Inside a Typical English Town | Steyning: The Sussex Village that Raised Me
How did the coronavirus lockdown impact a small British Town? How do residents feel the community has changed during the pandemic? And what was it like to grow up in Steyning, a quaint English town?
After 1.5 years on the road, I returned to Steyning, my hometown, as a pandemic swept across the world. In the midst of all the Covid restrictions, I spoke to locals in socially distanced interviews to find out how they thought their community had changed during the lockdowns.
Steyning is a sleepy British town in West Sussex, nestled next to the South Downs national park. nowadays around 6,000 people, myself included, call Steyning home, and about 31% of them are over 65. Founded when Saint Cuthman built St. Andrews church back in the 857, it’s a typical town in the Southeast of England; despite being a stone’s throw from Brighton, and just over an hour from London, it’s pretty sheltered, conservative, and not particularly diverse. With Chanctonbury ring to one side, and Devil's Dyke to another, it’s stunning surroundings have always been what I miss most when I’m away, along with the “small town charm” it exudes.
That said, Steyning can be a little closed to outsiders, particularly those from unconventional backgrounds. Being from a single-parent, Jewish household, we experienced that first-hand when we moved here. But once you do find your place, you’ll see the sense of familiarity that people here feel towards one another, and that’s a big part of what holds a community together through something like a pandemic.
In this closer to home episode of Tieran Meets the World, I spoke to Janine Dee, who the owns Cobblestone teahouse just off Steyning high Street on cobblestone walk, and also met with locals Mike Kelly and Jane Oxley, who’ve lived in Steyning for years. Examining the town I grew up in through a different lens, along with my conversations with locals, left me appreciating it more than I ever had, and I found myself reflecting on the fact that we were all very privileged to be riding out the lockdown in a place like Steyning, where the South Downs national park is on our doorstep, and people tend to have gardens and green spaces they could spend time in when they were unable to leave their homes.
Accompanying article here: tieranmeetstheworld.com/steyn...
00:00-01:26 - Welcome to Steyning
01:27-02:58 - Janine and the Cobblestone Teahouse
02:59-05:25 - How has coronavirus changed Steyning's community?
05:26-07:07 - What was it like to grow up in Steyning?
Facebook Page: / tieranfreedman.co.uk
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Пікірлер: 23
Brilliant and heartwarming.
@TieranFreedman
2 жыл бұрын
Thank so much mate! 😊
Nice to see this. I grew up in Steyning also, from 1976 to 1996. I now live in Tasmania. Good memories. Nothing has changed!! Great video.
Hi Tieran - Greatly enjoyed your short movie! I am an old (very old!) friend of your grandparents and it is so good to see their grandson being creative and producing things like this. I have ten more or less adult grandsons and grandaughters and some of them are moving in similar directions along the road of life as you are doing! Well done! PS I'm sure you know how proud of you are Dennis and HIlda!
@TieranFreedman
2 жыл бұрын
Hey Laraine! Thanks for the lovely comment, so glad you enjoyed the video 😊 It was really great filming something a bit closer to home for once; made me look at my hometown in a very different light. 10 grandchildren is quite a crowd! Very cool that they're pursuing similar stuff. Goof luck in their endeavours :) All the best to you!
I haven't had the opportunity to visit England yet. I'm across the pond in the US but my bestie lives in Steyning, hopefully we can meet one day. Awesome video. 🇺🇸❤️🇬🇧
Really great job. Nicely written and presented. Keep it up, chap!
@TieranFreedman
Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much! Glad you liked it 😊
Delightful short feature of our town,: well done Tieran!
@TieranFreedman
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it 😊
Hi Tieran, very much enjoyed this informative video. Can't wait to see the buried false teeth next time we visit!
@TieranFreedman
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks eve, glad you liked it 🙂 Haha I believe the ones in the wall are actually now replicas, since the originals have been moved to Steyning museum!
Hi Tieran. thanks to notifications, Your videos show up so i can watch them. You’re a SUPER underrated youtuber. That aside, hope you’re doin well. Keep it up.
@TieranFreedman
2 жыл бұрын
Hey Thomas! Thanks for the kind words man 😊 That's great to hear, I'm glad you've enjoyed them! I'm doing well thank you; will be cycling up the West coast of Ireland soon 🇮🇪 I hope you and your family are well, too.
@thomasthomas7222
2 жыл бұрын
@@TieranFreedman Thanks, good luck
nice video,nice place, used to live next do in upperbeeding.
Also thought this was brilliant and also heartwarming.
@TieranFreedman
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks pal!!1! 💙
My home village, putting us in the map Tieran!
@TieranFreedman
2 жыл бұрын
Haha, told you this one was coming! 😜
@brandonsmith8336
2 жыл бұрын
@@TieranFreedman you certainly did pal! Very proud steyning lad right here!
My cousin lives here since 1970s.stephanie Govan kellett Savill. Her son Jordy was born in Steyning in 1993 and maybe went to your school
I have not visited Steyning for 12 years so I guess it had changed. As for normal I don't think you will get that in UK again ever. I did not visit for 7 years as I am afraid of what I will see