Chanctonbury Ring
Aug. 11th, 2016 06:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloChanctonbury Ring is a hill fort on the South Downs near Steyning. In 1760 landowner Charles Goring planted beeches in a tight clump- and turned it into a local landmark. The hurricane of 1987 smashed the clump and left the ring looking ragged. The trees have since been been replanted and are approaching maturity.
Odd things happen: There are stories of hauntings and UFO sightings, witches and other occultists have used it as a ritual site, Doreen Valiente was here. According to legend if you run round the ring seven times widdershins the devil will appear and offer you a bowl of soup in exchange for your soul.
I climbed up and came down the hard way- straight up the side of the hill, through the woods- and have the scratches to prove it. It's a very steep climb- and I did sections of the descent on my arse.
The Eastern gateway. Ditch and wall are well preserved. The beech trees have rather hampered archaeology but I understand there's the footings of a Roman temple in there somewhere.
The western approach to the Ring. Give it a few more years and it'll be as though the hurricane never happened. The irregularity to the left of the path is a barrow.
Looking north
Odd things happen: There are stories of hauntings and UFO sightings, witches and other occultists have used it as a ritual site, Doreen Valiente was here. According to legend if you run round the ring seven times widdershins the devil will appear and offer you a bowl of soup in exchange for your soul.
I climbed up and came down the hard way- straight up the side of the hill, through the woods- and have the scratches to prove it. It's a very steep climb- and I did sections of the descent on my arse.
The Eastern gateway. Ditch and wall are well preserved. The beech trees have rather hampered archaeology but I understand there's the footings of a Roman temple in there somewhere.
The western approach to the Ring. Give it a few more years and it'll be as though the hurricane never happened. The irregularity to the left of the path is a barrow.
Looking north
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no subject
Date: 2016-08-11 06:19 pm (UTC)It had better be a really good bowl of soup.
The Eastern gateway. Ditch and wall are well preserved. The beech trees have rather hampered archaeology but I understand there's the footings of a Roman temple in there somewhere.
Your phrasing and the photograph reminded me at once of Kipling: "O that was a Legion's camping-place, / When Caesar sailed from Gaul."
Thank you for this view of the land.
no subject
Date: 2016-08-11 06:48 pm (UTC)Kipling is all over Sussex. You keep tripping over him...
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