Wolstonbury Hill
Encyclopedia
Wolstonbury Hill is a chalk
prominence in the South Downs National Park
, approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Brighton
and 1.6 kilometre (0.994196378639691 mi) west of Clayton, in the parish of Pyecombe
, West Sussex
, England
. It lies just to the south of Hurstpierpoint
, a village mentioned in the Domesday Book
of 1085.
from the main ridge of the South Downs
giving views of both the Downs and the Weald. Views across the Weald to the north are panoramic, to the east are the Clayton Windmills
and Ditchling Beacon
beyond. Hollingbury
is prominent to the southeast. Looking west one can see Newtimber Hill, West Hill with Devils Dyke
just beyond, further out Chanctonbury Ring
is clearly visible.
Wolstonbury, owned and maintained by the National Trust
, is listed as a Scheduled Monument.
.
vale
lies beneath the jutting profile and complex scarp and foot of Wolstonbury Hill.
The approach from the north is characterised by a network of linked or closely spaced woodland
s (some parts ancient) centred on the designed landscape at Danny House
.
, although it is a man-made habitat, it is also one of the rarest and most diverse habitats in the world. The area has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
. Present ground conditions consist of grassland/pasture
with a minimal to dense covering of scrub.
The base of the hill is shrouded with beech
woods.
Wolstonbury also has some rare (for Sussex) orchids along with a profusion of more common varieties.
and early Bronze Age
flintwork have been discovered in and around Wolstonbury
enclosing some 2.2 hectares (5.4 acre).
fort
.
'Romano-British' pottery
, animal bone and hammerstone
s were recovered from the areas of 'shallow scoop' exposed within the enclosure.
One of the earliest references to the site was by Stephen Vine who notes that in 1765, during the course of flint digging at Wolstonbury Hill, a number of human skeletons were unearthed. His later description may indicate that the burials in question were of Saxon
origin.
Danny House
at the northern foot of Wolstonbury Hill is a combination of large house and extensive park
land.
The medieval Park of Danny was enclosed by the last Sir Simon de Pierpoint in 1343. The present house was built 1593–95 by George Goring, slightly to the east of the old house.
In 1652 Danny Great Park was 54 hectares (135 acres) with arable land
and meadow
amounting to about 170 hectares (420 acres). The parkland still contains large, noble oaks of varying ages and growth patterns and is used today for a variety of recreational activities.
Under Wolstonbury Hill, the house of Danny Park has two main fronts, the east 16th Century, the south early Georgian
. The brick-built east frontage is monumental, the south front stately, the whole building a prominent element in views from the downs. There is also a well preserved ice house
in the grounds
A Roman pavement has also been unearthed in the grounds of Danny. On 13 October 1918 Danny House was the scene of a meeting of the Imperial War Cabinet
, including such luminaries as David Lloyd George
and Winston Churchill
, and it was from here that the decision was made to negotiate the armistice
with Germany
. Many say the members of the war cabinet sought inspiration in the slopes of Wolstonbury.
climbs Wolstonbury Hill. Once the whole school is assembled on top of the hill the choir
sings the 17th century Hymnus Eucharisticus
. After singing the hymn the Headmaster
hands out the Lowe's Dole - money left by the first Headmaster, Canon Lowe, for the choir and sacristan
s.
is said to have fought on Wolstonbury Hill and the ten horseshoe
s which are on the Bull Hotel at Ditchling
are said to have been cast by his ponies.
Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate or CaCO3. It forms under reasonably deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores....
prominence in the South Downs National Park
South Downs National Park
The South Downs National Park is England's newest National Park, having become fully operational on 1 April 2011. The park, covering an area of in southern England, stretches for from Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the east through the counties of Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex...
, approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and 1.6 kilometre (0.994196378639691 mi) west of Clayton, in the parish of Pyecombe
Pyecombe
Pyecombe is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It is located 7 miles to the north of Brighton. The civil parish covers an area of and has a population of 200 ....
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies just to the south of Hurstpierpoint
Hurstpierpoint
Hurstpierpoint is a village in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. Together with Sayers Common it forms one of the Mid Sussex civil parishes, with an area of 2029.88 ha and a population of 6,264 persons....
, a village mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1085.
Description
Rising to a maximum height of 225 metres (738.2 ft), Wolstonbury projects into the WealdWeald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
from the main ridge of the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
giving views of both the Downs and the Weald. Views across the Weald to the north are panoramic, to the east are the Clayton Windmills
Clayton Windmills
The Clayton Windmills, known locally as Jack and Jill, stand on the South Downs above the village of Clayton, West Sussex, England. They comprise a post mill and a tower mill, and the roundhouse of a former post mill. All three are Grade II* listed buildings....
and Ditchling Beacon
Ditchling Beacon
Ditchling Beacon is the third-highest point on the South Downs in south-east England, behind Butser Hill and Crown Tegleaze . It consists of a large chalk hill with a particularly steep northern face, covered with open grassland and sheep-grazing areas...
beyond. Hollingbury
Hollingbury
Hollingbury is an area of the city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex. The area sits high on a hillside across the north of the city above Patcham which lies in a valley to the west, Coldean in a valley to the east, and the A27 bypass forming the northern limit...
is prominent to the southeast. Looking west one can see Newtimber Hill, West Hill with Devils Dyke
Devil's Dyke, Sussex
Devil's Dyke is a V-shaped valley on the South Downs Way in southern England, near Brighton and Hove. It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation.Devil's Dyke is on the way to Brighton and is a big hill at the side of the road.-Geological history:...
just beyond, further out Chanctonbury Ring
Chanctonbury Ring
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...
is clearly visible.
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, is listed as a Scheduled Monument.
Access
No roads or car parks lie close to the summit so visitors have to ascend on foot or by mountain bikeMountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
.
Geology
South of Hurstpierpoint ridge, the clayClay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
vale
River Valley
River Valley is the name of an urban planning area within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.The River Valley Planning Area is defined by the region bounded by Orchard Boulevard, Devonshire Road and Eber Road to the north, Oxley Rise and Mohamed Sultan Road to the east, Martin...
lies beneath the jutting profile and complex scarp and foot of Wolstonbury Hill.
The approach from the north is characterised by a network of linked or closely spaced woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s (some parts ancient) centred on the designed landscape at Danny House
Danny House
Danny is an impressive Grade I listed Elizabethan red brick Mansion near Hurstpierpoint in West Sussex, England. It lies at the northern foot of Wolstonbury Hill and one of the finest stately houses in Sussex, with 56 bedrooms and 28 apartments. The present house was built 1593-95 by George...
.
Flora and fauna
There is a great diversity of plants and insects that can be found on the hill, emphasising that chalk grasslandGrassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, although it is a man-made habitat, it is also one of the rarest and most diverse habitats in the world. The area has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
. Present ground conditions consist of grassland/pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
with a minimal to dense covering of scrub.
The base of the hill is shrouded with beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
woods.
Wolstonbury also has some rare (for Sussex) orchids along with a profusion of more common varieties.
Neolithic
Small quantities of NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
and early Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
flintwork have been discovered in and around Wolstonbury
Bronze Age enclosure
The main archaeological enclosure at Wolstonbury survives as an oval earthworkEarthworks (engineering)
Earthworks are engineering works created through the moving or processing of quantities of soil or unformed rock.- Civil engineering use :Typical earthworks include roads, railway beds, causeways, dams, levees, canals, and berms...
enclosing some 2.2 hectares (5.4 acre).
Iron Age fort
To the west of the hill is a clearly visible plateau thought to be the remains of an Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
fort
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
.
'Romano-British' pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, animal bone and hammerstone
Hammerstone
In archaeology, a hammerstone is a hard cobble used to strike off lithic flakes from a lump of tool stone during the process of lithic reduction. The hammerstone is a rather universal stone tool which appeared early in most regions of the world including Europe, India and North America...
s were recovered from the areas of 'shallow scoop' exposed within the enclosure.
One of the earliest references to the site was by Stephen Vine who notes that in 1765, during the course of flint digging at Wolstonbury Hill, a number of human skeletons were unearthed. His later description may indicate that the burials in question were of Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
origin.
Danny House
Danny House
Danny is an impressive Grade I listed Elizabethan red brick Mansion near Hurstpierpoint in West Sussex, England. It lies at the northern foot of Wolstonbury Hill and one of the finest stately houses in Sussex, with 56 bedrooms and 28 apartments. The present house was built 1593-95 by George...
at the northern foot of Wolstonbury Hill is a combination of large house and extensive park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
land.
The medieval Park of Danny was enclosed by the last Sir Simon de Pierpoint in 1343. The present house was built 1593–95 by George Goring, slightly to the east of the old house.
In 1652 Danny Great Park was 54 hectares (135 acres) with arable land
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
and meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
amounting to about 170 hectares (420 acres). The parkland still contains large, noble oaks of varying ages and growth patterns and is used today for a variety of recreational activities.
Under Wolstonbury Hill, the house of Danny Park has two main fronts, the east 16th Century, the south early Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
. The brick-built east frontage is monumental, the south front stately, the whole building a prominent element in views from the downs. There is also a well preserved ice house
Icehouse (building)
Ice houses were buildings used to store ice throughout the year, prior to the invention of the refrigerator. Some were underground chambers, usually man-made, close to natural sources of winter ice such as freshwater lakes, but many were buildings with various types of insulation.During the...
in the grounds
A Roman pavement has also been unearthed in the grounds of Danny. On 13 October 1918 Danny House was the scene of a meeting of the Imperial War Cabinet
Imperial War Cabinet
The Imperial War Cabinet was created by British Prime Minister David Lloyd George in the spring of 1917 as a means of co-ordinating the British Empire's military policy during the First World War...
, including such luminaries as David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, and it was from here that the decision was made to negotiate the armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
with Germany
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. Many say the members of the war cabinet sought inspiration in the slopes of Wolstonbury.
Traditions
On Ascension Day, every member of the nearby Hurstpierpoint CollegeHurstpierpoint College
Hurstpierpoint College is an independent, co-educational, day and boarding school for pupils aged 4–18, located just to the north of the village of Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex in the lee of the South Downs...
climbs Wolstonbury Hill. Once the whole school is assembled on top of the hill the choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
sings the 17th century Hymnus Eucharisticus
Hymnus Eucharisticus
The Hymnus Eucharisticus is a traditional hymn sung by the Magdalen College choir at Oxford, England...
. After singing the hymn the Headmaster
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
hands out the Lowe's Dole - money left by the first Headmaster, Canon Lowe, for the choir and sacristan
Sacristan
A sacristan is an officer who is charged with the care of the sacristy, the church, and their contents.In ancient times many duties of the sacristan were performed by the doorkeepers , later by the treasurers and mansionarii...
s.
Folklore
King AlfredAlfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
is said to have fought on Wolstonbury Hill and the ten horseshoe
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...
s which are on the Bull Hotel at Ditchling
Ditchling
Ditchling is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is contained within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park; the order confirming the establishment of the park was signed in Ditchling....
are said to have been cast by his ponies.
External links
- http://www.wolstonbury.com