Story Maps is our new project, made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, Story Maps will see us working in partnership with Worthing, Newhaven and Hastings museums with support from University of Chichester’s Centre for Folklore and Fairytales.

In April we started to go on research visits to Worthing Museum.  Thanks to the team there, especially Archaeological Curator James Sainsbury who talked us through the collection relating to Highdown Hill.

We learned about John Oliver, the eccentric miller who had his tomb built 30 years before his death, and was involved in local smuggling.

We got to see some of John Oliver's personal artefacts up-close, as well as Roman and Saxon finds from Highdown Hill.

On May Day, we headed out to Lyminster, to hunt for the Knucker, a local dragon that lived in a bottomless pool, terrorising the locals.  One day a local lad called Jim Puttock (or Pulk) came up with a cunning plan.  He made a giant pie laced with poison and fed it to the dragon.  His plan worked and the dragon was defeated.  To celebrate, Jim went to the local ale house and had a pint of beer to celebrate.  Unfortunately for him, after taking a drink, he licked his fingers which still had traces of the poison upon them, and he ended his own life.

We found the local church to have a wealth of references to the story, including the fantastic stained glass window.  Sadly the Knucker Hole itself is completely inaccessible and even barred from view! 

Thanks to support from Artists Open Houses and Hanningtons Brighton, we are able to launch our project this May, at number 2 Hanningtons Lane. We are exhibiting art work from our Brighton Fringe Award Winning Artists Open House and inviting people to drop in to tell us your story, browse our pop up folklore library and take part in our collaborative painting.

We have had a great opening weekend, already welcoming 70 people into the space with 29 people taking part in a giant artwork inspired by the story of the Lyminster Knucker!