The ‘Secret Shore’ project...

The traditional songs, folklore and history of the coastal region of the South Downs are being brought to life in this exciting project.

The ‘Secret Shore’ project, which has received a grant of £50,600 from HLF (Heritage Lottery Fund) along with the £10,000 contribution from the South Downs Society, is now recruiting volunteers over a two year period to learn the folk songs once popular in the harbour and coastal towns of the region. There will also be workshops in which participants can learn about and research the folklore and superstitions that once played such an important role in the lives of everyday people.

‘Secret Shore’ will conduct a survey of modern superstitions in the coastal towns and see how present-day beliefs compare with the ones recorded in Victorian times. Volunteers will also be trained to conduct oral history interviews so that the lives and stories of fisherman and other local people can be recorded for posterity.

The project is focusing its efforts in the towns of Littlehampton, Worthing, and Shoreham, including some of the most socially deprived wards in the South-East.

Half-day workshops on local History and Folklore will be held in Worthing in the spring, followed later in the year with Songs Workshops in Littlehampton and Shoreham.

The ‘Secret Shore’ project is based in offices in Worthing.

For more information about the History and Folklore workshops or the Songs workshops click on the following links:

History and Folklore Workshops

Songs Workshops

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