Plumpton, East Sussex

Infobox UK place
official_name=Plumpton
country=England
region=South East England
static_

static_image_caption=
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 =9.7
population=1,676 (Parish-2007)
population_density= Pop density mi2 to km2|450|precision=0|abbr=yes
os_grid_reference=TQ359132
latitude=50.90
longitude=-0.07
post_town=LEWES
postcode_area=BN
postcode_district=BN7
dial_code=01273
constituency_westminster=Lewes
london_distance=convert|41|mi N
shire_district=Lewes
shire_county=East Sussex
website=http://www.plumptonpc.co.uk/

Plumpton is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is located five miles (8 km) north-west of Lewes. To the north is the village of Plumpton Green.

Although it has been assumed that the name Plumpton was derived from the village's history of plum agriculture, it actually comes from the Old English word "plumpt", meaning "positioned under". It refers to the village's position "under" South Downs.

Myths and legends

Plumpton Green is rumoured to have been the inspiration for the popular British children's television series Trumpton, with Chailey being nearby Chigley and Wivelsfield Green being Camberwick Green.Fact|date=May 2008

Village layout

Plumpton Green is essentially a ribbon development with a few select amenities. The main thoroughfare, Station Road, runs the length of the village, with several cul-de-sacs branching off from it. Station Road is home to the village shop, the Volkswagen garage, a hairdresser's, a church and two pubs. The majority of the road is paved on only one side.

Chapel Road is a small road with 24 houses. These are mostly semi-detached homes, although there is a very small terrace of cottages dating from about 1900. Woodgate Meadow and Westgate are fairly recent developments with new, large houses.

Plumpton railway station is on the East Coastway Line and the railway crossing has the last manually operated gates in Sussex. Rail service is infrequent during the day. Plumpton Racecourse is located between the two villages, near the railway. Meetings draw large crowds; on race days the population of Plumpton doubles in size. The sporadic rail service is also supplemented by extra services on race days. Races are sometimes televised, bringing Plumpton Green to a much wider audience than it could ever hope to otherwise reach.

In the early 1970s Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page purchased Plumpton Place, an Elizabethan manor, with 20th-century alterations by Sir Edwin Lutyens, surrounded by a moat and extensive gardens. Because of its proximity to the Plumpton Racecourse the grounds also include stables for horses. Page outfitted the manor with a recording studio. The credits for the Led Zeppelin album "In Through the Out Door" indicates that album mixing was done there. The manor can be seen briefly near the beginning of the Led Zeppelin concert film, "The Song Remains the Same" where the camera walks up to Page, playing a hurdy gurdy, to inform him of the North American tour dates.

Village groups

There are many groups and societies in comparison to the size of the village; one of the most notable being Plumpton Players, a high-quality drama group. The society performs up to two plays a year. In 2007, the society was chosen to perform the worldwide premiere of "A Wet and Windy Night" by Declan Cleary. In May 2008, the Players performed Dave Freeman's classic comedy/farce "A Bedful of Foreigners". The village also has a Pantomime Society; every year they put on a different show.

There are also sporting groups, which attract visitors from across Sussex, including cricket, tennis, rugby and football clubs. The rugby club plays in Sussex Division 1. The cricket club are one of the most successful village teams in the area consistently winning both the Mid Sussex League and the Wisdom Cup. The club was the first in the area to wear "Coloured Clothing" in their cup matches. The kit consisted of maroon and yellow trousers with matching shirts. In 2008 the team moved to the East Sussex League.

Landmarks

Clayton to Offham Escarpment is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which stretches from Hassocks in the west and passes through many parishes including Plumpton, to Lewes in the east. The site is of biological importance due to its rare chalk grassland habitat along with its woodland and scrub. [cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1002124 |title=Natural England - SSSI (Clayton to Offham Escarpment)| accessdate=2008-10-05|publisher=English Nature]

References