A small traditional cache in a panoramic location. An easily accessible location from one of the two hill top car parks. You'll need to bring your own pencil or pen.
LOCAL INFORMATION
The Trundle St Roche's Hill, known locally as The Trundle, has been used for several purposes, dating back to the Palaeolithic era.
The hill fort was a Neolithic causewayed enclosure before the Iron Age hill fort was built around the pre-existing structure. It is unknown for what purpose the fort was originally built, but the site was used in 1645 by the Clubmen as a military base and subsequently as a beacon site to warn against attack by the French. This beacon was lit in 1745, causing much alarm in the surrounding countryside.
The hill was also the site of a small (around 11x14ft) chapel, until it was left to ruin. It is thought the chapel was built at some point in the 15th century and destroyed during the Reformation. St Roche’s Hill takes its name from this chapel which was dedicated to St Roch, confessor, a popular saint of France. The name “Trundle” is probably from the old English “tryndel” which means circle.
A windmill was also present on the site of the hill-fort. It is not known when it was built, but in 1773, the windmill burnt down in a storm, along with a windmill on Portsdown Hill.
In World War II, it was the site for a radar early warning system. The summit of St Roche's Hill is now the site of two large radio masts. The Trundle's northeast slope is a viewing area for Goodwood Racecourse and the top of the hill offers panoramic views of parts of Sussex, Hampshire and the English Channel beyond. There is a trig point at the top of the hill at an elevation 206m (675 feet).
Archaeological finds During archaeological excavations (1928-30, 1975, 1980, 1987, 1989 and 1994-95) of the hill fort, numerous objects have been discovered: Middle Iron-Age pottery, potboilers, human bones (an arm bone and a skull), animal bones (ox, horse, pig, dog, cat and sheep), charcoal, various iron objects (including a knife, a spearhead, an adze blade, a sickle, large iron rings and iron slag) and several quern-stone fragments.
The Goodwood Estate
The first Duke of Richmond recognised the special allure of this part of the world when he first bought his country house in 1697 and housed his hunting dogs in nearby Charlton village. Subsequent dukes have developed their own love for sport and art, food and entertaining and gained a reputation for impeccable entertaining and attention to detail. The Goodwood Estate is home to the world famous Festival of Speed, Goodwood Revival and Glorious Goodwood. Goodwood Country Park The Trundle is in Goodwood Country Park, an area of the Goodwood estate that is open to the public all year round. In 1992 The Duke granted permissive access allowing members of the public to enjoy the stunning West Sussex countryside. Within the Estate boundaries there are thirty five public footpaths and bridleways. Maps showing the routes of these footpaths & bridleways can be obtained by visiting the Walking Sussex website.
Goodwood Farm
Goodwood’s Home Farm is situated close to Goodwood House and just to the north of Chichester and its coastal plain. Nestling at the base of the Sussex Downs, the soil is mainly free draining chalk which is ideal for spring, malting barley and for the grazing of sheep and beef. The soil on the coastal plain is silty gravel and is best suited to the grass which is grazed by the dairy herd. Goodwood Farm is the largest lowland organic farm in the UK and the first 100% organically-fed dairy in the country. Goodwood achieved full organic status in 2004, although the concept that the Estate could be farmed organically originated in the 1950s. The present Duchess of Richmond was one of the Soil Association’s earliest members. An advocate of wholefood, the Duchess ran her kitchen garden on organic principles and passed on her passion to her family, which is one of the reasons why her son, the Earl of March, is now committed to farm organically.
DISCOVERING MORE
The Monarch's Way is a long-distance footpath that crosses the downs from west to east, passing immediately south of the racecourse. It is a 615-mile (990 km) long-distance footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester. It runs from Worcester via Bristol and Yeovil to Brighton. All of the footpath is waymarked. The waymark is yellow and shows a picture of the ship Surprise above the Prince of Wales three-point feathered crown which is superimposed on a Royal Oak tree (which is at Boscobel House) in black.
PERMISSION
Cache placed with kind permission from The Goodwood Estate.