{{Short description|Nature reserve in West Sussex, England}} {{infobox park | name = Lancing Ring | image = Lancing Ring Footpath - geograph.org.uk - 613991.jpg | image_caption = | type = Local Nature Reserve | grid_ref_UK = TQ 182 062 | location = Lancing, West Sussex | area = {{convert| 29.4 |ha|acre|abbr=off}} | manager = Ardur District Council | website = {{website|https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/parks/conservation-and-countryside/lancing-ring/|Ardur District Council Lancing Ring webpage}} }} '''Lancing Ring''' is a {{convert| 29.4 |ha|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} Local Nature Reserve in Lancing in West Sussex. It is owned and managed by Adur District Council.<ref name=LNR>{{cite web|url=https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteLNRDetail.aspx?SiteCode=L1008987&SiteName=&countyCode=46&responsiblePerson=&SeaArea=&IFCAArea= |title=Lancing Ring |series=Local Nature Reserves|publisher=Natural England| accessdate= 25 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lancing Ring (LNR) - Adur & Worthing Councils |url=https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/parks/conservation-and-countryside/lancing-ring/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=www.adur-worthing.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref>
This chalk grassland site is notable for butterflies, adders, and common lizards. There is also deciduous woodland with wildflowers including early purple orchids and a dew pond, the habitat of dragonflies such as the broad-bodied chaser, ''Libellula depressa'', and numerous newts.<ref name=LNR/> alt=Dew Pond|thumb|The Dew Pond alt=car park|thumb|A spacious car park There is access from Mill Road via the main car park and Halewick Lane has an area for parking beside the children's play area at the foot of the hill.
There is a volunteer group that assists Adur District council with conservation management, the Friends of Lancing Ring, formed in 1989.
== History == Archaeological research at Lancing Ring has identified it as the likely site of an Iron Age shrine and Romano-Celtic temple.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Heritage Gateway - Results |url=https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=395386&resourceID=19191 |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=www.heritagegateway.org.uk}}</ref> The Romano-Celtic temple site has been identified as the large sloping field above the recycling centre and children's play area at the top of Halewick Lane;<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Magic Map Application |url=https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=Ref_CODE=%271008987%27 |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=magic.defra.gov.uk}}</ref> this land is now used for agricultural purposes. An Anglo-Saxon burial ground has also been identified to the east of Lancing Ring, towards Hoe Court.<ref name=":1" /> Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon coins have been discovered at Lancing Ring.<ref name=":0" /> The track passing through Lancing Ring from Cissbury Ring in the west to the river crossing in Shoreham in the east is likely prehistoric and would once have been an important route for those travelling through the area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lancing |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/sussex/vol6/pt1/pp34-53 |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=British History Online {{!}} www.british-history.ac.uk}}</ref>
Though known locally as Lancing Clump,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Walks |url=https://www.somptingestate.com/walks |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=www.somptingestate.com}}</ref> the name Lancing Ring was inspired by the planting of beech trees in a ring layout during the late 18th century, similar to the nearby Cissbury Ring.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Trust |first=Woodland |title=Lancing Ring |url=https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/lancing-ring/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Woodland Trust |language=en-GB}}</ref> These are likely to have been planted by the Lloyd family after their acquisition of Lancing Manor in an attempt to gentrify the land.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Lancing Ring |url=https://www.glaucus.org.uk/LancRing.htm#:~:text=The%20track%20alongside%20Lancing%20Ring,are%20in%20the%20British%20Museum. |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=www.glaucus.org.uk}}</ref> The 1987 storm caused extensive damage to many of the original trees.<ref name=":2" />
A disused chalkpit is situated to the west of the car park at the top of Mill Road. Opened around 1805, it was described as a "public chalk pit" for local people to quarry chalk for construction work, building maintenance and for use in manure.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |author1=((FoLR Admin)) |author2=Sarah Costeloe |date=2009-03-22 |title=The Chalk Pit {{!}} Reply of 2012 at 7:20 pm |url=https://folr.wordpress.com/the-reserve/areas/the-chalkpit/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Friends of Lancing Ring |language=en}}</ref> It was permanently closed at the beginning of the 20th century following the death of a person collecting chalk from the site.<ref name=":4" /> The chalk pit is a geologically important feature as it contains a layer of Tarrant chalk and has yielded important fossil discoveries such as ''Pelmatopora lancingensis'', a Bryozoan (moss animal) of the Cribrilinidae family; and a Crinoid, ''Bourgueticrinus'' cf. ''fritillus''. Fossil discoveries from the site are now in the care of the British Museum.<ref name=":4" />
At least one windmill stood at the eastern end of the chalkpit, with the most recent mill to occupy this site having been demolished in 1905. It is uncertain when the first windmill was erected at Lancing Ring, but there is mention of a mill in Lancing in the Domesday Book.<ref name=":3" />
Lancing Ring was used by the Canadian Army during World War II.<ref name=":3" />
In 1949, the land was sold to the local council by the Trustees of Lancing College for use as a permanent public open space for local people.<ref name=":3" /> The Friends of Lancing Ring group was established in 1989 with a view to protecting and conserving the land, performing restoration and maintenance work in conjunction with Adur Council and private organisations, and promoting the space to the people of Lancing.<ref name=":3" /> The group was instrumental in protesting the development of the A27 road through the area, which would have destroyed the site entirely.<ref name=":3" />
== Flora, fauna, and funga == Lancing Ring is host to a great many species. This is helped by the wide range of habitats available within the nature reserve, including woodland, meadowland, pastureland, a dew pond and an old chalk pit.
Notable plants include reed mace, yellow flag iris, purple loosestrife, early purple orchids, wood anemones, arum lilies, spurge laurel and sweet violet.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=22 March 2009 |title=The Woodland |url=https://folr.wordpress.com/the-reserve/areas/the-woodland/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Friends of Lancing Ring |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{cite web |title=The Dew Pond |url=https://folr.wordpress.com/the-reserve/areas/the-dewpond/ |website=Friends of Lancing Ring |language=en |date=22 March 2009}}</ref> The county flower of Sussex, round-headed rampion, also grows here.<ref name=":4" /> Beech trees are abundant although there are also ash, common hawthorn (''Crataegus monogyna''), blackthorn, elder, wild cherry, sycamore and field maples present.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4" /> Buddleja can be seen growing in the chalk pit and makes a beautiful display in early summer, attracting pollinating insects.<ref name=":4" /> North of the Lancing Manor allotments, McIntyres Field has been designated as a wildflower meadow;<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-03-22 |title=McIntyres Field |url=https://folr.wordpress.com/the-reserve/areas/mcintyres-field/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Friends of Lancing Ring |language=en}}</ref> this is complemented by other meadowland interspersed throughout the site.
Dragonflies and damselflies can be observed around the dew pond.<ref name=":6" /> More rarely, adders and lizards can be spotted, particularly in the chalk pit.<ref name=":4" />
Blackberries are abundant during the late summer months and several species of fungi can be found in the woodland in autumn, such as puffballs, ''Auricularia auricula-judae'' ('jelly ear mushrooms'), ''Macrolepiota procera'' ('parasol mushrooms') and 'shaggy pholiota' (either ''Pholiota squarrosa'' or ''P. squarrosoides'').<ref name=":5" />
A range of resident and migratory birds frequent the area. Great spotted woodpeckers, skylarks, redwings and jays have all reportedly been observed, and more common garden birds such as blue tits and robins can also be seen.<ref name=":5" />
== Community use == Friends of Lancing Ring host events such as guided flower walks and volunteer sessions which focus on maintenance and conservation of the reserve.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-05 |title=Lancing Ring Local Nature Reserve |url=https://www.thewildflowertrail.org/lancing-ring/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=The Adur & Worthing Wildflower Trail |language=en-GB}}</ref>
An extensive network of paths lead from the site to Steyning, Coombes, Cissbury Ring and the River Adur, as well as further afield.
==References== {{reflist}} {{commons category|Lancing Ring}} ==External links== * {{website|https://folr.wordpress.com/|Friends of Lancing Ring}} * {{cite web |last1=Randell |first1=Robert |last2=Balmbra |first2=Chris |title=British Chalk Bourgueticrinids |url=http://www.chalk.discoveringfossils.co.uk/3bourgueticrinids.htm |website=www.chalk.discoveringfossils.co.uk |access-date=22 October 2022}} Chalk fossil information, including images of ''Bourgueticrinus'' cf. ''fritillus'' fossil held by the British Museum
Category:Local nature reserves in West Sussex {{coord| 50.843|-0.323 |type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}} {{Local Nature Reserves in West Sussex}}