Sussex Sheep and Shepherds

I think myself incredibly lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world. I am actually in the Weald which is the flat bit between the North and South Downs. The latter are more familiar to me and I never tire of seeing them as was the case when we drove through them at the weekend. Up until 1940 the farmers operated a corn and sheep agricultural method. This entailed the sheep being restricted to certain corn fields at key times in the season so that their droppings would fertilise the land then being let out onto the downland to graze. This was abandoned when the need for domestic food production took priority with the onset of WWII and much of the grassland was ploughed up and turned over to arable farming. It is claimed that Sussex mutton derived its unique flavour from the number of tiny white chalkland snails they ate! The shepherds themselves enjoyed a unique way of life. This is St Andrew's at Didling otherwise known as the shepherd's church. It's a charmin