Walk in footsteps of artistic greats in the South Downs

A new walking tour has launched to celebrate the many great writers, poets, artists and musicians who have drawn inspiration from the South Downs.
By Carly-May Kavanagh
Published 27th May 2021, 16:26 BST
Ditchling Beacon at sunriseDitchling Beacon in the South Downs National Park SUS-210524-112926001Ditchling Beacon at sunriseDitchling Beacon in the South Downs National Park SUS-210524-112926001
Ditchling Beacon at sunriseDitchling Beacon in the South Downs National Park SUS-210524-112926001

In Their Footsteps takes people on an audio tour of three venues in the National Park and the countryside and villages that surround them.

The free tour, which is downloadable as an app, follows the lives and experiences of many celebrated artists, including Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group.

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Stephanie Fuller, director and CEO of Ditchling Museum of Art & Craft, home to one of the tours alongside Charleston in Lewes and Monk’s House in Rodwell, said: “Working with the National Park team on the In Their Footsteps app was a really great experience.

“It was a chance for the museum to bring to life the stories and experiences of the original group of artists and craftspeople who came to Ditchling in the early 20th century.

“The landscape and environment of the South Downs was a huge influence on their creative practice and ever present in their daily lives, in a way which is still true for many people living in Ditchling now.

“Giving visitors an insight into that experience makes a really strong, clear link between the museum and its collection and the importance of place to the development of Ditching as a creative community.”

To download the app, search for In Their Footsteps

To find out more about the Ditchling tour, visit www.ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk

Related topics:National ParkSouth Downs