Discover the Beachy Head Landscape During Creative Study Walks This Spring
25th March 2024
A new series of creative study walks are taking place this spring, exploring the history, geology and archaeological landscape at Beachy Head.
The first in the monthly trio of walks kicks off in April, while in May, monthly creative writing workshops also make a welcome return.
The Fossils, Flags and Ancient Features on Beachy Head series begins with a Cow Gap, Gideon and Mrs Mantell: Fossils & Feminism walk on Monday 15 April.
Those taking part in the walk will be able to explore the geology and fossils of the South Downs on a walk to the beach at Cow Gap while considering the work of early fossil hunters Gideon and Mary Mantell. Gideon Mantell was a palaeontologist, and his wife Mary a fossil collector and scientific illustrator, who is credited with discovering the first evidence of an Iguanodon here in Sussex.
On Monday 20 May, the second creative study walk, entitled Communications from the Headland: Signallers and Structures, will investigate two centuries of communications archaeology on the headland, while working out how to identify the physical structural remains on the ground.
It is followed by the Archaeology of Bullock Down: Furrows and Families on Monday 24 June, walking into what is known as the dry valley by Bullock Down Farm to gain an understanding of thousands of years of downland farming.
Those attending each walk will be invited to create their own writings on those themes as the landscape is explored.
All walks will start and end at The Beachy Head Story running from 10.30am – 12.30pm. In the case of inclement weather, the organiser will contact those attending to arrange the next suitable day for the walk.
An Eastbourne Borough Council spokesperson said, “These walks, hosted by Heritage Eastbourne, are ideal for those who want to really explore and understand the landscape at Beachy Head and get an insight into what our ancestors discovered. This unique coastline has provided a wealth of discovery and inspiration for thousands of years.”
In May a series of monthly writing workshops will delve into current, historical and mythological aspects of Beachy Head.
Liminality on Monday 6 May will study the relationships between land and sea and the symbolism of boundaries and thresholds.
Sea Creatures on Monday 3 June, we’ll delve into the hidden world of modern marine mammals and cetaceans and the imagined world of folkloric sea monsters.
Genius Loci on Monday 15 July will tap into the Roman idea of the Spirit of the Land, of household gods and hero-ancestors, the guardians of hearth and field.
Workshops take place at The Beachy Head Story from 10.30am – 12.15pm. Writers will be invited to create their own pieces of text based around these multi-layered themes while learning a little more about this incredible landscape.
Further writing workshops will also take place in the autumn.
All walks and workshops are run by The Beachy Head Story’s Writer in Residence Annalie Seaman, and cost £15 each or £40 for a series of three. Tickets can be booked as a whole series or individually at HeritageEastbourne.com.
