Devil's Dyke, Sussex
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Devil's Dyke is a V-Shaped valley on the South Downs Way in southern England, near Brighton and Hove formed by the waters of the receding ice at the end of the last ice age. It is a common misconception that the valley was formed by glacial action. The hills surrounding the valley offer views of the South Downs, The Weald, and – on a clear day – the Isle of Wight. It is the site of ramparts, all that remain of an Iron Age hillfort, and a pub.
Local folklore explains the valley as the work of the devil. The legend holds that the devil was digging a trench to the sea to flood Sussex. The digging disturbed an old woman who lit a candle, causing a rooster to crow, making the devil believe the morning was fast approaching. The devil then fled, leaving his trench uncompleted.
Another story holds that rather than digging to flood the county, he was simply in a huge goatlike form, intending to crush the surrounding area. He smelt the tang of salt water in the wind, and fearing his coat would get damp (for he is vain to the point of sin), he fled leaving nothing but a hoof-print, now known as Devil's Dyke.
[edit] Victorian Transport
In late Victorian times Devil's Dyke became a tourist attraction, complete with a fairground.
From 1887-1938 a railway branch line operated from near Aldrington in Hove to a point some 500 m south of the west end of the valley.
From 1894-1909 a cable car operated across the valley itself, covering a distance of 350 m, but hanging 70 m above the valley floor.
From 1897-1907 there was a "Steep Grade Railway", a funicular rising 100 m from near Poynings to the northern edge of the hillfort.
Traces remain of all three ventures; for example stubby concrete bases, once used to support pylons forming part of the cable car system.
