In an article ’Routes for the rambler - Cuckfield’ in the West Sussex County Times and Standard of 22 July 1938, by AR Hodges we read about the fable of a tunnel between Butler's Green House and Cuckfield Park:
'According to notes which Mr Bates (a Cuckfeld historian) supplied, although the Wardens held Butler's Green before the Sergisons came to Cuckfield Park, the alliance of the families by marriage led to a close association of the estates and many traditions connect the two demenes.'
'One that was rife in Cuckfield and continually repeated if not believed - asserted that the beautiful vista of trees obtained from the Clockhouse at Cuckfield Park had originally continued across country to Butler's Green. No similar trees, beyond the Gorse, are found to suggest that such an avenue existed, until the Limes at Butler's Green are reached.
'Another and more incredible still, was with a subterranean passage between the two houses. It's fantastic tales never really believed them both now dismissed as old myths.'
We previously featured a linked series if articles about a rumoured tunnel between the Cuckfield Church and Cuckfield Park - which would measure a third of a mile. But this one would be 1.4 miles long, and for all the reasons given in our previous articles - geology, tunnel lining material, extent of the construction, ventilation, drainage are all much more significant for a Butler's Green tunnel and must certainly rule it out.
Contributed by Malcolm Davison.
Visit Cuckfield Museum, follow the link for details https://cuckfieldmuseum.org.
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