Category: History
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Originally published by John Wrake in June 1999, as “Maresfield HISTORICAL SOCIETY : OCCASIONAL PAPERS 2” GUNFOUNDING IN SUSSEX. To the modern eye, Sussex and heavy industry seem unlikely companions, but it has not always been so.Though we might associate smoke, noise and glare with Port Talbot in Wales, or Sheffield or Glasgow, two hundred…
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by Gordon Marsh. First published in 2003 by Maresfield Conservation Group. IN JULY 1928 the Marsh family — Dad, Mum, Marjorie and I — moved from a tied cottage on a farm in Laughton to the then growing village of Maresfield. It was a good move so far as I was concerned. It had been…
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The Rev’d Richard Bonner, Rector of Maresfield, was buried in the church chancel in 1692. The slab marking his resting-place was found during church repairs in 1837. He was a substantial benefactor for the parish. He left money for educational purposes and also for a Bible, to the value of 8/-, to be given annually…
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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 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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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…