THE SOLID red brick-faced Georgian Inn stands in the centre of the village opposite Maresfield Church.
Land Tax records show that widow Lucy Relph was at The Chequer from 1752 to 1766, so one can assume the building is at least 250 years old.
County records list the occupier of Chequers and posting house in 1855 as Ray Richard and in 1867, Thomas Goldsmith as occupier of Chequers, commercial inn and farmer.
In 1990, The Chequers had its status as an Inn restored when eleven period bedrooms and two suites were added. Exposed beams and an inglenook fireplace with a very old iron fireback are features in the bar where a collection of old local pictures adorns the walls.
During the recent building works, a deep sandstone-faced well was discovered by workmen quite unexpectedly as it had been cemented and tiled over for probably the last 100 years. The well is now an attractive feature incorporated in the new dining room.
A restaurant to seat 80 has been built in the barn and stables at the rear of the Inn was opened on the 8th November, 1990.
John Lane’s Masonic Records, 1717-1894 shows The Chequers (Main Street) as the first meeting place of the Lodge of Harmony and Friendship, No. 701, warranted 20th April, 1818. In 1820 the Lodge moved to Freemasons’ Hall (Main Street), thence, in 1823, to Uckfield and finally, in 1827, to Lewes. The Lodge was erased in 1852 being then No. 452 on the list, following the renumbering in 1832.
Extract from “Maresfield”, by Betty Turner , © 1991 Betty E Turner
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