My Day Out... A Change of Plan, and a Dragon!

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My younger Son and his family weren't able to join us today, and the Sun was so hot and strong on the Downs, that we made plans to go to St. Leonards Forest. As you may recall, I've mentioned the power in this place before. I don't want to make this too long, but we went to a place between Dragon's Green and Horsham Rugby Club. Rather than the bridle path, we took the path through the forest, at the beginning of which was a board, telling of the Dragon legend... Dragon legends seem to be restricted to the West of the County of Sussex, although the reason why is not too clear. Serpents were viewed as very unlucky in the County, probably due to association with the Devil, and this extended to Dragons. Accounts of Serpents go back a long, long way, to the 8th century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle which mentions "Wondrous Adders that were to be seen in the land of the South Saxons". At about the same time, Ethelward's Chronicle mentions that "Monstrous serpents were seen in the country of the Southern Angles that is called Sussex". Maybe they are the last remnants of some form of dinosaur as Iguanodon bones were found in Tilgate Forest, closeby, and St. Leonard's forest is where one of the Sussex Dragon tales is set. A small part of the ancient Wealden forest is named after one of the Dragon legends that is set there. It is said that St. Leonard, a 6th century French hermit, once lived in St. Leonards Forest. During a long battle with a Dragon, which he eventually won, St. Leonard was injured. It is said that God made White Lilies spring forth from the ground where the Saint's blood fell. Also, asking what reward the Saint wanted for freeing the local people from the Dragon, he asked that snakes be banished from the forest and nightingales, which had disturbed the Saints prayers, would be silent. In the 16th century, it was written by Dr. Andrew Borde, that the Nightingales didn't sing because they disturbed the devotions of a forest hermit. There isn't any proof that St. Leonard, ever visited Sussex, though the legend may have been attributed to him through a hermitage within the forest. We spotted some unusual things in the forest, but no dragons. lol. Strangely enough, no snakes either, but that's another story! I came across a kind of shelter, built from sticks, cleverly arranged around a fallen tree trunk, and a log, shaped like a Scottie dog. Then, something quite odd, which I though related to Saxons or Vikings. A mound of earth, and into this was driven a thick branch or trunk of wood, which was neatened at the top, and had a smallish Viking Axe, or Thor's Hammer carved into it. The carving wasn't ever so prominent but it was there. The bark was cut away to reveal the smooth wood and it gave a shaded effect to the carving. I came home with a large staff which I'm going to neaten up and decorate for myself for future use, and my granddaughter came home with four sticks from which she wanted to make a tent. lol. I'll tell you about that later. So that was my day, so far... part two to come!