Pett#Sunken forest
{{short description |Village in East Sussex, England}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Pett
| country = England
| region = South East England
| static_image_name = St Mary & St Peter Church Pett East Sussex.jpeg
| static_image_caption = St Mary and St Peter's Church, Pett
| area_footnotes = {{cite web|url=http://www.eastsussexinfigures.org.uk/webview/|title=East Sussex in Figures|access-date=2008-04-26|publisher=East Sussex County Council}}
| area_total_km2 = 6.5
| population = 846
| population_ref = (Parish-2011){{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11127539&c=TN35+4HY&d=16&e=62&g=6421546&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1444224780990&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=7 October 2015}}
| population_density = {{convert|311|/sqmi|/km2|abbr=on}}
| os_grid_reference = TQ873139
| coordinates = {{coord|50.89|0.66|display=inline,title}}
| post_town = HASTINGS
| postcode_area = TN
| postcode_district = TN35
| dial_code = 01424
| constituency_westminster = Hastings and Rye
| london_distance = {{convert|54|mi}} NW
| shire_district = Rother
| shire_county = East Sussex
}}
Pett is a village and civil parish in the Rother district of East Sussex, England. The village is located {{convert|5|mi}} north-east of Hastings on the edge of Pett Level, the one-time marshes stretching along the coast of Rye Bay.{{cite web | url = http://pett-level.east-sussex.co.uk/ | title = Pett Level | access-date = 19 March 2020 | website = Pett Level}}
The road through the village leads down to the second village in the parish: Pett Level, the coastal part of which is known as Cliff End. Here there is a beach and, as the name suggests, the Weald sandstone cliffs reach their easternmost point. Pett Level marks the end of both the Royal Military Canal and the western end of the 1940s sea defence wall. The Saxon Shore Way passes through Pett Level.{{cite web | url = https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTA4ODA= | title = Hastings to Pett Level walking on beach | access-date = 19 March 2020 | publisher = ViewRanger}}
Pett parish church is dedicated to St Mary and St Peter.{{cite web | url = https://www.fairlightandpett.com/history/ | title = Fairlight & Pett Churches | access-date = 19 March 2020 | publisher = Fairlight & Pett Churches}} Pett also has a Methodist chapel,{{cite web | url = http://www.pettchapel.org.uk/ | title = Pett Methodist Chapel | access-date = 19 March 2020 | publisher = Pett Methodist Chapel}} and a small Church of England church at Cliff End.
History
The manor of Pett belonged to a succession of families, including the Halle family, the Levett family, the Fletchers and the Medleys, before eventually passing to the Earls of Liverpool.{{cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aaA2AAAAMAAJ&dq=ashburnham+levetts&pg=PA82 | title = A Compendious History of Sussex | author = Mark Antony Lower | year = 1870}}
Between early 1913 until 1916, a secluded bungalow in Pett Level was the home of sculptor Jacob Epstein and his wife Peggy{{cite book |author=June Rose |author-link=June Rose |title=Demons and Angels A Life of Jacob Epstein |publisher=Carroll & Graf Publishers |year= 2002 |isbn=0786710004 |pages=80-81}} Using the garden shed there as a studio, during these three years Epstein produced a number of notable works.{{cite book |author=Evelyn Silber |author-link=Evelyn Silber |title=The Sculpture of Epstein with a Complete Catalogue |publisher=Phaidon |year=1986 |isbn=0714822620}}
Landmarks
File:Cliff End, Pett - geograph.org.uk - 800049.jpg
There is a Site of Special Scientific Interest partly within the parish. Hastings Cliffs to Pett Beach runs along the coast and is of both biological and geological interest. The cliffs hold many fossils and have many habitats, including ancient woodland and shingle beaches.{{cite report|title=SSSI Citation — Hastings Cliffs to Pett Beach |publisher=Natural England |url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002885.pdf |access-date=2008-10-13}} These include a sunken forest, a warship which is thought to have sunk in 1690, a lost series of Martello towers. At Cliff End the beach has some fossils and some dinosaur footprints made by iguanodons and ankylosaurus up to 100m years ago in the Lower Cretaceous.{{cite web | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-23684120 | title = 'Little known' about ancient Pett Level sunken forest | author = Tanya Gupta | date = 14 August 2013 | access-date = 19 March 2020 | publisher = BBC}}{{Cite news |last=Cockburn |first=Harry |date=16 June 2023 |title=One of Britain's largest sunken forests reveals its secrets |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/16/one-of-britains-largest-sunken-forests-reveals-its-secrets-aoe |access-date=16 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616095543/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/16/one-of-britains-largest-sunken-forests-reveals-its-secrets-aoe |archive-date=16 June 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}
= Sunken forest =
A sunken forest can be seen in the sand at low tide in the shore opposite the levels. The forest stood around 6500 years ago, before the melting of the glaciers after the last ice age raised sea levels. The forest can be seen as spongy wooden roots, fallen trunks and tree stumps across large areas in the sand. Sea conditions may bury the remains in sand from time to time until uncovered again by storms. The trees have been identified as oak, birch and hazel.{{Cite news|last=Gupta|first=Tanya|date=2013-08-14|title='Little known' about ancient Pett Level sunken forest|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-23684120|access-date=2020-10-13}}
= Wreck of HMS Anne =
HMS Anne was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the English Royal Navy, launched in 1678. She was badly damaged at the Battle of Beachy Head on 30 June 1690. Her captain beached her here and she was set on fire to prevent capture by the French. Her remains were discovered when the vessel was partly dug up by a mechanical excavator in 1974.{{cite web |last1=Donnelly |first1=Luke |title=The incredible Sussex wrecks and ruins you only get to see at low tide |url=https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/news/sussex-news/incredible-sussex-wrecks-ruins-you-7836834 |website=Sussex Live |date=18 November 2022 |access-date=28 November 2022}} The wreck is usually exposed by low tides which are below 0.6m above the chart datum (Dover). She lies in sand on a firm clay substrate on top of the prehistoric submerged forest. An explanatory panel is placed opposite her location on the sea wall.{{Cite web|title=ANNE - 1000060 {{!}} Maritime Wreck, Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1000060|access-date=2020-10-13|website=Historic England|language=en}}
In popular culture
Pett Level beach was the filming location for parts of the video of David Bowie's 1980 number one hit single "Ashes to Ashes."{{cite book |last=Pegg |first=Nicholas |title=The Complete David Bowie |year=2011 |publisher=Titan Books |location=London |isbn=9780857682901 |edition=6th|page=30|author-link=Nicholas Pegg}} Jonathan Miller filmed the beach scenes for his 1966 TV film of Alice in Wonderland at Pett Level. Sir John Gielgud played the Mock Turtle and Malcolm Muggeridge was the Gryphon.{{cite news |last1=Donnelly |first1=Luke |title=David Bowie, Kaiser Chiefs and the other celebrities drawn to Pett Level beach |url=https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/whats-on/david-bowie-kaiser-chiefs-celebrities-5842551 |access-date=16 November 2024 |work=Sussex Live |date=28 August 2021 }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Pett}}
{{Rother}}
{{East Sussex1}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Villages in East Sussex
Category:Civil parishes in East Sussex