THE National Trust is appealing for information about a mysterious flight of steps which has been unearthed on Leith Hill.
Volunteers Moira Sinden, Kate Rankin and Allison Goodliffe came across the stone steps while clearing brambles in parkland between Leith Hill Place and the ornamental Rhododendron Wood.
National Trust ranger Ruby Cole told the Advertiser: "I spied one of the stones so we strimmed to see what was there and discovered this flight of steps.
"It was surprising to see how wide they were and how many. It was an amazing discovery and we were very pleased with how they came up."
The wood was created by Leith Hill Place resident Caroline Wedgwood, the sister of naturalist Charles Darwin, in about 1860.
Ms Cole said: "The original entrance to the house used to come off Tanhurst Lane and ran down the edge of the Rhododendron Wood, so these steps would have come off the grand drive to the house, which used to be a tree-lined avenue.
"Because we don't have any original plans, we don't know whether they used to be part of the ornamental wood.
"We know nothing about them, including how old they are or when they were last used. If anyone locally knows, that would be brilliant."
Anyone with information about the steps, particularly photographs or paintings, should call Ruby Cole on 07785 771509.
