Rottingdean Smugglers Tunnel

According to ‘Some West Sussex Superstitions Lingering in 1868’, by Mrs Latham ‘It is likely that the present disposition to believe in ghost stories is in a great measure traditionally from the last generation, when smuggling was in the ascendant. For I believe that the vigilance of the Preventive Service has laid many ghosts in Sussex; there being very little doubt that the numerous ghosts seen wandering formerly in blue flames, near lonely houses on the coast, were of an illicit class of spirits, raised by the smugglers in order to alarm and drive all others but their accomplices from their haunts. In those days the unearthly noises heard night after night in a house at Rottingdean caused such alarm amongst the servants that they all gave warning; when suddenly the noises ceased, and soon afterwards one of a gang of smugglers, who had fallen into the hands of the police, confessed to their having made a secret passage from the beach close by this house, and, that wishing to induce the occupiers to abandon it, they had been in the habit of rolling at the dead of night tub after tub of spirits up the passage, and had so caused it to be reported that the place was haunted.’

I cannot yet be sure which house this tale relates to, therefore the map shows a random apart of Rottingdean beach.