This Halloween, visit the church that isn’t there

If you’re looking for somewhere a little bit spooky to explore this Halloween, I may have just the place for you: a remote, abandoned graveyard on top of a hill, surrounded by bleak marshland.

The question everyone asks when they visit Chapel Bank, at the edge of Romney Marsh, is what these graves are doing here out  in the middle of nowhere. The clue is in the name – there used to be a chapel on top of the hill. But in 1858 the local parishioners decided to move it (although not before the woman who the Granny Smith apple was named after was married here!). The entire building was moved a mile and rebuilt at Reading Street, where you can still see it today. It must have been quite a task – dismantling it more or less by hand and transporting the stones by horse and cart, so why go to all this trouble? Quite simply, it was falling into disuse – the villagers who had worshipped in the church had mostly moved away.

Yes, there was a village on this remote hill as well – a village called Ebony. The name has nothing to do with the wood ebony – it comes from the Anglo-Saxon Ebon Ie, which means ‘Ebon’s Island’. This land used to be surrounded by wide tidal channels and could only be accessed by ferry. In the 16th century, nearby Smallhythe was a busy centre for shipbuilding, where many of the people of Ebony were employed. If you’d stood on this hill in 1537, you might have seen one of Henry VIII’s brand new warships sail past.

Silting up of these channels brought the decline of this industry and the population began to shrink. That led to the church falling into disuse and the decision to move it. Now its hard to believe anyone ever lived or prayed on this barren hilltop at all. But a pilgrimage from the church in it’s new location to the graveyard still takes place every year.

This evocative place has a lot of secrets to offer up – standing in this bleakly beautiful spot, perhaps you’ll feel the presence of those long departed villagers. Where could be better for an All Souls’ Eve wander? You’re guaranteed to sense the ebb and flow of history.

What can’t be guaranteed of course is the weather. Most of the photographs here were taken on October 31st 2014, in bright sunshine and 20 degrees C – not very Halloween-like!

Where to go

Chapel Bank can only be reached on foot – park at the villages of Stone in Oxney or Appledore, south of Tenterden in Kent, and use public footpaths to reach the hill top.

 

 

Reshaping the White Cliffs

One of the things I look forward to at this time of year is the drama of autumnal weather. Living on the coast I often see how a storm that lasts just a few hours can make a lasting impression on a coastline.

One of my favourite places to see this dynamic process in action is the towering Abbot’s Cliff between Dover and Folkestone.

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The soft chalk cliffs are exposed to everything the English Channel can throw at them. New landscape features and habitats are always taking shape here, from the small-scale to the dramatic. Enormous rock falls  expose new cliff faces, and natural processes create some unusual niches for wildlife. It really does go to show that coasts like this are ever-changing landscapes.

Where to go

The easiest way to access Abbot’s Cliff is from Samphire Hoe. Walk west away from the car park, walk right through the Hoe and you will come to the beach under Abbot’s Cliff. Check tide times before you leave and beware tide cutting you off.

Samphire Hoe website.

BROODING SKIES OVER CHICHESTER HARBOUR

Most people probably associate Chichester Harbour with sunny holidays, sailing and watersports. But out of season, on a stormy day, it takes on a moody, dramatic beauty with racing clouds and windswept, wide open spaces. Just how I like it!

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My walk took me from Emsworth Harbour to a tiny village called Warblington. Most tourists probably don’t know it’s there but the ruined castle tower and ancient churchyard yews make for a very atmospheric, forgotten little corner to explore, with a fascinating history.

Once a port, falling sea levels left Warblington stranded and the old village centre now stands half a kilometer from the shore. The Black Death and clearances by Lord of the Manor,  Richard “Kingmaker” Neville, also took their toll. With the coming of the railway, the centre of population shifted north.  And that is where the modern village of Warblington now resides; until, perhaps, history re-shapes it again.

Download this walk from the Emsworth Walks website.

Where to go

At the highest point in the south-east

At almost one thousand feet, Leith Hill in Surrey is the south-east’s highest point. The 250 year-old gothic tower on top takes you above the magic thousand mark, where the views are breathtaking!

The whole area is beautiful. I walked down through Bedlam Bottom and Wootton Park, with its waterfalls and peaceful woods, but there is a wealth of fantastic scenery all around.

Download Leith Hill walk leaflets

Where to go

For information on parking and public transport, go to the National Trust web site.