Nothing New
Done quite a few routes a considerable distance from home, so I thought I'd drag it all back to Burgess Hill to consolidate some historical and topographical perspective on this funny old place. That might sound a bit dull but it is an excuse to walk a route based on collecting significant locations. I realised while doing it, that taking photos of peoples' actual homes at the school drop-off can be a bit suspicious and, on one occasion, resulted in a conversation that was at first accusatatory before being diffused by mutual, old-times pondering. The route began with a list of places and, for that, is an awkward ramble back and forth.
If you are to consider current discontent with the town, you'll realise that much of it reflects the changing nature of places the country-over. A diminishing selection of shops and closing businesses and ever-expansion of boxy housing with no particular investment in services. Tree-felling and depressing concessionary playgrounds aside, this is our current moment in time and it should be, therefore, a surprise to be able to imagine life way back in, for example, Roman times. With some imagination, let's try.
I am indebted to the work of The Burgess Hill History & Heritage Association who have some great articles that helped me construct my wander. I'll try not to duplicate their work too much because you can read more there.
Suffice to say, there is some division in the origin of the town's name. Many cite a resident John Burgeys whose name is said to derive from 'Bourgois' meaning person of a borough. Alternatively, 'Burh' is an old name for hill and Burgess Hill Farm, whose location on a high point of the town was situated just below the current station with land beyond.
The thing, I guess, to understand is that up until the 19th Century, there wasn't a town centre, as such. There was St John's Common, whose name for a long time was synonymous with Burgess Hill, and a bunch of farms. The lived centre of town, that developed relatively recently, grew on the back of enclosure legislation and much later the brick and tile-makers businesses, who in turn had capitalised on the clay soil of these meadows where people had once grazed their animals. The turnpike road through the common and the arrival of the railway brought people through and to the area.
It is fitting, then, that you can start your walk from the station. East a little from here is the Top House and you can consider this the location of the original 'moot' or meeting place. The author of History Association's material says that the Pookbourne stream originates beyond the back fence. Down from the station opposite Wolstonbury Court, would have been the Burgess Hill Farm and the land made up the area of what is now the Chanctonbury Estate, built in the 50s. I am delighted that many of the old trees in this area were here before the houses. The station arrived in 1841. As you travel south on the east side of the track, you join the footpath. You pass an entrance through the wall on the left marked with a keystone dated 1855 and the back door to what was Oakhall and the home of the Crunden family. The pond you pass on the Oak Hall Estate connects underground westwards towards the schools in Chanctonbury Road. Many of the towns waterways are hidden.
At the footpath junction, go over the stile and turn left. Up to Keymer Road is where many of the big houses were built during the 19th Century boom. You can bag a couple of old farms here though, in the shape of High Chimneys, once Woodwards and the Farthings.
At the roundabout to the north, take Birchwood Grove Road towards the school. This was once Horseman's Way and is a medieval road. Little Birchwood Farm house appears cowed by the surrounding school and arriving schoolchildren. A little further on the continuation of the bridleway is a playground. Cross the stream and bear left to Burdocks Farm on One O'Clock Lane. The path is then dissected by the Lewes branch of the railway and the One O' Clock Crossing. Beyond Kings Way, the old Keymer Brick and Tile Works would have been to the left of the path on the 50 acres site. The bridleway is now bounded by housing. One too many awkward photos and I ended up explaining myself to a homeowner. Once he realised I was just a silly lady taking artsy pictures, we discussed the changing landscape.
Turn right towards Hope Farm and the Stud. We are now within the bounds of Ditchling Common Country Park, littered with paths. It was considerably wet underfoot as I ventured south towards Pollards Farm and past Freckborough Manor, farms of the tudor era. I remembered I was wearing my heavy-duty walking boots and water was not a problem. 'Frekebergh' is a name derived from 'woodpasture of the hill' and was carved up as part of late saxon manorial lands. The references to King Alfred in this area reflects the land at Ditchling he held and gave in his will. My wander was inspired by trying to trace the route of the Jacob's post paths visited here. These paths are marked by the 1734 cockerels and relate to a peculiar incident involving murder and the hanging of a travelling peddler.
Cross the B112 to leave the scrubby woods and visit the open area of common. Go south and cross Folders Lane to continue. Join the bridleway as it crosses over the railway again. Back over Common Lane, join the footpath extension of Wellhouse Lane. The Well House is roughly the source of the eastern Adur. There are some fine properties on this road and you can play a house-choosing game until you reach Keymer Road.
Cross over to join the footpath through Batchelors Nature Reserve and pass the water tower. Over the railway bridge and after a wave, continue west through Nightingale Meadows and meet the Green Circle at the roundabout. As you do this, you'll be crossing the proposed line of a Roman road as indicated on the pavements just north of here. The Romans prime interest here was the transport of iron.
I avoided the worst of the standing water just north of the A273 with a diversion through Hammonds Ridge but, if it is dry, carry on on the Green Circle until you can head north up through Henry Burt Wood to Pepper Park. Just beyond here, on the industrial estate is an area that was once an excavated boating lake and part of the Victoria Pleasure Gardens, the creation of the entrepeneur butcher, Edwin Street. It is difficult to imagine a cycle track, roller coaster and paddle steamer but these indeed were the attractions to be found from the 1890s through to the second world war.
It's a bit awkward but head through the old pleasure gardens entrance on London Road and go south to take a look at Hammonds Place, the one time home of disgraceful murderous pirate of the Pacific, Edward Michelbourne. You can then rejoin Pepper Park via Waterside and the very stream that would have fed the lake to go north through to Victoria Road. After Kings Church take the footpath on the bend through to Orchard Road and Erin Way. This is in an effort to see Newtimbers on Westhill Drive, onces Fowles Farm of 1588. Skirt the pond as you curve north to head west on Condor Way and South Drive. Now take Southway south and rejoin a footpath onto Skylark Way. Go right and south onto York Road as it turns into Charles Avenue.
This effort will eventually bring you back onto the Green Circle at the Tescos roundabout. The road here, the Jane Murray Way is named after a Burgess Hill Town Council clerk. Back on this path, leave Hammonds Meadows and take a left through the Maltings Farm Livery to Malthouse Lane. Go north and reenter the green area on your right which is Malthouse Meadows. Follow it round to rejoin the circle and you come to a scultpure of the notable benefactor Emily Temple near the burial ground. The provision of St John's Park was her doing amongst many buildings of her legacy. You cross the northern reach of Malthouse Lane past a fine oak tree, one of many.
At Gatehouse Lane, go left to The Sportsman Pub at Goddards Green. This oddly semi-redundant route into Burgess Hill has, I suspect, quietened with the building of the A23 which took pressure of the older Cuckfield Road and left Bishopstone Lane severed by the A2300. Still, enjoy a break here, as I did.
Back eastwards, cross the A273 and then cut south through the Maltings to bear left into the West Park Nature Reserve. You've narrowly missed Malthouse Farm, now called Grasmere, from 1480. Follow the track east onto the footpath that takes you all the way to Royal George Road. A little loop north and back through the churchyard lets you picture the Woolpack, once known as West End Farm. We're almost at the end of our journey and you'll be noticing how oddly isolated these old farms are becoming in a sea of relatively modern housing. Follow the road south until you can enter Fairfield Recreation Ground via the footpath. This what remains of St John's Common and the site of the fairs of the 19th century. Onto Fairfield Road go south and then east to meet the corner of St John's Park.
On the northeast corner, join Upper St John's Road and walk alonside Marle Place. At Leylands Road go west and then alongside Sidney West Recreation Ground northwards to Maple Drive. Take the route behind the Stonefield playground and onto the footpath running east west on the grass. My ankles were getting achy. Head immediately north to possibly the oldest Farm of 1480, that of Chapel. It wins the prize for the most incongruous and secretive on this list.
Back on the east west path, go east. As the sun began to set, the present chapter of Burgess Hill came into light as I beheld the Northern Arc development. I have to say it was rocking some kind of low-security prison aesthetic. My unease increased as I followed what is left of Freeks Lane to Lowlands Farm. Behind the blue hoarding, the semi-demolished farm cowered forlornly. The workers on the other side whooped and bellowed from the diggers in the darkness. Lowlands Farm always did have a slight Chainsaw Massacre feel to it and memories of finding myself on the wrong side of the stream being told off by a farmer only heightened this feeling. Now it's power is lost to development that has hacked through many a wizened old oak and dormouse home.
A journey further back through time is available if you continue north on the line of the Roman Road.
Return down the lane and take the footpath to the south of the BMX track to cross the football field just south of Bedelands. This was once home to the manorial officials or beadles. Join the main road by walking south from the car park. You can cross Leylands Road near Wivelsfield Station. The area is known as Worlds End for reasons discussed here. Go south on the path that runs alongside the west side of the track. Take St Wilfred's Road to Mill Road and continue to its end.
Back at the station, realise we've missed a whole section on the potteries and clay pits and not discussed the many businesses and business people involved. We also missed Grove Farm dated 1600 on Station Road. The Potters Pub would be a fitting finish. Let's hope it reopens as planned.
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