Friday 16 March 2018

In deepest darkest Sussex.....

....is a corner off the beaten track where it feels as if time has stood still. Another age when the mysteries of the natural world were still closely intertwined with the teachings of the Church. The Old Religion and New Religion walking side by side.  It's a place where I can imagine villagers leaving "thanks offerings" at the feet of the now unknown painted female saint in the local church. Perhaps she is indeed St Margaret of Scotland or St Margaret of Antioch, patron saint of childbirth. If I was with child I know where I'd be leaving my money.


Still today votive offerings are left at the Shrine of Our Lady in memory of loved ones. Flowers and even potatoes on occasion! It may be a later addition to the landscape [it is in memory of a local lady's Mother] it has gathered a mystique all of its own within the setting of the dark woodland grove and the "bottomless" Madonna Pond.




Down a mud filled track you can only approach on foot . The sudden atmospheric change in light levels makes the tales of the coach and horses disappearing into the pond, never to be seen again and glimpses of the Beast of Binsted in your peripheral vision suddenly seem very possible. Within the last twenty years a tin containing broken china and surrounded by paper wound round nails was unearthed by a metal detectorist. Later investigation found there to be a curse written on the scraps...one the originator never intended to be found. It's a sacred site for many seen and unseen.


Danger lurks at the nearby knucker hole too for this is the watery lair of the serpent-like nicor. These reptilian dragons will bide their time silently before launching a deadly attack on any unsuspecting victims who venture too close to the water's edge. Beware!

We're in the small parish of Binsted here...an area unfamiliar to me, but with the promise of a rich folkloric seam to be mined it was my destination of choice on Mothering Sunday. Sadly this beautiful place is under serious threat from a redevelopment of the A27. The final decision is awaited.

Arilx

5 comments:

  1. Fascinating finds...I hope their future is safe x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too. I've signed all the petitions so fingers crossed.
      Arilx

      Delete
  2. After reading this I looked up Binstead. Not far from me near Arundel it seems. Maybe we should take a drive and wander a bit, looks nice.
    Briony
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Binsted is about 4 miles from Arundel I believe. We had the car and drove to the little church at Tortington first and then onto Binsted which has a pub too. It's tiny, but charming. The wooden waymarker is along the footpath opposite the church in Binsted on the right [it's muddy at the moment] Arilx

      Delete
  3. It always defies belief how developers can think it is ok to endanger beautiful sites such as this!

    ReplyDelete

Marching on

 Well March is being a bit of a madam isn't she. One minute she's teasing us with blue skies and a sun with some warmth in it and th...