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Steyning Road, STEYNING, BN44 3DE

The name of the field according to Wiston's 1841 tithe map viewed from Water Lane. At the far end of the field are Polecats Cottages a timber framed building dating back to at least the 17th century.

The farm is mentioned in document dating 1614 and the building probably dates to around the end of the previous century. Viewed from Water Lane.

The cottage is located on Water Lane towards the southern end of the modern settlement of Wiston and dates from the 17th century.

The crossroads provides a meeting point from Chanctonbury Ring Road, Water Lane and Steyning Road, the A283. The former two are the older routes owing their origins to an ancient north-south droveway that linked the Downs to woodland pastures in the Weald. Its route can still be traced today from Chanctonbury Hill down Wiston Borstal, then Chanctonbury Ring Road, Water Lane, North Lane and London Road before reaching what is now the A24, another old droveway at Woodman's Farm. The younger of the two routes is the east-west one which was constructed as a turnpike in the 1770s to replace the older east-west route running along the foot of the Downs. The route was funded by the Gorings of Wiston House whose park expansions had near enough cleared the old settlement of Wiston many of whose inhabitants had shifted northwards to its current position along Water Lane which in effect reinvigorated the deserted medieval settlement of Buncton.

Lying to the south west of the crossroads this unnamed wood is owned by the Wiston Estate who still run logging operations within it.

Water Lane heads off to the right towards Wiston and Ashington; Chanctonbury Ring Road goes left to the said place; the main road is Steyning Road, the A283. The initial main Steyning to Washington Road ran along the foot of the Downs but was replaced by this road in 1778 which before then had been a series of farm access lanes. The A283 can be a pretty dangerous road, lots of tight corners and narrowing in certain places which consequently means many accidents largely by those ignoring slow down signs.

On edge of South Downs National Park at junction of A283 and Chanctonbury Ring Road, with view of Chanctonbury Ring. Oak trees planted by landowner Wiston Estate replacing unstable Poplar trees.

Stop for Compass Bus service 100 to Washington, Pulborough and Horsham. New planting of Oak trees by landowner Wiston Estate replaced unstable Poplar trees on land behind bus stop. Compare with Image

According to a sign at the site these oaks have been planted to replace some felled Poplar trees which had become unsafe.