Changing Chalk: connecting nature, people and heritage
Working in partnership to connect nature, people and heritage for the future of the Downs
Changing Chalk is a partnership of organisations supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund working together for the future of the South Downs. Through this project, we are reversing the decline of the fragile chalk grassland, and connecting local communities to the nationally significant landscape on their doorstep. Led by the National Trust, the partnership connects nature, people and heritage. It is restoring lost landscapes and habitats, bringing history to life and offering new experiences in the outdoors. Find out more about the Changing Chalk partnership here
Big Dig 2024
Between 26th February and 2nd March we excavated archaeological test pits in Manor Gardens and in the Parsonage of St Mary’s Old Town in partnership with the Blue Heart Project.
From the 13th century there were buildings in this area that were only cleared during the creation of Manor Gardens in the mid 18th century. We are hoping that the test pits will indicate whether any trace of these buildings, gardens or the wells that served them survive beneath the ground.
The report will be available soon so check back to find out more about the latest discoveries!
Explore the stories of the Downland
Discover stories from the last 5000 years and explore the artefacts found in Eastbourne and Willingdon as you walk through and over the archaeology that tells us about life in Eastbourne as a Downland settlement. The walk is reasonably flat but is over open Downland so is more challenging at different stages. You will finish at the Beachy Head Story visitor centre where you can find out more about this incredible landscape.
This walk is available as a self-led trail with information and 3D objects available digitally. Explore the route and the artefacts found along the way here
The Big Dig in Peacehaven 2024
Join us this September to explore the story of Peacehaven as a Downland settlement. We will be carrying out an excavation in The Big Park between 20th and 27th September looking for more evidence of the people who lived there over the last 5000 years (or so!) We will be open to visitors and are looking for volunteers to help us excavate and process finds. Contact us for more info
We will also be looking for Peacehaven residents to excavate archaeological test pits in their own gardens between 11th and 13th October.
All training and equipment will be provided so if you're interested in taking part, let us know or fill out the form here. To be able to take part in the Big Dig 2024, you will need to have read the Safe Digging Practice advice. Read it here
The Big Dig – Defined by Nature
The Downs and Towns have a long, shared history. The rolling chalk grasslands have shaped the development of the urban areas at its fringes, with people through the centuries relying on the unique landscape for their existence and later for their wealth.
Yet many of today’s communities are unaware of the unique story lying under the land they walk on every day. Now, the Changing Chalk partnership is taking steps to unearth this hidden history with the launch of the Big Dig led by Eastbourne Borough Council's Heritage Eastbourne team.
The project will engage Eastbourne residents with the origins of their town and how the Downland environment has moulded everyday life for centuries. The project will inspire and empower volunteers to help reveal the story through research and archaeology. The community-led activities in Eastbourne will become a platform for other locales to explore their place within the South Downs.
