Archaeology and Local History Walks 2012
Lane End Common
Lane End is the most northerly of the five Chailey Commons and roughly triangular in shape. In spite of its small size it has several interesting features and historical associations. In 2007, when Sue Harrington led the first archaeological walk over Lane End Common, we observed ancient and medieval track-ways, earthworks and measured a large oak which was thought to be 400-500 years old.
In May and in November 2012, we revisited some of those sites – in particular the medieval route on the NE boundary of the Common – known in the 17th century as the ‘Lewes to Grinstead Way’, and the ancient oak tree on the W side of this track near River Farm. We started by looking at the wider location, the major Ouse crossing at Sheffield Park and the immediate Historic Environment; Neolithic finds and Roman settlement nearby and evidence of iron, pottery and brick industries. There was a discussion about Common land and the products of the Commons – rights to collect bracken, fern, twigs and ling (or matted heather) for thatching and fuel (discussed on earlier walks).
We compared modern and 1st edition OS maps and more ancient maps and over time observed encroachments into common land. There were several attempts by landowners to enclose Commons and deprive Commoners of their rights. For example, in the mid 17th century ‘anger resulted in physical harm to persons, when inhabitants of Fletching pulled down the fences Sir Henry Compton had erected around part of Chailey Common. His stewards followed the men home and wounded one by gunfire. This dispute was settled in the Court of the Star Chamber.’ Brandon (2003) p121.
Ways, tracks, boundaries, ridge and furrow
Tracks and linear features on Lane End show a variety of characteristics:
- Sunken lanes/braided tracks – 5 x parallel banks and dips (running SE/NW), bisected by the railway cutting and are likely to be earlier than the Lewes to E Grinstead Way. Possibly animal migratory routes and post-medieval track-ways. Disappear in the mid-area of the Common, but emerge on the same axis in the Northern triangle point(GR TQ 405223).
- Ancient road – ‘Lewes to Grinstead Way’, probably 14th century or earlier, shown on a 17th century estate map, and on 1st edition OS map running NW/SE on the NE boundary of the Common to the old Ouse crossing, thought to be between Wapsbourne and Sheffield Bridge. It runs SE to Red Gill, Jackies Lane, Oxbottom, Cockfield Lane and eventually to Lewes (known as the pack horse way) (GR TQ 404205)
- Boundaries on the NE edge show an established bank topped by overgrown multi stemmed hornbeam with signs of coppicing and pollarding, and a ditch on the Commons side.
- Ridge and furrow towards the West boundary opposite Lane End Farm – 6 or more parallel umbrella shaped ridges and furrow dips (N/S), medieval(?), manmade and possibly a system for managing the cycle for harvesting brakes, fern and ling and allocating in rotation? (GR TQ 402223)
- Sand quarry, indicated by sandy soil, a deep cleft and spoil heap on the S boundary W of the car-park. (GR TQ 402222)
- Deep railway cutting on the route of the Lewes and East Grinstead Railway, touching the SE corner of Lane End, 19th century. (GR TQ 406223)
A Sussex Parliamentary map (Badeslade & Toms, 1741) shows the ‘Grinstead to Lewes Way’ as one of only three roads out of the County towards London, from Newhaven via Lewes. Another 60 years on, the way is still visible on the first edition OS map.
Railways and the Navvies 19th century
The Lewes to East Grinstead railway opened in 1882 and the line ran close to the NE boundary of Lane End Common. Lane End was chosen as one of the camp sites for the ‘Navvies’ as they were known – a migrant workforce specializing in building railways, and before that the canals or ‘Navigations’ – hence the name ‘Navvies.’ Camps were sited close to where major earth moving would be needed – cuttings, embankments and tunnels. Tony Turk (1999) records the arrival of the Navvies and their impact on daily life – drawn from contemporary accounts in newspapers and documents.
In 1879, there were 34 Navvies at Chailey, 86 at Newick and 9 at Barcombe. Up to 800 men were employed on the contract. There were camps on Fletching and Lane End Commons, and at Great Rough just south of Newick and Chailey station N of the tunnel under Cinder Hill. Is there any sign of these camps today? We looked for possible evidence at Lane End – platforms for huts, pottery, etc. without success, but there are signs of foundations and earthworks on the Common close to the road between the car park and the railway line. A local resident mentioned there was a beer house on the site of the house on the N side of Lane End road just E of the railway bridge.
The Greenwich Meridian stone
The Meridian Stone at GR TQ 404224 was installed on Lane End Common in the year of the Queen’s coronation (1953), to mark the line of the Greenwich meridian where it crosses the Manor of Balneth (now known as Balneath). It was commissioned by Ivor Grantham Esq, Lord of the Manor of Balneth and the stonemason was Percival Bridgman of Eastgate Wharf, Lewes. The official unveiling was held on October 10th 1953.
Tracking south to Red Gill on the East Grinstead to Lewes Way
The walk continued from the Common, crossing the railway bridge to the east and followed the line of the E Grinstead to Lewes way S to Red Gill on the bridleway. Here we observed parallel trackways in the woodland, meeting at a pinch point at the stream and fanning out on the other side. On the S side of the stream, it was observed that the line of the old track zig-zagged up the hill towards Jackies Lane, and this may have been to make it easier to take heavy carts up and down the steep incline to the stream.
References
Brandon P (2003) The Kent and Sussex Weald, Phillimore.
Matthias E and Stephens FB (1968, 1983 and 1996) Chailey Through the Centuries, Chailey Parish Council.
Marx K (2000) An Illustrated History of the Lewes and East Grinstead Railway, Oxford Publishing Company.
Turk T (1999) Victorian Diary of Newick, Sussex 1875-1899, Tony Turk, Rickmansworth, Herts.
Linda Ball, May and November 2012