Blackcap is a hill and nature reserve in East Sussex, England. It is on a peak of the South Downs, just south east of Plumpton and west of Lewes. The flatter landscape is made up of open ground with chalk paths, surrounded by thickets. The steeper ground leading up to the ridge is low-density woodland. The top is more open, with patches of pine woodland and gorse bushes.
Blackcap is part of the Clayton to Offham Escarpment SSSI, and has been owned by the National Trust since 1993. Because of the height of the hill at 206 metres (676 ft), the top of Blackcap was largely spared the farmers' plough and the ground has not been "improved" for monoculture crop fields as much as the rest of Downs were after the second world war. Unimproved chalk downland is internationally rare and hosts archaic plants and rich biodiversity. As a result, this is an important area on the South Downs. The brow of Blackcap is still described by David Bangs as an area where "Crows caw, Jackdaws squark, clouds pass, peace still reigns in this old-fashioned place". [1]
The hilltop, which has a triangulation point, offers some far-reaching and impressive views: Ashdown Forest northwards, Mount Caburn, Windover Hill (home of the Long Man), Firle Beacon, Seaford Head, Newhaven’s Rushy Hill, Kingston Hill, Hollingbury Hillfort, and Brighton’s high-rise towers.
The original name of Blackcap appears to have been Mount Harry, while the hill now known as Mount Harry was called Lewes Beacon. The name probably indicates that it was used as a pagan shrine, or hearg, in early Saxon times, like the Harrow Hills in West Sussex and Middlesex, though the name was only recorded in 1610. Others have speculated that Mount Harry, then Mountharry, was named after King Henry III as it was here that Henry III was defeated by the troops of Simon de Montfort in 1264 at the Battle of Lewes. This seems less likely though. [2]
In the 1830s a copse of trees was planted on top of Blackcap either to celebrate the coronation of a new queen, Victoria, or, as folklore would have it, as a guide or smugglers. [3] More trees were planted to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and a plaque has been erected.
Between Blackcap and Mount Harry there is a dip where Black Cap Mill used to sit. It is unknown whether the name Blackcap came from the black roof of the mill or the name from the adjacent summit. [4]
There are ancient twelve smallish, round pre-historic "barrows" next to the top of the Warningore Bostal (grid reference TQ 375 127 ). Barrows are called ‘tumuli’ on most maps in the UK, but ‘barrows’ by archaeologists. The archaeologists’ name is nearer to their old folk name of ‘burghs’, which comes from the Saxon ‘beorgh’, meaning rounded hill. [1]
The scarp top still retains some rich ancient grassland fragments, especially where the slope begins to tip northwards. At least twenty-one old meadow species have been counted here and there are tiny fragments of heathy grassland. Many chalk loving species including wild flowering marjoram, butterflies and insects frequent the area. There are also areas of waxcap fungi, which include meadow, crimson and scarlet waxcap, together with many smaller waxcap species and scatters of earth tongues and clumps of fairy club. In some years, the strange, yellow bird’s-nest orchid has been found here as well as frog and bee orchids.
As is the case over the entire Downs, the rich biodiversity is present where there is heavy grazing. Blackcap was once well-populated by rabbits and hence the short grass used to be heavily grazed, but myxomatosis has wreaked havoc on rabbit populations. The decline in rabbits has had knock on effects on the species that can live in the area. For example, the grayling butterfly have not been seen there since the late 20th century. [5] [6]
In order to keep the scrub under control, the National Trust graze the top area using sheep and Exmoor ponies for the tougher plants. However, the area and particularly the lower grasslands are still under-grazed, meaning much of the scarp slope between Blackcap and Mount Harry is still invaded by scrub. Consequently, grayling and other species that used to frequent this rich, biodiverse chalk downland area still have not returned despite National Trust management and the lower slope pastures are separated from the crest by large thickets making access both along and up the slope difficult unless you're on a path
The National Trust reserve contains the hills of Blackcap in the parish of East Chiltington, Mount Harry 196 metres (643 ft) in the parish of Hamsey, the wooded area of Ashcombe Bottom in the parish of St John Without and the Clayton to Offham Escarpment that runs down to the Sussex Weald to the north.
Brighton and Hove is a unitary authority with city status in East Sussex, England. There are multiple villages alongside the seaside resorts of Brighton and Hove in the district. It is administered by Brighton and Hove City Council, which is currently under Labour majority control.
Falmer is a small village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England, lying between Brighton and Lewes, approximately five miles (8 km) north-east of the former. It is also the site of Brighton & Hove Albion's Falmer Stadium.
Ditchling is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is contained within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park; the order confirming the establishment of the park was signed in Ditchling.
Piddinghoe is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. It is located in the valley of the River Ouse between Lewes and Newhaven, five miles (8 km) south of the former, downstream of Southease.
East Chiltington is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. It is centred four miles (5.9 km) south-east of Burgess Hill and five miles (8 km) north-west of Lewes. It is a strip parish of 3.76 square miles (9.7 km2), stretching northward from the crest of the South Downs. The village church is 13th century in origin; the vicar also has charge of two churches in Plumpton. Near the church there is a pub called The Jolly Sportsman. The Sussex Greensand Way, a Roman road, runs from east to west through the centre of the parish.
Hamsey is a civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The parish covers a large area and consists of the villages of Hamsey, Offham and Cooksbridge. The main centres of population in the parish are now Offham and Cooksbridge. Around the main settlements are enlarged fields, isolated old cottages and farms. The winding and undulating parish lanes between banks, old hedge rows, trees, flowery verges and ditches are popular with cyclists and give good views of the Downs.
Kingston near Lewes is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book and is located two miles (3.2 km) south of Lewes and is nestled in the South Downs. The parish is par of two Sites of Special Scientific Interest: the Lewes Brooks and Kingston Escarpment and Iford Hill.
St Ann Without is a civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. It covers an area to the west of the town of Lewes, including Long Hill.
St John Without is a small civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England, covering an area to the north-west of the town of Lewes.
Westmeston is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England heavily dependent in amenities on larger Ditchling to the near-immediate northwest. It is four miles (6 km) south-southeast of Burgess Hill and (10 km) west of Lewes, on the northern slopes of the South Downs.
Fulking is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. The parish lies wholly with the South Downs National Park.
Newtimber is a small village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It is located north-west of Brighton. The parish also includes the hamlet of Saddlescombe. The parish lies almost wholly with the South Downs National Park, with the exception of a small section of the parish north of the B2117 road. The planning authority for Newtimber is therefore the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA), the statutory planning authority for the National Park area. The downland scarp, which includes Newtimber Hill, Newtimber Holt, Saddlescombe chalk quarry and Summer Down, is mostly part of the Beeding Hill to Newtimber Hill, designated Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Pyecombe is a village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. Pyecombe is located 7 miles (11 km) to the north of Brighton. The civil parish covers an area of 887 hectares and has a population of 200, increasing at the 2011 Census to a population of 237.
Ditchling Beacon is the highest point in East Sussex, England, with an elevation of 248 m (814 ft). It is south of Ditchling and to the north-east of Brighton. It is a large chalk hill with a particularly steep northern face, covered with open grassland and sheep-grazing areas. It is the third-highest point on the South Downs, behind Butser Hill and Crown Tegleaze.
Clayton to Offham Escarpment is a 422.5-hectare (1,044-acre) linear biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which runs from Clayton in West Sussex to Lewes in East Sussex. Its ownership and management is divided between over fifteen landowners and farmers. Parts of Ditchling's Downs, e.g. TQ 323 133, and the scarp between Blackcap and Mount Harry, e.g. TQ 378 124, are owned by the National Trust. What remains of Ditchling Tenantry Down common at Ditchling Beacon is leased to the Sussex Wildlife Trust.
Benfield Hill is an 11.8-hectare (29-acre) Local Nature Reserve (LNR) on the northern outskirts of Hove in East Sussex and is within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park. It is owned and managed by Brighton and Hove City Council.
Bevendean Down is a 64.6-hectare (160-acre) Local Nature Reserve in the Bevendean district in Brighton, East Sussex and is within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park. It is owned by Brighton and Hove Council and managed by tenant farmers and others. It is mainly chalk grassland and there are also areas of woodland and scrub. This site is in five separate blocks.
Ladies Mile is a 13.6-hectare (34-acre) Local Nature Reserve to the east of Patcham, on the northern outskirts of Brighton in East Sussex. The area was designated in 2003 and is owned and managed by Brighton and Hove City Council.
Beeding Hill to Newtimber Hill is a 321 ha (790-acre) biological and geological Downland Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) north of Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade 2, and it includes Devil's Dyke Geological Conservation Review site.
Ashcombe Bottom is a 66 hectares woodland valley owned by the National Trust that runs south from Blackcap, East Sussex, England. The area is nested in the South Downs and can only be reached by walking or cycling from Lewes, Falmer, Ditchling Beacon or up the Clayton to Offham escarpment from Plumpton. It sits in the parish of St John Without and East Chiltington. The name Ashcombe refers to a Saxon named Aecci, not ash trees as might be assumed. It is part of the Clayton to Offham Escarpment Site of Special Scientific Interest.