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The South Downs
by
Barbara Ballard
Covered by water one hundred million years ago,
the rolling windswept hills, dry valleys and great chalk cliffs are riddled
with the remains of Bronze Age barrows and Iron Age hill-forts. The most
spectacular barrows are Devil’s Jumps with their five huge round mounds and ditches
dominating the landscape. The large banks and ditches of Cissbury Ring, a
hill-fort constructed of chalk, date from 350BC.
©1999 Barbara Ballard. Reproduction of this work
in whole or in part, including images, in any media, without the expressed
written permission of the author is prohibited. The author grants Travel Lady
one time rights only. Images by Barbara Ballard |
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TM
The South
Downs, stretching along the southern coast of England from Eastbourne to
Brighton, echo ancient times and historic places.
Elaborate mosaics of Roman villas tell of life
in the past—Fishbourne Roman Villa is the largest Roman domestic building found
in Britain. Old houses are faced with flints
dug from chalk pits. Small stone-built churches, with Saxon elements still
visible, dot the region. 
Medieval
castles play host to visitors. Stately homes speak of past and present wealth
and prestige. 
Today’s
landscapes—farms, green fields, Victorian and Regency coastal towns and
picturesque villages—though well used by man, still retain the nature of the
land. Rising 534 feet above sea level, with panoramic views across the sea,
Beachy Head lies just west of Eastbourne. Strong winds and crashing waves add
to the drama of dwellings teetering on the edge of stunning chalk cliffs,
losing their battle with the sea at the rate of one metre per year. From
dramatic cliffs to rolling hills to man-made structures, the South Downs, with
its wide-open views, is a place of startling beauty.