trilogy, about Arthur, and the story continues, through Enemy of God and Excalibur. I loved these books so much. Yes, details of wars and killings are a bit graphic but that doesn't take from the enjoyment of reading them. I can really get lost in Bernard Cornwell's work. Then, I read the Quest for the Holy Grail trilogy which follows a young Archer, from Dorset's life and embraces the quest for the Grail, in France. This is equally as good. Now I'm reading through the Viking trilogy in the reign of King Alfred. They're about a orphaned boy, adopted by the Danes and named Uhtred. The Danes teach him the Viking ways and the story about the struggle between the English and the Danes and the strife between Christianity and paganism. I'm sure you'll enjoy all these, if you enjoy the Arthur stories. Stonehenge is my next one to buy. :)
Nothing to do with the subject of the discussion, but hey! I thoroughly enjoyed that! ha ha ha
Try Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley too, if you haven't already. It's about the Arthurian legend, and the Druids, from a woman's point of view. That was great.
Enough of book reviews, methinks...the closest I can find to where is live is Suth Seaxa (Sussex) where the South Saxons are in BC's books. In fact, the original part of the church in my village was built by Saxons, so there's certainly some history around this area. I love all that... and discovering my ancestors. Hence the walks and wanders! :)
Brightest Blessings.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
23 Jul 07
Yes, it is rather different. We used to have a programme over here called Bush Man, or something. This guy used to travel around the Australian Bush, showing what could be found in the wild, to eat. Ewwwwwww, I don't think I could do it, but then, if you were lost in the Bush, I guess you'd eat anything to survive.
Brightest Blessings.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
25 Jul 07
That would have been Bush Tucker Man with Les Hiddens. He was ex army and that was a good show but there have been other good ones too. Bush tucker is served in some restaraunts and considered gourmet by some...ummmm, not sure I'd go there particularly if witchety grubs are on the menu.
@raydene (9871)
• United States
20 Jul 07
This sounds magical. I wish I could go walk it with you Sweets. I also love to delve in history. I would love to walk with you and you could tell me all that you know of the different places.I would be so wonderful. The next best thing is reading what you write about it. Sometimes I can almost smell the damp earth when you talk about your walks and I sure I spotted a fairy flitting through the bluebells when you walked there last.
Thank you so much for sharing a bit of a land I will most likely never see. You are the best Doll.
Hugs
@Darkwing (21583)
•
21 Jul 07
I love to share my walks, Raydene. Even more, I wish you could manage to come with me, for real. I think you'd enjoy it immensely. Yes, it felt magickal... the first time, I thought it was just perhaps the atmosphere, but when it happened a second time, I had to believe in what I felt. I couldn't take my eyes off the tree trunks either, which is quite odd. I sort of drifted off into the forest. Difficult to explain but I'm sure when I've been up there, I will be able to tell you more.
Take care, my friend. Love and hugs. xx
@kayrod2 (1304)
• Australia
21 Jul 07
I will definately be in on this walk, Darkwing. It sounds like it will be great, with some education thrown in. I think it will be very interesting, as are all the walks we take. So, count me in. See you then!
Best wishes to you, Darkwing
@mummymo (23706)
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19 Jul 07
Wow it sounds like a place that is full of atmosphere and emotions! Thank you for sharing all this information honey and I look forward to sharing a walk there with you - you know that I always enjoy our walks. Just one little favour to ask - can I hitch a lift with you please? xxx
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Jul 07
Yes, and you pick it up just driving through, Mummymo, so I think if I visit, I might just find a deal more atmosphere and perhaps a whole lot of other things related to my ancestry. I'm itching to spend time there now... there's a kind of draw to the place.
Yes, you can hitch a lift. We can park on the roadside as long as there are not too many cars about. :)
