I had an interesting walk today through a part of Ashdown Forest that
I had not investigated before. I walked along the stream in the area I
believe to be called Crowborough Warren. The stream was used to
power a mill called New Mill and I'm lead to believe there were three
mill ponds on different levels surrounding it. I'm also told that this
was the mill used to grind the flour for Queen Victoria's wedding cake!
There are lots of traces of the old industry through here, old brickwork,
old packhorse bridges and traces of iron rich ponds. This area is really
interesting and one to which I need to do some more research, stay tuned.
This pond was just off the main stream and was almost black in colour,
hence why I have dubbed it 'black pond'. I'm guessing that has to do with
the iron rich soil and the colour of the leaves that lay at the bottom of it.
A larger view here
