The Weald Forest Ridge Landscape Partnership Scheme was launched with the 'Maidens of the Weald' project. Same Sky - the community arts organisation from Brighton - worked with schools and community groups across the Weald Forest Ridge through the summer and early autumn of 2009. Together, they created four Giant Maidens, one for each of the Medieval Forests of the area.
These four Forests were described in the epic 17th Century "Polyolbion" poem by Michael Drayton as the "daughters of the Weald", each with an individual character.
Each Maiden was designed to reflect the unique character of her particular Forest.
The Ashdown Maiden
The warrior-like Ashdown Maiden represents the hunting and military past of this Forest. Many queens and consorts have owned Ashdown through the ages. The Maiden's royal clothes are purple and yellow, to represent the heather and gorse that grows there. The red, fiery decorations on her cloak recall the iron smelting history of the area.
The Ashdown Forest Centre at Wych Cross is open to visitors and you can find out more about the area in the Information Barn. There are walk routes to suit all abilities on the Forest and spectacular views across the countryside from these breezy, treeless heights.
The Broadwater Maiden
The Broadwater Maiden reflects Broadwater Forest's history of use as a warren for keeping rabbits for food and fur, and her dress is decorated with rabbits. She also wears fern fronds, as the sandstone outcrops at nearby Eridge Rocks are home to the world famous tunbridge filmy fern.
Broadwater Warren is now an RSPB reserve, and home to adders, slave ants and nightjars in season. At Eridge Rocks you can stand beside the stunning sandstone outcrops, some of many of these remarkable features to be found in the High Weald.
The Tilgate Maiden
The Tilgate Maiden represents the ancient Forest of Worth, which has been renamed Tilgate in more recent times. Gideon Mantell, a local doctor and fossil collector, found the remains of a dinosaur here, alongside fossils of giant ferns and molluscs. The Tilgate Maiden has an armoured breastplate and lizard prints on her skirt; to represent her dinosaur past.
You can visit Tilgate Park, which has a nature reserve, café, rare breeds centre, several lakes (one of which is the remains of a hammer pond), parkland, playgrounds, and wooded areas. From here, Tilgate Forest to the south can be accessed by using the pedestrian flyover, or the underpass to cross the M23.
The St Leonard's Maiden
The St Leonard's Maiden has a dress decorated with lily of the valley, a red dragon lies coiled at her feet, and she holds two Nightingales aloft. These features depict the story of St Leonard, who, legend has it, killed a dragon in the Forest. Where the saint's blood was said to fall during the fight, banks of lily of the valley now bloom in spring. As a reward for ridding the area of the dragon, God granted St Leonard his wish that nightingales should no longer sing in the Forest as they disturbed his prayers.
Today, you can visit St Leonards Forest from the Forestry Commission's Roosthole car park. Enhanced rides lead into the dramatic landscape of the Forest and interpretation boards tell more about the Forest's fascinating history - both factual and mythological!
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