Forest Row

Infobox UK place
official_name=Forest Row
country=England
region=South East England
static_

static_image_caption=The centre of Forest Row
area_footnotes=cite web |url=http://www.eastsussexinfigures.org.uk/webview/ |title=East Sussex in Figures |accessdate=2008-04-26 |publisher=East Sussex County Council]
area_total_km2 =32.5
population=5054 (2007)
population_density= Pop density mi2 to km2|402|precision=0|abbr=yes
os_grid_reference=TQ427348
post_town=FOREST ROW
postcode_area=RH
postcode_district=RH18
dial_code=01342
constituency_westminster=Wealden
london_distance=convert|29|mi NNW
shire_district=Wealden
shire_county=East Sussex
website=http://forestrow.gov.uk/

Forest Row is a village and relatively large civil parish [ [http://forestrow.gov.uk/ Forest Row Parish Council website] ] in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles (5 km) south-east of East Grinstead.

History

The village draws its name from its proximity to the Ashdown Forest, a royal hunting park first enclosed in the 13th century. From its origins as a small hamlet, Forest Row has grown, first with the establishment of a turnpike road in the 18th century; and later with the opening of the railway between East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells in 1866; the line, which included an intermediate station at Forest Row, closed in 1967 as a result of the programme of closures put forward by East Grinstead resident and British Railways Board Chairman Richard Beeching.

The village inn (now known as "The Swan", originally the "Yew Tree"), part medieval, was a centre of smuggling in the 18th century. [ [http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:4ZX8jmkEvAcJ:www.forestrow.gov.uk/cms_documents/070810%2520village%2520walks1.doc+Smuggling+Forest+Row&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk Village Centre Walk] ]

Brambletye House (known locally as "Brambletye Castle") was built by Sir Henry Compton in 1631. This building features in the 1826 Horace Smith novel "Brambletye House".

A mail coach robbery occurred at the bottom of Wall Hill on 27 June 1801. John Beatson and his adopted son William Whalley Beatson hid in a meadow at the foot of Wall Hill, by the entrance to an old Roman road. The mail coach made its way up Wall Hill, where it was stopped by them just after midnight. The Beatsons took between £4,000 and £5,000. Judge Baron Hotham sentenced the two men to death by hanging at the trial on 29 March 1802. Gallows were erected on the spot where the robbery took place, on 17 April 1802. Beatson and his adopted son were hanged in the presence of 3,000 people.Fact|date=May 2008

John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, came to Forest Row in 1963Fact|date=May 2008 during his visit to the UK, attending a service at the Our Lady of the Forest church. At the time he was engaged in a series of discussions with the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan at his home in nearby Birch Grove.

Geography

The civil parish of Forest Row is in the north-west corner of East Sussex, and has borders on West Sussex, Kent and Surrey. Ashdown Forest surrounds the village on three sides, and the upper reaches of the River Medway flow through the parish. The main village lies at the intersection of the A22 road, the erstwhile turnpike, and the B2110 to Hartfield and Tunbridge Wells. Here the compact village centre shops serve a comparatively large surrounding area.

Weir Wood Reservoir is a Site of Special Scientific Interest with the parish. Of biological interest, it is one of the largest areas of open water in the county. As a result, it hosts a wide variety of resident and migrating birds. [cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1001964 |title=Natural England - SSSI|accessdate=2008-10-05|publisher=English Nature]

The hotels in the village are "The Brambletye Hotel", "The Chequers" and "The Foresters Arms". The Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club was partly closed during the 2006 radiation scare surrounding KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/6201716.stm BBC News "Hotel in radiation alert reopens"] ] Italian security expert Mario Scaramella may have stayed there but tests showed no evidence of "radiation toxicity".

The village's architecture is a mixture of traditional and modern. As well as many cottages in the classic style of Sussex there is a variety of more modern developments which fit in well with the village's look and personality. Gage Close, with its copper-roofed houses is a possible example of the "quirkier" side of the village.

In addition to the businesses in the village centre, there is also an industrial estate.

Religion

The Church of England eccesiastical parish combines two churches: Holy Trinity, Forest Row, and St Dunstan's Ashurst Wood. [ [http://www.frawcechurches.org/ Forest Row and Ashurst Wood parish churches] ] There are also other denominational churches: Our Lady of the Forest (Roman Catholic); a Baptist chapel; Providence church; and the cemetery chapel.

Education

State education is provided at Forest Row CE Primary School. [ [http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/educationandlearning/schools/primary/forest8453028.htm Forest Row CE Primary School] ] There are also independent educational establishments: Greenfields School, catering for all ages. [ [http://www.greenfieldsschool.com/ Greenfields School] ] Institutions associated with the Anthroposophical movement of Rudolf Steiner are located in or near the village, notably Michael Hall [ [http://www.michael-hall.co.uk/index.php?&MMN_position=1:1 Michael Hall] ] and Emerson College. [ [http://www.emerson.org.uk/index.php Emerson College] ]

Leisure and culture

The village hall, at the centre of the village, is quite distinctive in its style. It has an almost Germanic and British look to it.The Forest Way, on the trackbed of the disused railway line, passes through the village from East Grinstead. In the other direction there is a 10 mile (14.5 km) route towards Groombridge. Both directions on the route are fairly flat and are used for cycling and horse riding. [cite web | url=http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/countryside/walks/forestway/ | title=Forest Way Country Park | publisher=East Sussex County Council | date=2007-12-17 | accessdate=2008-01-12]

Forest Row provides many opportunities for leisure activities. In the performing arts there are The Forest Players amateur dramatic society; [ [http://www.forestplayers.org.uk Forest Players] ] the Ashdown Pantomimers; [ [http://www.ashdownpantomimers.co.uk Ashdown Pantomimers] ] the Forest Row Film Society; The Binkell-Bing Magic Club; and the Jupiter Chamber Orchestra [ [http://www.jupiterchamberorchestra.org/ Jupiter Chamber Orchestra] .] In sport there are football clubs; [ [http://www.frjfc.org.uk Forest Row Junior Football Club] ] the Cricket Club; Anderida Golfers; Weir Wood Sailing Club; and the "One Planker Club" who organise Snowboarding and Monoskiing trips to the Alps each winter. Two other groups are the Ashdown Forest Conservators and the Forest Row Modelling Club.

The Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club was established in 1889: there are two courses.

The Scapegoat Society is a psychologically-based group. [ [http://www.scapegoat.demon.co.uk The Scapegoat Society] ] The village also has practising alternative therapists and two bio-dynamic organic farms. Yoga classes are available in the village.

The Forest Row Community Website keeps villagers abreast of current happenings; [ [http://www.forestrow.org/ Forest Row Community Website] ] as does the Community Magazine. [ [http://www.forestrownews.co.uk/ Forest Row Community Magazine] ]

Literary connections

"The Brambletye Inn" was frequented by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and features in the "Adventure of Black Peter" in which Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson stay at the hotel in Forest Row whilst they investigate the murder of a retired sea captain.

Notable people

There have been a few notable residents of Forest Row in the past and present. These include Ben Elton, the comedian and novelist, David Gilmour from the band Pink Floyd, Richard Jones, bass player and background singer in the Feeling, Jonael Schickler, a Swiss Philosopher and Sean Yates, professional cyclist. The singer Engelbert Humperdinck had a holiday cottage in the village during the 1980s. Ed Sanders, who played the part of Toby in is from the town. [cite web | url=http://www.thisiscourier.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=142759&command=displayContent&sourceNode=142742&contentPK=19643820&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch | title=Big Screen Start Back At School | author=Thompson, Jessica | publisher=East Grinstead Courier | date=24 January 2008 | accessdate=2008-01-31]

References

External links

* [http://www.forestrow.org/ Forest Row Community Website] - Village voice and community website. News, what's on, local facilities, business index and forums.
* [http://forestrow.gov.uk/ Forest Row Parish Council] - Contact details of councillors, meetings calendar (DOC Format) surgery dates and newsletters. Includes community centre information.
* [http://www.forestrowvillagehall.org/ Forest Row Village Hall] - Includes information about bookings, events, fund-raising and the history of the hall.
* [http://forestrowfilmsociety.org/ Forest Row Film Society] - Founded in 1978. Provides history, what's on and non-mainstream cinema film listings. Also includes past programmes.
*dmoz|Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/England/East_Sussex/Forest_Row