In the heart of West Sussex, near the village of Cocking, lies the ancient and enigmatic Cocking Causeway. The local lore passed down through generations tells a chilling story of spectral horsemen galloping wildly across the landscape, reenacting a tragedy that happened centuries ago. In the still of the night, it is said, one can still hear the ghastly sound of hooves pounding upon the earth. The villagers would huddle in their homes, sheltered from the otherworldly onslaught that unfolded outside their doors. These are the Ghostly Gallopers of Cocking Causeway, a haunting spectacle that chills the blood of those who inadvertently witness it. The story goes back to the times of the Civil War, a period of intense and bitter strife in England. The horsemen were supposedly cavaliers who were slaughtered in a battle that took place on the Causeway. Ever since then, they have been haunting the area, futilely repeating their charge in the cover of darkness. What gives the lore an even more eerie feel is the prevalence of ancient barrows and earthworks surrounding the Causeway. These are remnants of unknown peoples who inhabited the area in prehistoric times, possibly the Bronze Age or even earlier. The Causeway itself has an aura of ancient mystery, with its old stones bearing mute testimony to countless ages that have passed by. The spectral horsemen, therefore, seem to be not only a remnant of a bloody Civil War skirmish but also a symbol of the area’s long and turbulent history, bridging the gap between the ancient past and the present. Such unfathomable layers of time give the folklore an added depth, a sense of haunting poignancy, making it a living part of Cocking village’s cultural heritage.