Newsletter May 2024

Ditchling Society AGM

16 July 2024, 19.00, Barn on the Green

We would like to welcome as many of you as possible to listen to Dr David Rudling, Academic Director at the Sussex School of Archaeology, who will give a presentation on the archaeology of our part of East Sussex.

At the heart of the AGM will be a review of the future of the Society.

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Planning application for four ‘Padel’ courts at Mid-Sussex Golf Club

Have you heard of Padel? Before this application neither had we. The application for the development at Mid-Sussex Golf Club on Spatham Lane says: “Padel is typically played in doubles on an enclosed court, approximately a third the size of a tennis court, surrounded by walls of glass and metallic mesh”. The application is for four courts, lighting will also be installed, together with parking for 47 cars, an office and a lounge and seating area.

The application, reference LW/24/0354, can be seen on the Lewes District Council web site here. Alternatively, if you just wish to view the ‘Design and Access Statement’ you can find it here

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The Cottage Homes on Common Lane

To the north of Ditchling village is a row of twelve Victorian houses. Built as alms houses for members of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen on the River Thames, they sit in their own Conservation Area, but they themselves are not listed buildings. Roma Leon of the Ditchling History Project has written a short history of the Cottage Homes and raises some questions about their future (click here to see the attached pdf).

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Swifts

In 2018 the Ditchling Society installed three swift boxes behind the east-facing louvres in the tower of St Margaret’s. Each year since, from the beginning of May, you may have heard the screeching call of swifts emanating from the tower – these are recorded calls intended to attract swifts to nest.

Sadly, to date we have been unsuccessful, although each year swifts have been seen circling the tower. Let’s hope we have more luck this year.

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Ditchling Fair, Saturday, 15 June 2024

Make sure you come along to enjoy all the fun of the Fair. The Ditchling Society will of course have a stall and we would love to see you.

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Julia Goodbourn and Steve Dempsey, co-chairs, the Ditchling Society