A Return to the Elephant Trap in Horsham

I am back in Horsham, in West Sussex, and once again I am searching for the Elephant Trap, a place I visited in my childhood. I couldn't find it last time I was in Denne Park, but this time, I have old maps to help me.
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[@dalewalker3942]

I got completely lost about 15 years ago on a nostalgic ramble. I decided to walk my sister 1 year old Bull Mastiff in the wood that lay between Van Lake and Ockley Church. I must have spent most of my summers fishing in a small stream as young teenager there. After about 40mins walking the large but young Dog I realised that I wasn’t sure where I was, as houses and different looking fields where popping up with every turn. I was wandering for hours (poor puppy) and when I finally came out on a road that I knew to get my bearings I thought how the hell did I get here. Still today I can’t fathom it out. The puppy made it to a grand age of 12, and we had a great bond after that walk, I think he knew we where lost.

[@MrNas42]

Congratulations of succeeding with your quest! That hollow way is certainly old. Some of those trees growing on its banks look to be several centuries old.

[@shirleylynch7529]

Brilliant as always. What a great walk.love your hat. Maybe cold but beautiful countryside and colours thank you .

[@michaelwhite8031]

Very enjoyable, Thanks Richard.

[@orangeedo]

6:19 What an amazing oak tree. Wow.

[@RichardVobes]

Yes, It was a fabulous oak.

[@henrysmith5604]

Very enjoyable video 😊👍

[@RichardVobes]

Cheers, Henry.

[@lynnb_and_ky_springer_spaniel]

So glad you found it! Another great video Richard and you earned that coffee :-)

[@philipwinter8729]

Pleased that you managed to find it in the end.

[@oldjaaag9804]

That was real exploring Richard!

[@Hellyers]

Very glad you found it... we were shouting at the screen saying you started at the wrong end! It's much easier to find starting off from the Cricket field end rather than the Boar's Head.

[@wuntbedruv]

Great video and it's certainly stirred up some memories, all happy ones thank you.

[@carol9523]

Glad you found it .... that's not far from me !

[@RichardVobes]

So I am! :)

[@Stringtrees]

Great to see you that you found your childhood play area. It was an enjoyable journey.

[@jeaniepullen9434]

Pleased you managed to find the Elephant"s Trap on a beautiful sunny, crisp cold day. Great video

[@WiltshireMan]

Pigs don't Rut, They Root Richard, it's deer that rut and thats a completely different thing to rooting :) I'll let you work that one out! I love the old holloway paths, I'm not sure they are dug in all cases though. Sandy

[@lindakane7771]

Well done! Perseverance (?stubbornness) usually pays off.

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks, Linda. I had to go back.

[@seanjamescameron]

Loved it, what an adventure. Love the shot towards the end, sitting outside the van having a cuppa tea on the side of the road - nothing more Englishness than that. Great.

[@traceymurphy3469]

Throughly Enjoyed This Richard! Glad You Found The Place. Such A Lovely Presentation. What Fun You And Your Friend Peter Must Of Had Exploring This Many Years Ago. 😊

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks, Tracey - we did have a lot of fun.

[@njuham]

Talking about elephants, this time in Surrey. In the 30's they used to walk elephants from the Chessington zoo to Epsom Common pond which was frozen and the elephants woould walk on the frozen pond.

[@susanlukerceramics]

Hurry, you found it.👍🤠

[@CharlieCooper3101]

The smart hat is back. Nice video Richard, you looked so happy when you finally found the elephant trap, it's good to see :) great having a tea by your van in a peaceful countryside setting.

[@RichardVobes]

I was so happy to have found the old haunt from my childhood.

[@simonbranch3299]

Great video. Loved the bit of mime at 12:43....lol.

[@fburton8]

So you finally located Memory Lane! How lovely. The excitement and emotion of rediscovering a 'special place' is something I know well, and you conveyed yours brilliantly.

[@daveevad]

Richard, well done! It's good to rediscover ones past explorations. If you hadn't found it, you may have truncated the video... ;-)

[@daveyboyprice6351]

Richard just love your videos great pleces you go Blessings davey full time van lifer in brighton this weekend

[@nicstacey3605]

Childhood imagination! Me and my brother's playground was Longmoor common to the West of Liphook. Named loads of hillocks, depressions and other landscape items and Bro even made a map with them on. The sunken lane was probably formed naturally by the traffic using it over time? I recommend returning to Knepp Park. They have put in some car parks near Dial post and some marked trails to follow.

[@welshmanjasonpatrick8607]

Very interesting elephant trap bring child hood memories off place were u growth up it u should video on Horsham were u grow up at great video I enjoy watching it

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much, Jason.

[@valpragnell6518]

So glad you found what you were looking for in your video, but if you had gone to it straight away we wouldn’t have seen some of the lovely trees, colours, etc, well done again another enjoyable video,

[@shaneunknowndoesyoutube3869]

Nice jacket Richard

[@Dormousey]

You visited at a good time; the leaves covered the rubbish chucked down there. I don't know what happened to the Denne Park cleaners but they clearly missed here last year. There are several beech tress further on but nothing too old. There are very few old trees remaining in Denne Park sadly.

[@goldieandblackie]

I think many of us have returned to visit secret places that we once played in as care free children, bringing back happy memories.

[@damedavidfrith55]

Loved it

[@annwright7552]

There are not many 'Green Drives' to large houses left now. An acquaintance of mine lives in an old gate house and her garden encompasses the old drive and the banks on either side. The big house still exists (owned by London banker) and has two new gate houses adjacent to new entrance drive further up the road nearer the big house. The original 'Green Drive' has wider bottom than your 'elephant trap' but I guess they varied in size. Another interesting video, THANKS 😊

[@RichardVobes]

Fascinating Ann. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@MrGreatplum]

Some proper exploring here - love it! Were there any elephants though? 😜

[@RichardVobes]

Alas, no elephants, no remains of them.

[@chrismccartney8668]

Near me we have a green lane whichvran down to river roding where was fordable (now a bridge) it ran from Romford Area to London it now has an accommodation bridge over m11 ot has proper hedge once-over side with very old trees in the hedge line..

[@johnbyrne2756]

'GOTCHA' (to use an old Sun headline).... Freezing cold and no condensation while speaking? Either this video was filmed in some giant studio somewhere, or it wasn't cold at all -- I'm going with the former!

[@leighlawson4854]

What a relief, so pleased you found it! I'm not sure exactly where you were in Denne Park, but my copy of the 'Victoria County History' for Sussex edited by Tim Hudson and published in 1986 says this: "The southern extension of the Causeway, possibly crossing the river originally by a ford, ascended Denne Hill presumably by the southern section of the pronounced hollow-way which survived in 1985. It is not clear when the river crossing near the church was superseded by that further upstream, but thereafter it was Denne Road not Causeway which became the chief approach to the town from the south, using the hollow-way mentioned.". I wonder if this is the same hollow-way aka Elephant Trap that you know Richard?

[@RichardVobes]

I cannot think of any other hollow way from the south that with a small dog leg could link up to St Mary's and then the causeway.

[@nancynoo]

I'm glad you found it! We used to have a 'den' in an area known as the 'dump' next to our house when I was a child. Many hours of fun had there but all gone now :-( Love the hat by the way. It suits you.

[@dedestephens4820]

Awesome! You made it back really soon. I was thinking maybe spring but you braved the cold for us! The hat looks nice on you so wear it proudly. Is it a bit odd to go back to where you played as a kid? I’m nowhere near where I played as a kid but I’m sure lots of the area has changed anyway. Glad you found the right path but there’s so many to choose from. I’m not sure how you can find things. The pathways are nice though. It’s amazing how those old hollow trees still live. The woodland is pretty but would look spooky at night lol. A good spot for a film. Things change and farmers ploughing doesn’t help not to mention things look bigger when you’re a kid because it reality it is for a kid. Yay you found it! Worked hard for it didn’t you? It looks like a good spot for the cows to gather in the heat of the summer. Finding it gives you a sense of accomplishment and reassurance that your mind is still good! I’m glad you were able to locate it after all. Thanks for taking us. It is a pretty deep ditch. Do you think maybe Romans or Normans dug it out? Like a rampart

[@Ferda1964]

The " comedy hat " feels very natural Richard and the music soundtrack is great as usually , great show ... by the way last couple of days I find myself whistling your opening theme tune despite the constant bombardment of X mas songs anywhere I happen to be.

[@lisal5262]

Another lovely video!… so pleased you eventually found your ‘Elephant Trap’….. Did you find it so much smaller than you remembered ?……I’ve often found that when I go back to places I visited when young they seem so much smaller to me now….. Oh the joys of being a 60’s baby !! …..thanks Richard ☺️

[@RichardVobes]

Absolutely!

[@sticehurst369]

Glad you found it, something that was always a great feature when we used to walk up Denne Hill. I have an old school book from when I was 5 or 6 where I have drawn this ditch and suggested I had found the old Horsham to Worthing road, I included in the drawing a picture of an old roman chariot going along it. My younger self was probably right about the Horsham-Worthing bit, I doubt there were any romans though! I believe Denne Road used to continue up to the house and on to Worthing but the now present day A24 was built to the side of it when road traffic came about (horse and cart) as it was less of a hill. There was a toll house on the 'new road' that disappeared in the 1930s (burnt down maybe?). I've never heard it called the Elephant Trap but I do remember cross country running in the area, something it seems anyone who went to school in Horsham ended up having to do.

[@RichardVobes]

That is fascinating. I am beginning to think it was part of the old Horsham to Worthing, or at least Findon/Steyning road.

[@jaredmehrlich6683]

I know a funny elephant joke: The punchline is: 'he used his finger first'.

[@jaredmehrlich6683]

9:54 'I feel such a prune' ... lmao

[@RichardVobes]

I did! :)

[@markcreagh5309]

hi Richard this might be some useful imformation for you on the elephant trap your calling it, a lady who works with my wife at collyers in Horsham says her husband would play there in a very deep part of it, not sure if you ventured up that far, but during the war troops were using it as a training area with ropes across from side to side, when they left all the training stuff was left and kids used to play there, my friend who was in the horsham fire service used to train there as well, hope you find this interesting keep up with the good work regards Mark

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks, Mark - fascinating stuff.

[@footcorner6863]

Morning First comment

[@RichardVobes]

Morning, but sadly not a comment about the video.