Battery Hill
This is a lovely spot to come and admire the view. Bring a flask of tea/coffee, or maybe even a picnic. There's parking a very short walk away in a lay-by, which also has its own litter bin to put your picnic rubbish in after.
If you've cycled up Battery Hill - my hat off to you! Stop and enjoy a well-earned break. The next short stage up isn't quite as steep, so be heartened, then it's a lovely ride all the way down into Hastings! If you're on your way down toward Winchelsea Beach, hang on tight, it's an eye-watering downhill from here :)
The field containing the fire beacon is known locally as The Mountain Field (and is also labelled as 'The Mountain' on some maps).
Information about this area...
This view point, where the fire beacon is located, sits an area of outstanding natural beauty and is owned and managed by Rother District Council. It had previously been let to a local farmer for over 40 years. The RSPCA used to have use of the bottom field as a car park for the nearby Maydams Wildlife Centre.
The beacon is lit (together with others throughout the county, and indeed country) for special occasions, for example the Queen's Platinum Jubliee!
The area of sea visible is known as Rye Bay. You can see Dungeness nuclear power station on the horizon, now no longer in service.
Dungeness power station across Rye Bay
For many centuries there was often the fear of a foreign invasion across the sea waters surrounding Britain, so watches were mounted along the coast, especially in the south. One of the first coast defence laws was passed in 1403, when Henry IV acted to secure England against an attack by ordering that such watches should be kept “as they were wont to be in times past”, probably from at least the early 13th century. A network of fire beacons along the coast, with links inland, was the main method for signalling the presence of enemy ships until the end of the 18th century. Each beacon also mobilised militia forces in its surrounding area, mustering bands of local people to fight off invaders. The system became highly organised during the 16th century, particularly when the Spanish Armada was expected in 1588. Fairlight always played a prominent role in this communications network, being the highest land between Beachy Head in the west and Hythe in the east.
The Spanish Armada.
Communications in the 16th Century were very poor yet the English had developed a way of informing London when the Armada was first seen. Beacons were lit along the coast. As soon as one beacon was seen, the next further along the coast was lit. When the beacons reached Beachy Head in Sussex, they went inland and towards London. In this way, London was quickly made aware that the Armada was approaching England.
Fairlight Hall on Martineau Lane, has been described as an impressive Victorian Gothic Mansion with fabulous views to the sea, a tropical walkway and woodland.
The hall has a stunning garden, planted and restored over the last several years. The formal gardens extend over seven acres and surround the Victorian Gothic mansion. Features semi-tropical woodland avenues, a huge contemporary walled garden with amphitheatre and two 110m perennial borders above and below the ha-ha with far-reaching views across Rye Bay.
You can see the building in the distance on your left if you walk down Mountain Field - it won't come into view until you're about half way down. Fairlight Hall sometimes opens the gardens to the public to raise money for local charities.
When signing the log, please only use one rectangular segment bounded by red.
Then roll/fold the log tightly so that the yellow sleeve will fit back over to keep the log roll snug, before placing back in the container. Failure to do so may well mean a real hassle for the next finders to retrieve the log!