A thousand years of salty sea tales in aid of hearing charity

By Mark DimmockContributor
Published 19th Jul 2023, 11:18 BST
Updated 19th Jul 2023, 11:19 BST
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Salty sea tales aplenty will be told this weekend on the site of West Dean Old Manor House. The two day charity event will celebrate the ancient art of local salt making with demonstrations and also how to use sea salt to dye cloth.

The manor house dated back to Saxon times when four salt pans were in existence and for this weekend the clean waters of Birling Gap have been harvested for the occasion. In the past the salt would come on impounded waters of the spring tide from the Cuckmere river.

Just like today, salt is a key ingredient in the flavouring and preservation of food and is a thousand year old trade.

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Event organiser Julian Martyr said: “ The Cuckmere valley was a busy landscape with at least 6 salt pans and small vilage quays to export sea salt and wool products. Now it is much more peaceful but the sea salt re-enactment keeps the history alive”.

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If all the talk of salt makes visitors thirsty, then lots of refreshments and homemade cakes will be on offer to sustain people on the restored Elizabethan terrace, whilst they browse the local artisan stalls.

The charity fundraiser takes place between 10 and 4pm each day at Dovecote Garden, West Dean, BN25 4Al

All proceeds go to All Saints Church, East Sussex Hearing & Motor Neurone Disease.

For further information please contact Julian Martyr by email. [email protected]