.

[Sidenote: LONDON TO CHICHESTER]

It ought to be known that those Londoners who would care to reach Sussex
by Roman road have still Stane Street at their service. With a little
difficulty here and there, a little freedom with other people's land,
the walker is still able to travel from London to Chichester almost in a
bee-line, as the Romans used. Stane Street, which is a southern
continuation of Erming Street, pierced London's wall at Billingsgate,
and that would therefore be the best starting point. The modern
traveller would set forth down the Borough High Street (as the
Canterbury Pilgrims did), crossing the track of Watling Street near the
Elephant and Castle, and so on the present high road for several not too
interesting miles; along Newington Butts, and Kennington Park Road, up
Clapham Rise and Balham Hill, and so on through Tooting, Morden, North
Cheam, and Ewell. So far all is simple and a little prosaic, but at
Epsom difficulties begin. The road from Epsom town to the racecourse
climbs to the east of the Durdans and strikes away south-west, on its
true course again, exactly at the inn. The point to make for, as
straight as may be (passing between Ashstead on the right and Langley
Bottom farm on the left), is the Thirty-acres Barn, right on the site.
Then direct to Leatherhead Down, through Birchgrove, over Mickleham
Down, and so to the high road again at Juniper Hall. Part of the track
on this high ground is still called Erming Street by the country folk;
part is known as Pebble Lane, where the old Roman road metal has come
through. The old street probably followed the present road fairly
closely, with a slight deviation near the Burford Bridge Inn, as far as
Boxhill Station, whence it took a bee-line to the high ground at
Minnickwood by Anstiebury, four miles distant, a little to the west of
Holmwood. This, if the line is to be followed, means some deliberate
trespassing and a scramble through Dorking churchyard, which is partly
on the site.

Hitherto the Roman engineer has wavered now and then, but from
Minnickwood to Tolhurst Farm, fifteen miles to the south, the line is
absolute. Two miles below Ockley (where it is called Stone Street), at
Halehouse Farm, the road must be left again, but after three miles of
footpath, field, and wood we hit it once more just above Dedisham, on
the road between Guildford and Horsham, and keep it all the way to
Pulborough, through Billingshurst, thus named, as I have