I've lived in Worthing for over 50 years and Highdown Hill has always been a favourite. There were many more trees at the top until the Great Storm of 1987. Thank you for this...
Loved this! I spent my teens in Worthing and Highdown Hill (plus surrounding downland further North) was pretty much my second home! Looking at your drone footage I could pick out several memorable campsites including sleeping in amongst all the fallen Ilex Oak trees in the hillfort just after the storm in 87 and my first ever self-organised campout in the edge of the woods, a couple of years earlier. I often tell my kids about a moonlit night when I walked up and over Highdown hill on my own, to sleep under the stars and having to summon all my courage to walk right past the Miller's tomb, which looks quite a bit more menacing when you're 15, it's dark and you're on yer todd :-) Thanks!
In senior school, our four houses were named after what I term the two rings and the two hills; Cissbury (house colour red), Chanctonbury (Blue), Highdown (Green) and Salvington (yellow). To be honest, you had me at your Cornwall video you've just released, but taking me back through my childhood where I was very familiar with all four of these historic sites, has sealed the deal. Subscribed and notifications turned on. As an aside to your marvellous content, you have a wonderful voice for narration; an easy-to-listen-to radio voice. I shall enjoy a leisurely catch-up with your channel and look forward to your future content. Many thanks for the enjoyable journeys back in time thus far.
Great stuff. Thankyou. A visit to Highdown Hill is now on my list. I used to live in Highdown Road near Seven Dials, Brighton. Roads adjoining Highdown Rd are called: Chanctonbury, Cissbury, Wolstonbury and Caburn. I can see the actual Chanctonbury Ring from where I live now!
Very Local to me. A piece of more recent history related to Highdown is that during World War 2 it was the site of an Army Gunnery Control Radar that looked out over the Channel. I believe it operated in conjunction with the battery of 6 inch Naval Guns installed on Worthing Sea Front at the south end of Grand Avenue. Very close to the present day site of the Canadian Army Memorial. It was Canadian Soldiers who manned the guns. About the 'running backward around the tomb to summon the Devil. As another post says, similar stories are connected to both Cissbury and Chantonbury Rings.
I read about the radar installation, but couldn't find much in the way of detail about it, so left it out of the narration. I've heard about those stories, too! Wikipedia says about Chanctonbury Ring: "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 the summoner a bowl of soup in exchange for their soul." Which seems a rather peculiar price for a bowl of soup.
I grew up in Worthing (b1945), and I remember there was a similar tale about nearby Chanctonbury OR Cisbury Rings. i.e. a certain number of 'circumnavigations' at midnight summoning up the Devil.
I've lived in Worthing for over 50 years and Highdown Hill has always been a favourite. There were many more trees at the top until the Great Storm of 1987. Thank you for this...
Great Video, always love walking up Highdown Hill 👍
Loved this! I spent my teens in Worthing and Highdown Hill (plus surrounding downland further North) was pretty much my second home! Looking at your drone footage I could pick out several memorable campsites including sleeping in amongst all the fallen Ilex Oak trees in the hillfort just after the storm in 87 and my first ever self-organised campout in the edge of the woods, a couple of years earlier. I often tell my kids about a moonlit night when I walked up and over Highdown hill on my own, to sleep under the stars and having to summon all my courage to walk right past the Miller's tomb, which looks quite a bit more menacing when you're 15, it's dark and you're on yer todd :-) Thanks!
In senior school, our four houses were named after what I term the two rings and the two hills; Cissbury (house colour red), Chanctonbury (Blue), Highdown (Green) and Salvington (yellow). To be honest, you had me at your Cornwall video you've just released, but taking me back through my childhood where I was very familiar with all four of these historic sites, has sealed the deal. Subscribed and notifications turned on.
As an aside to your marvellous content, you have a wonderful voice for narration; an easy-to-listen-to radio voice. I shall enjoy a leisurely catch-up with your channel and look forward to your future content.
Many thanks for the enjoyable journeys back in time thus far.
Great stuff. Thankyou. A visit to Highdown Hill is now on my list. I used to live in Highdown Road near Seven Dials, Brighton. Roads adjoining Highdown Rd are called: Chanctonbury, Cissbury, Wolstonbury and Caburn. I can see the actual Chanctonbury Ring from where I live now!
What a marvellous short film. Filled with excellent imagery and historical context and insight. Well done. I’ve subscribed.
Thanks!
I lived in Durrington for some years and walked my dog on Highdown, a lovely place.
A great video. Thank you.
Very Local to me. A piece of more recent history related to Highdown is that during World War 2 it was the site of an Army Gunnery Control Radar that looked out over the Channel. I believe it operated in conjunction with the battery of 6 inch Naval Guns installed on Worthing Sea Front at the south end of Grand Avenue. Very close to the present day site of the Canadian Army Memorial. It was Canadian Soldiers who manned the guns.
About the 'running backward around the tomb to summon the Devil. As another post says, similar stories are connected to both Cissbury and Chantonbury Rings.
I read about the radar installation, but couldn't find much in the way of detail about it, so left it out of the narration.
I've heard about those stories, too! Wikipedia says about Chanctonbury Ring: "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 the summoner a bowl of soup in exchange for their soul." Which seems a rather peculiar price for a bowl of soup.
You can see my house in Ferring from the top of Highdown Hill :). Great video - very informative and love the pics and drone footage. Cheers
I grew up in Worthing (b1945), and I remember there was a similar tale about nearby Chanctonbury OR Cisbury Rings. i.e. a certain number of 'circumnavigations' at midnight summoning up the Devil.
...and of course 'Devil's Dyke' further eastwards....
Yes, and apparently the devil would offer soup in exchange for one's soul.
@@SussexYank depends on the soup I guess!
@@ianpunter4486 🤣