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Forest legends
St Leonard & the Dragon
Legend has it that in the 6th Century, St Leonard, a French hermit who lived in St Leonard's Forest, fought and killed a dragon there.
During the long battle, St. Leonard was injured. It is said that God made white Lilies spring forth from the ground where the Saints blood fell and there is an area known as the Lily Beds where Lilies of the Valley still grow. Also, as a reward for freeing the local people from the dragon, St Leonard asked that snakes would be banished from the forest and nightingales, which had disturbed his prayers, would be silent.
Fortunately, snakes are often found in the forest and in 2005 it was reported in the Newsletter of The Horsham Society that three nightingales had been heard singing.
There is no proof that St. Leonard, a French saint and Martyr, ever visited Sussex, though the legend may have been attributed to him through a hermitage within the forest.
There were reports of dragons in the forest in the 17th Century and these are thought by some to be a story concocted by smugglers to keep people away from the area.
There is a small place called "Dragons Green" just to the South-West of the forest. While this may be a reference to the legend of the dragons in St. Leonard's forest, it may also be a reference to the personal name of Dragon. A family of that name, natives of Roffey, lived in nearby Cowfold and gave their name to Dragon's Farm there, a place name which goes back to 1682.
Mick Mills
Another legend concerns Mick Mills who is said to have been a local smuggler. The Devil met him one day and told him that his time was up and he must give him his soul. But wily Mick arranged to race Old Nick along a long, straight track in the forest and it was agreed that if Mick won, he could keep his soul. According to the legend Mick was the fastest runner and the mile long, straight track in the forest is still there, called Mick Mills Race.
Measured on an Ordnance Survey map or on Google Earth, you will find it is exactly a mile long - if you measure it from the right place!
Legend has it that in the 6th Century, St Leonard, a French hermit who lived in St Leonard's Forest, fought and killed a dragon there.
During the long battle, St. Leonard was injured. It is said that God made white Lilies spring forth from the ground where the Saints blood fell and there is an area known as the Lily Beds where Lilies of the Valley still grow. Also, as a reward for freeing the local people from the dragon, St Leonard asked that snakes would be banished from the forest and nightingales, which had disturbed his prayers, would be silent.
Fortunately, snakes are often found in the forest and in 2005 it was reported in the Newsletter of The Horsham Society that three nightingales had been heard singing.
There is no proof that St. Leonard, a French saint and Martyr, ever visited Sussex, though the legend may have been attributed to him through a hermitage within the forest.
There were reports of dragons in the forest in the 17th Century and these are thought by some to be a story concocted by smugglers to keep people away from the area.
There is a small place called "Dragons Green" just to the South-
Mick Mills
Another legend concerns Mick Mills who is said to have been a local smuggler. The Devil met him one day and told him that his time was up and he must give him his soul. But wily Mick arranged to race Old Nick along a long, straight track in the forest and it was agreed that if Mick won, he could keep his soul. According to the legend Mick was the fastest runner and the mile long, straight track in the forest is still there, called Mick Mills Race.
Measured on an Ordnance Survey map or on Google Earth, you will find it is exactly a mile long -