Sussex Oxen - A Lost History

A selection of slides showing oxen on the South Downs, the last place in the country where these magnificent living tractors were still at work less than a hundred years ago.

[@vikkiknit]

What a wonderful homage to the Sussex Ox. Fabulous job Sue. I think your suggesting to reintroduce the oxen is both sustainable and timely. As a country we need to strengthen our connection to the land we depend on for our food and do this in a way that feeds back into the land. When the oil runs out we will need oxen...

[@frankparsons1629]

Lovely, its well known about the use of Oxen in farming in Sussex. In Neolithic times they used the Auroch, although they probably hunted the animals rather than domesticated them, but who knows! Signed, an old Sussexer.

[@repsid]

Lovely video, the pics of Saddlescombe ox are of particular interest to me as I grew up there in the 70s and 80s and my great grandfather Charles Hollingdale features in the first picture, the younger man at the front, 19 years of age in this picture. He died in 1936 aged 50. The other Saddlescombe picture shoes shoeing an ox, the boy sitting on the head is another relative of mine, Ely Rapley, my great grandfather's nephew I believe.

[@westwindonthelittleranchby240]

I'm in idaho usa I'm training a Angus bull calf to pull so we can plow for wheat and hay. It's our first try at this. So fun to train. Yoke not hard to make. In northeastern USA there is a small community of oxen trainers and competitors. Thank you for the lovely video.

[@petegreenway8953]

What a fantastic informative video, thanks.

[@lynnehuff9659]

Sussex oxen have such big horns. Really great video. Those shoeing frames are called "stocks" in the US. Often used for heavy horse, and cattle. Sometimes just for trimming cattle.

[@Francis-tf5dh]

This was absolutely wonderful to watch, thank you for putting this presentation together! Makes me wish I could have a chat with those farmers.

[@PortsladeBySea]

Excellent presentation. It’s amazing to think that this was taking place just 100 years ago! So much, for good and bad, has taken place during that relatively short period. About four years ago I attended an excellent talk in Storrington all about ox ploughing. The hall was packed and everybody enjoyed learning about them. It would be excellent if another ox team could be put together. Thank you for sharing this information.

[@suchandradasi]

so very nice, great service

[@suchandradasi]

your heart touching words got me subscribed

[@julietrussellofvocalexplos8511]

This Film of Sussex Ox is vert moo-ving

[@inkwarp]

Top job X

[@lynnehuff9659]

I collected postcards of oxen. Had a lot of them. Very interesting. I'm interested in North American use the most. Lost them in a flood Dec. 31, 2023. Very sad. All breeds were used in the US.

[@riendeaufarmoxencrafts7809]

Very interesting!

[@vikkiknit]

Shame on Plumpton College, (part of the University of Brighton ) for not getting involved in this. It used to be an agricultural college, and still offers arboriculture, but where is the real farming, the farming that is truly sustainable and based on thousands of years experience? Look to the future and be brave in leading the way .. Not on a tractor, but with an oxen!

[@andylyon3867]

The way that cattle work for thousands of years was not slaughter free.🥱