On Saturday 10th January, a small but enthusiastic group of WAS members met in Storrington Library car-park; it was cold! The walk, guided by Sarah Brewer, who had done an enormous amount of research on the history of Storrington, followed one of the Horsham Heritage trails.
On the way around, Sarah dropped some surprising facts about the town: the Domesday Book records two slaves in Estorchestone (meaning a place frequented by storks), Jomo Kenyatta (first president of Kenya) was a regular in The Anchor pub. We discussed the rumour that Jack the Ripper was a resident of the Monastery, what was the industrial process of fulling, the mysterious Storrington Kibble Loaf (anyone tasted it?), and learned about the extraordinary life of Maude Petre, who between organising the local WI and writing theological works that annoyed the Catholic church, helped found the League of Nations. It is surprising how many cultural figures lived in Storrington: the illustrator Paul Hardy, writer Max Plowman and composer Sir Arnold Bax amongst others.
Archaeologically, most discussion was provoked when visiting the ancient (before 1066) church of St. Mary. Was the mound it is built on natural, a barrow or a defensive structure, or a ceremonial mound like the Lewes Tump. Apparently no archaeological investigations have been done.
An excellent and invigorating start to the New Year. Many thank to Sarah for organising it.
On the way around, Sarah dropped some surprising facts about the town: the Domesday Book records two slaves in Estorchestone (meaning a place frequented by storks), Jomo Kenyatta (first president of Kenya) was a regular in The Anchor pub. We discussed the rumour that Jack the Ripper was a resident of the Monastery, what was the industrial process of fulling, the mysterious Storrington Kibble Loaf (anyone tasted it?), and learned about the extraordinary life of Maude Petre, who between organising the local WI and writing theological works that annoyed the Catholic church, helped found the League of Nations. It is surprising how many cultural figures lived in Storrington: the illustrator Paul Hardy, writer Max Plowman and composer Sir Arnold Bax amongst others.
Archaeologically, most discussion was provoked when visiting the ancient (before 1066) church of St. Mary. Was the mound it is built on natural, a barrow or a defensive structure, or a ceremonial mound like the Lewes Tump. Apparently no archaeological investigations have been done.
An excellent and invigorating start to the New Year. Many thank to Sarah for organising it.