After a week of superb weather in Ringwood, we’re off to Norman’s Bay, near Eastbourne. As we arrived at the caravan site the weather changed for the worst and continued that way for the next 14 days! Fortunately there were days that weren’t a complete washout as can be seen from the photos.
We put our new awning up, but after two very windy nights with the awning thrashing about we decided to take it down before it was destroyed by the wind.
We had an away day to Battle. This is where the Battle of Hastings took place in 1066. The castle is run by English Heritage and their new displays are superb. The battle took place in a field nearby and it is surprising how small an area it is.
Here is the site of the old cloisters in the Abbey.
This is the dormitory range with novices' chamber and common room.
On Saturday 12th we went to Bodiam Castle, this was begun in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a soldier of fortune. On our arrival we joined 800 Cub Scouts who were having a day out. I don’t think they were all there at the same time. Please notice that the photos don’t have one Cub Scout in them, no mean feat!
Longbow man (with National Trust badge) adds to the reality of the day.
After Bodiam we went to Bateman’s, the family home of Rudyard Kipling from 1902 – 1936. For someone interested in Kipling this is a real treasure house.
Bloke hiding amongst the Prickly Rhubarb (Gunnera) - thanks to Sybil for this info.
Our final visit of the day was to the windmill at Windmill Hill. We were fortunate enough to have arrived on the Open Mills weekend so the mill was in action. It is not fully functional, but there is enough of the works to allow the sweeps to go round. The mill had been derelict since 1913, but after a substantial injection of Lottery Funding the windmill is now in very good condition. I ventured inside whilst the sweeps were going round which is quite scary as the whole mill body vibrates.
The windmill is a Grade II* Listed Building, and is considered to be one of the more important of the remaining windmills in this country. It is a windmill of the post type and at 48'0", the tallest in Sussex. This mill is the last in England to possess the remains of a centrifugal governor system for controlling the sail area.
Built around 1814, the mill was last worked by the Harmer family who converted it to steam power in 1893 when the sweeps were removed.
Sue insisted we have tea and scones here!
Hastings is one of Britain's oldest fishing ports. Boats have worked from the beach in front of the ancient town for over a thousand years, supplying Hastings with its basic industry and main tourist attraction. The Hastings Fishermen's Protection Society preserves the fishing community's medieval right to carry on using that beach - known as the Stade - for ever, free of charge. On the Stade there are more than 25 boats, the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Britain.
On the beach near the Old Town are the so-called "net shops", said to be unique to Hastings. These are wooden constructions, weatherboarded and tarred, of various shapes and sizes, used for storage. The buildings were built tall and narrow to avoid payment of ground tax. The huts were never used for net drying;
Beachy Head is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 162 m (530 ft) above sea level. Fortunately this was one of our better weather days so the views were very good.
Belle Tout Lighthouse: How do you stop an 850-ton lighthouse from toppling over the edge of crumbling cliffs and falling into the sea below? Simple -- you lift it up on runners and drag it slowly back some fifty metres onto safer ground. This was done in 1999.
Alfriston is a very old village and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Just walking through the village you take your life in your hands. The main road is very busy and it goes down to single track in the village centre so things become interesting with lorries and tourist buses.
The Clergy House at Alfriston was the first building purchased by the National Trust in 1896, for £10. It has a fine medieval hall with a chalk and sour milk floor.
The tiny village of Lullington is now part of Alfriston parish, but retains its own church situated on the hill by the South Downs Way with magnificent views right across the Cuckmere Valley.
Sluice gate on the River Yotham, Pevensey Levels. Sue and I were doing a geocache which was quite a walk along the river, this was just one of the views.
Our last day at the campsite was Cup Final Day and I went for a shower in extra time because the match was so rivetting. On my return I thought I know those people pitching opposite us. It was Sybil and Roy, small world. Needless to say beer and wine was drunk and I was blamed for HIS pegs being put in all wobbly.
