West Sussex County Council: About Buchan Country Park

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In medieval times the area now known as Buchan Country Park was heavily used for wood extraction and grazing for sheep. As a result, the original woods became heathland.

On Thursday 31 July 1823, William Cobbett set out from Worth at 5 o'clock to ride to Horsham. His route took him through what, today, is Buchan Country Park. At that time the land belonged to Lord Erskine who had named the area Buchan Hill after his father, the Earl of Buchan. In his book, Rural Rides, Cobbett recalls his journey.

'From Worth you come to Crawley along some pretty good land; you then turn to the left and go two miles along the road; then you turn to the right, and go over six of the worst miles in England, which miles terminate but a few hundred yards before you enter Horsham. The first two of these miserable miles go through the estate of Lord Erskine. It was bare heath with here and there, in the better parts of it, some scrubby birch. It has been, in part, planted with fir trees, which are as ugly as the heath was; and, in short, it is a most villainous tract.'

While Cobbett clearly saw the heath as wasteland, it is seen today as an important and declining habitat, which conservation organisations put much effort into restoring. Since 1992, 13 hectares of heath have been restored at Buchan Country Park.

In Victorian times, the park was owned by a Mr Saillard, a businessman whose wealth came from the sale of playing cards, and ostrich feathers for ladies hats. Mr Saillard built a grand mansion (now Cottesmore school). Not far from Buchan Hill was a large property called Woldhurstlea, which stood in what is now Gossops Green housing estate. Nerina Shute, who grew up in the house, wrote a book called Come into the Sunlight, the story of her Edwardian mother. In the book Nerina recalls a visit to Buchan Hill to visit the Saillards with her mother. She writes that this was done only at rare intervals, with chilly politeness, and usually on a rainy day!

The Saillard family was responsible for establishing both Island and Douster ponds.

Buchan Park today

West Sussex County Council purchased the park on 31st July 1969, 146 years to the day after William Cobbett noted 'I have seldom travelled over eight miles so well calculated to fill the mind with painful reflections!'

The Country Park was officially opened 20th May 1982.

Both Rural Rides and Come into the Sunlight are available from West Sussex County Council's Library Service.