Author: admin
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The site of the Village Hall (originally called the Maresfield Reading Room) was once a slaughter house. It is not known when the Maresfield Reading Room was first built as records are only available from 10th January, 1924 when a meeting was called to decide what should be done with the money (£209-6-8d) raised by…
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MOST PARISHES had their Pounds by which the problem of straying animals was solved. Some old pounds can still be seen, Isfield and Wilmington are good examples. Maresfield’s Pound stood beneath a large tree opposite Sandrock which is now part of the recreation ground. It was later removed to just below the Mill Pond where…
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The Parish Stocks and Pound have been lost for a century but a more recent loss has been two ornamental wrought iron lamps that vanished in the late 1980’s without trace – these were replaced by the Maresfield Conservation Group. The first one was erected at the entrance to the recreation ground in 1897 and…
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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…
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It is not known how long the Old Rectory was the site of the Rector of Maresfield’s residence, but we know that in 1812 the Revd George Woodward who was Rector of Maresfield for 25 years and Vicar of Fletching for over 50 years (at that time clergymen were allowed to hold more than one…
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Miss Mabel Kenward, later Mrs Weston, lived at South View, Budletts, which is now Budletts Restaurant. Her father and brother were the local undertakers. Mrs Weston and her two cousins, the Misses Maude and Grace Kenward, sang in the Church choir for over 50 years. The left hand picture shows Mabel (fourth from left) at…
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The Reverend Algernon Charles Dudley Ryder was rector for nearly 40 years until his retirement in 1941 at the age of 93. Mr Ryder was a well-loved and respected figure in the village and an outstanding botanist. Many residents were grateful to him for kindling a love of plant life and encouraging the collection of…
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There is a peal of eight bells in the fine embattled tower which was added to the church in the early 15th century by John de Pelham, one of the powerful family of Sussex landowners. There were originally six bells that were recast in 1787. An old parish account book records the taking down and…
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Like most villages, the church has always been the focal point of Maresfield. A wooden church is believed to have stood on the same site in Saxon times. The late Revd Algernon Charles Dudley Ryder (Rector 1902-1941) was always adamant that the little window on the south side of the nave was of Saxon origin.…
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Queen Victoria visited Maresfield in 1845 whilst staying in Brighton. A fine avenue of oak trees was planted from Batts Farm to the “Manor House” to commemorate the visit and mark her approach route to “The Cross”. The same year the Queen and Prince Albert stayed in the neighbouring parish at “Buxted Place” as guests…