Rotherfield
Encyclopedia
Rotherfield is a village and civil parish
in the Wealden
District of East Sussex
, England. It is one of the largest parishes in East Sussex. There are three villages in the parish: Rotherfield, Mark Cross, and Eridge.
and in various other medieval documents. In Tudor
times three of the inhabitants were burned at the stake for their religious beliefs.
In the 18th century, the road through the village became part of the Turnpike Trust road
between Tunbridge Wells and Lewes
. Until 1880, when a new ecclesiastical parish was formed, Crowborough
was also part of the parish; in 1905 the latter became a civil parish in its own right.
in the High Weald
, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
. Within the parish boundaries lies Bream Wood
, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest
. This is a woodland with a stream (ghyll
) which hosts several species of fern and moss that are not found elsewhere in the area.
Rotherfield has been designated as a conservation
area because of the quality of the buildings, including the Grade I listed St Denys church.
Rotherfield was originally a Saxon
settlement in an area generally covered with oak forest. The church stands at the top of a hill, and was then surrounded by cleared land. The areas nearest to the valley bottoms, where water was available, were farmed. Rotherfield became a royal hunting estate in the times of Kings Alfred the Great
, Athelstan
and William Rufus
.
Eridge is a small village sitting high on a sandstone ridge on the border of East Sussex
and Kent
. It commands many far-reaching views across the Kent and Sussex countryside. Although the village is in East Sussex, it has a Kent postal address. It is located on the A26 between Tunbridge Wells
(Kent) and Crowborough
(East Sussex).
The name Eridge derives from 'Eagle ridge', or 'ridge frequented by eagles'. It is located north of Rotherfield, and also contains the ecclesiastical parish of Eridge Green. It was formed on 5 February 1856 out of parts of the parishes of Frant
, Rotherfield, Eridge Park and Eridge Castle—the latter being the seat of the Marquess of Abergavenny
.
In 1792 the Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny
converted the old Eridge House into a Gothic
castle, which he named Eridge Castle. It was replaced by a Neo-Georgian
mansion in the 1930s. The area also contains several follies
, including the Saxonbury Tower and several ornamental buildings near the Sham Farm business park
.
to Crowborough
road. One notable residence is Walter's Mill
, a house converted from a windmill.
used to be the junction for the cross-country railway
to Hailsham
, Polegate
and Eastbourne
. Rotherfield was served by a station
on this line. Eridge station serves Southern
railway services between Uckfield
, Edenbridge
, Oxted
, East Croydon and London. The preserved Spa Valley Railway
extension to Eridge opened in 2011 where connections are with made trains to London and Uckfield. A new campaign group has been started along the former Cuckoo and Forest Row lines. A first meeting of interested parties was held in Spring 2010, and a website is in the process of being constructed. Although the group wish to see the line from Heathfield (largest town in the south without a rail station) to Eridge, and Eridge to Forest Row re-opened (in order to provide heritage services as well as 'community' based services), this would appear to be most unlikely as not only has approximately a mile of the trackbed near Mayfield been replaced with a road, but houses have been built over the trackbed around Heathfield.
There are five churches in Rotherfield parish: Rotherfield’s 11th-century parish church is dedicated to St Denys. A timber church was first built on the site in 792 AD, and the present sandstone church occupies the same site; the original church is believed to have been under the north-east corner of the current building, in the area now known as the Nevill chapel. The Nevill family were lords of the manor from 1450. The building was extended at various times, with the last major alteration being the addition of the tower, porch and spire in the 15th century. The original spire was destroyed by a storm in October 1987 and reconstructed using a steel frame raised to the roof by helicopter. Construction of the tower meant that a new porch and entrance had to be constructed on the north side of the nave, to replace the west door obstructed by the tower. A new west door was also built.
Also in Rotherfield are the Providence Chapel (Strict Baptist
); and the Roman Catholic Church dedicated to St Peter, Prince of Apostles.
The church in Mark Cross is dedicated to St Mark; that at Eridge Green, Holy Trinity.
and Eastbourne
passes through the parish.
The one railway station still operating in the parish is at Eridge
, on the Uckfield branch of the Oxted Line
. The parish used to be served by Rotherfield and Mark Cross railway station
on the Cuckoo Line
which closed in 1965: the southern part of this line has now been developed as the long-distance footpath the Cuckoo Trail
, although the section that runs through Rotherfield does not form part of this path and is currently in private ownership. The preserved Spa Valley Railway
commenced services from Eridge to Tunbridge Wells in 2011.
The area has the following pubs: in Rotherfield, The Catts Inn and The Kings Arms; in Mark Cross, The Mark Cross Inn; and in Eridge, The Huntsman and The Nevill Crest and Gun.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
District of East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, England. It is one of the largest parishes in East Sussex. There are three villages in the parish: Rotherfield, Mark Cross, and Eridge.
Etymology
The name Rotherfield is thought to derive from the Anglo-Saxon redrefeld meaning cattle lands, although it has been speculated that it may have originally been called or Hrytheranfelda meaning Hrother's field.History
There are written records of Rotherfield in the 8th century; it was also included in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
and in various other medieval documents. In Tudor
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
times three of the inhabitants were burned at the stake for their religious beliefs.
In the 18th century, the road through the village became part of the Turnpike Trust road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
between Tunbridge Wells and Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
. Until 1880, when a new ecclesiastical parish was formed, Crowborough
Crowborough
The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
was also part of the parish; in 1905 the latter became a civil parish in its own right.
Governance
The Parish Council consists of thirteen members, three representing the Eridge and Mark Cross ward and ten representing the Rotherfield Ward.Landmarks
Rotherfield parish lies to the south of Tunbridge WellsRoyal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
in the High Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
. Within the parish boundaries lies Bream Wood
Bream Wood
Bream Wood is a 7.6 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in East Sussex, England. The site was notified in 1985 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The SSSI is home to a number of small pools, as well as Scirpus sylvaticus. The upper drier slopes carry ancient...
, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
. This is a woodland with a stream (ghyll
Gill (stream)
Ghyll or Gill is used for a stream or narrow valley in the North of England and other parts of the United Kingdom. The word originates from the Old Norse Gil...
) which hosts several species of fern and moss that are not found elsewhere in the area.
Rotherfield has been designated as a conservation
Architectural conservation
Architectural conservation describes the process through which the material, historical, and design integrity of mankind's built heritage are prolonged through carefully planned interventions. The individual engaged in this pursuit is known as an architectural conservator...
area because of the quality of the buildings, including the Grade I listed St Denys church.
Rotherfield
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
settlement in an area generally covered with oak forest. The church stands at the top of a hill, and was then surrounded by cleared land. The areas nearest to the valley bottoms, where water was available, were farmed. Rotherfield became a royal hunting estate in the times of Kings Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
, Athelstan
Athelstan of England
Athelstan , called the Glorious, was the King of England from 924 or 925 to 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder, grandson of Alfred the Great and nephew of Æthelflæd of Mercia...
and William Rufus
William II of England
William II , the third son of William I of England, was King of England from 1087 until 1100, with powers over Normandy, and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales...
.
Eridge
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
and Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. It commands many far-reaching views across the Kent and Sussex countryside. Although the village is in East Sussex, it has a Kent postal address. It is located on the A26 between Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
(Kent) and Crowborough
Crowborough
The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
(East Sussex).
The name Eridge derives from 'Eagle ridge', or 'ridge frequented by eagles'. It is located north of Rotherfield, and also contains the ecclesiastical parish of Eridge Green. It was formed on 5 February 1856 out of parts of the parishes of Frant
Frant
-Demography:The population of Frant rose steadily from just under 1,100 in 1801 to a peak in 1891 of around 3,500. The records show a marked drop to 1,692 in 1901, but this is due to the transfer of the Broadwater Down parish to Tunbridge Wells that took place in 1894...
, Rotherfield, Eridge Park and Eridge Castle—the latter being the seat of the Marquess of Abergavenny
Marquess of Abergavenny
Marquess of Abergavenny , in the County of Monmouth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that was created on 14 January 1876, along with the title Earl of Lewes , in the County of Sussex, for the 5th Earl of Abergavenny, a member of the Nevill family.The 1st Marquess's ancestor, the de...
.
In 1792 the Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny
Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny
Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny KT MA was a British peer, styled Viscount Nevill from 1784 to 1785...
converted the old Eridge House into a Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
castle, which he named Eridge Castle. It was replaced by a Neo-Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
mansion in the 1930s. The area also contains several follies
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
, including the Saxonbury Tower and several ornamental buildings near the Sham Farm business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
.
Mark Cross
Mark Cross is located to the east of Rotherfield, at the junction of the A267 and B2100 LamberhurstLamberhurst
Lamberhurst is a village and civil parish in Kent although the latter parish was at first in both Kent and East Sussex. The line of the county border was adjusted following the Local Government Act 1894, which required that parish boundaries be aligned with counties...
to Crowborough
Crowborough
The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
road. One notable residence is Walter's Mill
Walter's Mill, Mark Cross
Walter's Mill is a tower mill at Mark Cross, Sussex, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.-History:Walter's Mill was first mentioned in 1845 and is thought to have been built by the Arnold brothers of Paddock Wood, Kent. The mill was working by wind until 26 July 1911,...
, a house converted from a windmill.
Boarshead
Boarshead is a hamlet within the parish. Amenities include an eponymous pub and a public golf course.Railway
Eridge railway stationEridge railway station
Eridge railway station serves a rural district around Eridge in East Sussex. Mainline train services from the station are provided by Southern, and the station is on the Uckfield branch of the Oxted Line. Also heritage services connecting to Groombridge, High Rocks and Tunbridge Wells West are run...
used to be the junction for the cross-country railway
Cuckoo Line
The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at Heathfield, a station on the route...
to Hailsham
Hailsham
Hailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five main towns in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. Mentioned in the Domesday Book, the town of Hailsham has had a long history of industry and agriculture...
, Polegate
Polegate
Polegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne, and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with...
and Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
. Rotherfield was served by a station
Rotherfield and Mark Cross railway station
Rotherfield and Mark Cross is the name of a closed station on the Eridge - Heathfield - Polegate railway in East Sussex...
on this line. Eridge station serves Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
railway services between Uckfield
Uckfield
-Development:The local Tesco has proposed the redevelopment of the central town area as has the town council. The Hub has recently been completed, having been acquired for an unknown figure, presumed to be about half a million pounds...
, Edenbridge
Edenbridge, Kent
Edenbridge is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England. The town's name derives from Old English language "Eadhelmsbrigge" . It is located on the Kent/Surrey border on the upper floodplain of the River Medway and gives its name to the latter's tributary, the River Eden...
, Oxted
Oxted
Oxted is a commuter town in Surrey, England at the foot of the North Downs, north of East Grinstead and south-east of Croydon.- History :The town lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred....
, East Croydon and London. The preserved Spa Valley Railway
Spa Valley Railway
The Spa Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway that runs between Tunbridge Wells, High Rocks, Groombridge, and Eridge railway station, where it links with the Oxted Line. En route it crosses the Kent and East Sussex border, a distance of 5 miles , along the former Three Bridges to...
extension to Eridge opened in 2011 where connections are with made trains to London and Uckfield. A new campaign group has been started along the former Cuckoo and Forest Row lines. A first meeting of interested parties was held in Spring 2010, and a website is in the process of being constructed. Although the group wish to see the line from Heathfield (largest town in the south without a rail station) to Eridge, and Eridge to Forest Row re-opened (in order to provide heritage services as well as 'community' based services), this would appear to be most unlikely as not only has approximately a mile of the trackbed near Mayfield been replaced with a road, but houses have been built over the trackbed around Heathfield.
Education
There are two schools in the parish: Rotherfield Primary School, located in North Street and Mark Cross CE Primary School.Religion
Also in Rotherfield are the Providence Chapel (Strict Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
); and the Roman Catholic Church dedicated to St Peter, Prince of Apostles.
The church in Mark Cross is dedicated to St Mark; that at Eridge Green, Holy Trinity.
Transport
The A267 road between Tunbridge WellsRoyal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
and Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
passes through the parish.
The one railway station still operating in the parish is at Eridge
Eridge railway station
Eridge railway station serves a rural district around Eridge in East Sussex. Mainline train services from the station are provided by Southern, and the station is on the Uckfield branch of the Oxted Line. Also heritage services connecting to Groombridge, High Rocks and Tunbridge Wells West are run...
, on the Uckfield branch of the Oxted Line
Oxted Line
The Oxted Line is a railway line in southern England. It was originally operated jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. It is now part of the Southern franchise....
. The parish used to be served by Rotherfield and Mark Cross railway station
Rotherfield and Mark Cross railway station
Rotherfield and Mark Cross is the name of a closed station on the Eridge - Heathfield - Polegate railway in East Sussex...
on the Cuckoo Line
Cuckoo Line
The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at Heathfield, a station on the route...
which closed in 1965: the southern part of this line has now been developed as the long-distance footpath the Cuckoo Trail
Cuckoo Trail
The Cuckoo Trail is an footpath and cycleway which runs from Hampden Park to Heathfield in East Sussex. It passes through the towns of Polegate and Hailsham, as well as the villages of Hellingly and Horam.- History :...
, although the section that runs through Rotherfield does not form part of this path and is currently in private ownership. The preserved Spa Valley Railway
Spa Valley Railway
The Spa Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway that runs between Tunbridge Wells, High Rocks, Groombridge, and Eridge railway station, where it links with the Oxted Line. En route it crosses the Kent and East Sussex border, a distance of 5 miles , along the former Three Bridges to...
commenced services from Eridge to Tunbridge Wells in 2011.
Leisure, Culture and Sport
In the Eridge area lies one of several local sandstone outcrops used for climbing.The area has the following pubs: in Rotherfield, The Catts Inn and The Kings Arms; in Mark Cross, The Mark Cross Inn; and in Eridge, The Huntsman and The Nevill Crest and Gun.
Notable residents
- Richard JefferiesRichard JefferiesJohn Richard Jefferies was an English nature writer, noted for his depiction of English rural life in essays, books of natural history, and novels. His childhood on a small Wiltshire farm had a great influence on him and provides the background to all his major works of fiction...
(1848–1912), writer, lived briefly at Rehoboth Villa (now Brook View House), Jarvis Brook, Rotherfield. - Sophia Jex-BlakeSophia Jex-BlakeSophia Louisa Jex-Blake was an English physician, teacher and feminist. She was one of the first female doctors in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, a leading campaigner for medical education for women and was involved in founding two medical schools for women, in London and in...
(1840–1912), one of the first women doctors, lived in Mark Cross: she is buried in Rotherfield graveyard.