Devil's Jumps, Treyford facts for kids
The Devil's Jumps are a fascinating group of five large bell barrows located in West Sussex, southern England. These ancient mounds are found about 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) southeast of Treyford. The Devil's Jumps site is a very important historical place. It is officially protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and also as a Local Nature Reserve.
Many similar mounds along the South Downs have been damaged over time. This damage came from farming or from people looking for treasure. However, the Devil's Jumps are special. They are considered the best-preserved group of Bronze Age mounds in all of Sussex. This means they are between three and four thousand years old!
The five main mounds are lined up in a row. This line runs from the southeast to the northwest. Each mound is quite large, ranging from 26 to 34 meters (85 to 112 feet) across. They also stand tall, up to 4.8 meters (16 feet) high. There were once two smaller mounds nearby, and you can still see traces of a sixth mound.
People explored the Devil's Jumps in the 1800s. During these explorations, bones were found inside two of the mounds. Interestingly, some of the other mounds did not contain any ashes or remains at all. A cool fact is that the main line of five mounds points directly towards where the sun sets on Midsummer Day.
What are the Devil's Jumps?
The Devil's Jumps are ancient burial mounds. They were built by people living in Britain during the Bronze Age. This was a time when people used bronze to make tools and weapons. These mounds are called "bell barrows" because they are shaped like a bell. They have a round, raised center with a ditch around the base.
These mounds were important places for the people who built them. They were used to bury important people from their community. Finding bones inside some of them tells us this. The fact that some had no remains is still a bit of a mystery. It makes us wonder about their full purpose.
Who Cares for the Devil's Jumps?
A local group called the Murray Downland Trust helps look after this special site. They work to keep the area clear of too much plant growth. This helps protect the ancient mounds. Sheep and cattle also graze on the land. This is part of how the Trust manages the area.
In 2009, the landowners gave permission to remove trees from the site. This was done to help return the area to its natural state. It helped it become a chalk downland again. This type of land is important for many plants and animals.
Old Stories About the Devil's Jumps
Like many old places, the Devil's Jumps have their own local folklore. Folklore means old stories or legends passed down through generations. This particular story seems to have come from another place called the Devil's Jumps in Surrey.
The story says that the god Thor used to sit on Treyford Hill. One day, the Devil saw the five mounds. To amuse himself, the Devil started to jump from one mound to the next. Thor became very angry watching this. He then threw a stone at the Devil. This made the Devil run away quickly! It's a fun story that shows how people used to explain the world around them.
