Devils Dyke Car Trail

This car trail starts from the beginning of Devils Dyke Road (at the junction of Dyke Road, Hove and the Southwick bypass) then carries on through Clappers Lane, Edburton, Upper Beeding to Bramber into Steyning then through Botolphs and Coombes to Lancing College.

Please note that this route will pass though tunnels of trees along some quite narrow country roads. 

Proceed along the Devils Dyke road passing by the first junction (and note the bike rider’s memorial – bike) towards the Dyke.

 Carry on until you see Devils Dyke Farm on the left almost opposite the right hand turn to the Dyke Golf course . Stop at the farm entrance and look back

Historical note.

The Devils Dyke was one of the most popular leisure destinations in the South of England during the 19th century. During one year alone it had as many as one million visitors with as many as 30,000 visiting on Whit Monday (1893) alone.

Mr William Thacker built a hotel in 1830 (during the reign of George 1V) that proved popular, but the area really took off when a Big Game Hunter  - Mr. James Hubbard bought the Dyke Estate and developed it into a leisure park for people of all social levels. His hotel and restaurant catering for the aristocracy and Royalty  was of the highest standard, with a wine list that was reputed to be equal to any in the best London restaurants.

Numerous funfairs roundabouts, bands and other attractions were to prove so popular that he was able to afford even greater attractions including the first Aerial Cableway in the country that carried people across the 200 ft Dyke and then build a funicular railway down the Dyke to Poynings village below. Soon the road you are driving along was so packed, a special branch line from the main railway was built with a station at Devils Dyke Farm.

 The great leisure event started by Mr Hubbard declined when he emigrated to Canada in 1907 and the funicular and aerial railways were dismantled and the main branch line from Hove finally ceased in 1938.

Look back from the entrance to Devils Dyke Farm and see the double row of trees that meander across the Downs to the farm sheds where the station platform still stands, but now forms part of the silage enclosure for the farm.

Question: Did you see the boundary sign as you came along this road? If so what did it notify about Sussex?

Turn right and pass by the golf course and clubhouse and continue to the junction turning left ,pass Saddlescombe Farm on the right and continue to the lay-by on the left; stop for a moment and look back for a good view of the Dyke. Continue downhill past the turning on your left to Poynings; at the small roundabout go straight across, bearing left at The Ginger Fox restaurant and take the first turning left into Clapper’s Lane.

I have chosen this route as a typically beautiful tree tunnelled small Sussex country road and also because it avoids Poynings which is the subject of another Treasure Trail.

As you approach the village Fulking taking careful note of the village signpost at the cricket ground entrance.

What is the name of the cricket team?

Continue on before turning right into the village and look for the small bus shelter on the right.

When and why was it built?

Continue through the village and a short distance take note of the monument on the right that displays a Psalm verse on tiles.

Why was it erected?

Continue past the pub the Shepherd and Dog pub and stop to look at the village signpost.

How does it differ from the one by the cricket ground?

Continue along this road until Edburton and stop at the church. When inside look for and find the window that displays a three masted medieval sailing ship.

The window records the journey of a 17th century Presbyterian and Quaker priest who became their first missionary to America.The Rev George Keith was Scottish by birth and although a highly educated and respected member of the Society of Friends, was also renowned for his fiery temper. His anger erupted when he felt the Quaker doctrine was deviating from the orthodox Christian teachings and he told them so in no uncertain terms and in the event formed his own breakaway faction called the Christian Quakers. It wasn’t long before the Quakers censured and disowned him. He later converted to the Church of England becoming Rector of Edburton in 1703 where he remained until his death in 1716.

 Note: If the church is closed find the little plaque in the porch that has a religious verse.

  Who wote it?

Continue along the main road past Springs the Smoked Salmon supplier and on  towards Tottington Manor.

During the WW2 period this area was very much the centre for the Sussex branch of Britain’s Secret Army (Auxiliary Units) devised by Winston Churchill to cause havoc in the event of a German invasion. Men and women from all spheres of life joined with selected personnel from the Home Guard to learn the art of sabotage.

Having been required to sign the Official Secrets Act they built and worked from underground dugouts (Operational Bases) most of which were built to a uniform design. Each had enough room to sleep about eight and sufficient rations and water access for at least two weeks. This accommodation was shared with supplies of small arms, ammunition, fuses, explosives and other means of sabotage equipment. Air vents and aerials for communication were camouflaged above ground; channels were cut out of tree trunks for the wires or tubes, and then covered with the replaced bark.

Tottington Manor was the Operational H.Q. for Sussex and the entrance to its underground Base was through a hidden entrance in the floor of the existing cellar. Not many knew about the network of the these subterranean bases about 10 miles apart throughout Sussex and the “Army” was not disbanded until the 1990s. 

Continue past Totington to the main road(A2037) and turn left towards Upper Beeding, turning right at the roundabout opposite the Rising Sun pub and just before bearing left into the village stop beside the village signpost.

It is double sided -  is there a difference?

Keep left and continue along the high street to the Kings Head, and park. Go across the road to Church Lane and a short way along is a small plaque.

To whom and what does it refer?

Carry along the High street over the bridge to Bramber and the beautiful Elizabethan House – St. Mary’s.

At one time a large bridge crossed the River that used to run just in front of St Mary’s with a church sited in the centre. The oak pylons that supported a causeway to the bridge are still in place just one meter under the pavement of the main road.

 Continue through the village to the main roundabout and go round watching for and following the Brown sign pointing to the Bramber Castle entrance. If you walk up to the main ruins of the castle and go over to the right you will look over the marshland that is all that remains of the original path of the river.

The Arun was very wide tidal river that provided the means of a substantial industry in Sussex and particularly in Bramber - Salt. The saltpans were sited directly below where you look over the marshland.  

When in the grounds you can imagigine just how big the original castle was and how dominant in the area. 

There is a church that formed part of the original Castle what is it called?

 Go back to the roundabout and take the small road into Steyning Village. As you approach look for Church Street and turn right at the mini roundabout. A short way down you will see a sign on the right on the Grammar School buildings stating a date 1614.

What is the name of the person mentioned on the plaque?

Continue down the road and on the right there is a sign above the door of a cottage that states “ This is ………….House.

  What is the missing name?

A little further down on the left is a medieval thatched cottage but the name states it is older.

Why and to what age does it refer?

Return to the mini roundabout and turn left following the way you entered the village. Before reaching the Bramber roundabout take the road on the right named Maudlin Lane. Follow this road keeping right into Annington Road then onto Botolphs.

It is hard to imagine when driving along this largely unpopulated road beside the Adur valley that the river once carried cargo ships out to sea; or, that being close to the sea and tidal it created the means for a thriving salt industry, then as the area silted up, it enabled land to be reclaimed and used for sheep rearing and farming as it is today. The church that is generally thought to have been close by a bridge (never found) has survived since Saxon times but its name has changed twice. Originally dedicated to St. Botolph, patron saint of travellers was re-dedicated to St Peters by the Normans in the 11th century back to St. Botolphs in medieval times.

Carry along this road and turn right into the ChurchFarm Coombes entrance and continue up to the sign that says Welcome to Coombe Farm. Park and make your way using the double gate entrance into a field and up to the small church. This is a delightfully quintessential Saxon church, remote yet still used after a 1000 years and displaying, renovated 12th century wall paintings that adorn the walls.(Please note that the church is undergoing restorations until Xmas 2008 approximately).

Despite this, go up as far as the church gate that is of a type found only in Sussex.

How many hinges has the gate?

Return to the road continue until the right right turn just before the traffic lights at the Sussex Pad ande Lancing College turning.

You have passed by  two1000 year old churches; now, if you are not too tired, go up to Lancing College Chapel and go in to see a remarkable Victorian chapel building, where it is quite possible that Sir Tim Rice got his ideas for Jesus Christ Superstar when attending High Mass as a student at the college.

Now how about lunch at the Sussex Pad: see our Fellowship list of pubs for description.