South Heighton

Infobox UK place
official_name=South Heighton
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 =8.5
population=1,106 (Parish-2007)
population_density= Pop density mi2 to km2|338|precision=0|abbr=yes
os_grid_reference=TQ448027
latitude=50.81
longitude=0.05
post_town=NEWHAVEN
postcode_area=BN
postcode_district=BN9
dial_code=01273
constituency_westminster=Lewes
london_distance=convert|49|mi N
shire_district=Lewes
shire_county=East Sussex
website=http://www.southheighton.com/

South Heighton is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is located seven miles (12 km) south of Lewes. In the 1890s the population of the village grew from less than 100 to over 500 as a result of the opening of a nearby cement manufacturing plant. The village is now associated with the urbanised area of Newhaven.

There is no place called "North Heighton" although part of the South Downs above the village is called "Heighton Hill", from which one can get to Norton, which lies north-east of South Heighton, and north of Bishopstone.

It is a regular thoroughfare and point of rest for ramblers, and features a series of ponds, known locally as 'The Three Lakes', which were until the early 1990s open to the public. It remains a popular destination for local visitors, with its public house, "The Hampden Arms", and its corner-shop and post office. South Heighton is one of many villages in the area which maintains a bonfire celebration and parade.

South Heighton is famous for its secret tunnels, built and used for defence during the Second World War, which lie underneath most of the village, with the main entrance at Denton House. In 1998, when work finished on the conversion of Denton House into flats and of the surrounding area into houses, the road was called Forward Close, after the ship associated with Newhaven and the secret tunnels, "HMS Forward".

Notable residents, past and present, include
Ralph Reader, originator of the Scouting Gang Show and Ursula Mommens, [cite web |url=http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/mp.cgi?item=64 |title=Ursula Mommens |accessdate=2008-09-24 |publisher=Pottery Studio] the great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin and the great-great-granddaughter of the potter Josiah Wedgwood.

Governance

On a local level, South Heighton is governed by the South Heighton Parish Council. Council meetings are held every six weeks in the South Heighton village hall. Their responsibilities include footpaths, street lighting, playgrounds and minor planning applications. The parish council has seven seats available [cite web |url=http://www.lewes.gov.uk/Files/Elections_Notice_TownPar07.pdf |title=Notice of Election |accessdate=2008-09-24 |last=Crawford |first=John |date=2007-03-19 |format=PDF |publisher=Lewes District Council] although only four were filled in the uncontested May 2007 election. [cite web |url=http://www.lewes.gov.uk/Files/Elections_Results_TownParish.pdf |title=Results – Town and Parish Council Elections |accessdate=2008-09-24 |format=PDF |date=2007-05-03 |publisher=Lewes District Council]

The next level of government is the district council. The parish of South Heighton lies within the Ouse Valley and Ringmer ward of Lewes District Council which returns three seats to the council. The election on 4 May 2007 elected two Liberal Democrats and one local Conservative. [cite web |url=http://www.lewes.gov.uk/council/3847.asp#Ouse_Valley_and_Ringmer|title=Election Results|accessdate=2008-08-09|publisher=Lewes District Council|date=2007-05-04]

East Sussex County Council is the next tier of government, for which South Heighton is within the Ouse Valley East division, with responsibility for Education, Libraries, Social Services, Civil Registration, Trading Standards and Transport. Elections for the County Council are held every four years. The Liberal Democrat Thomas Ost was elected in the 2005 election. [cite web |url=http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/yourcouncil/about/people/councillors/find/ousevalley/ |title=Councillor Pat (Thomas) Ost |accessdate=2008-09-19 |work=Find your Councillor |publisher=East Sussex County Council]

The UK Parliament constituency for South Heighton is Lewes. The Liberal Democrat Norman Baker has been serving as the constituency MP since 1997.

At European level, South Heighton is represented by the South-East region, which holds ten seats in the European Parliament. The June 2004 election returned 4 Conservatives, 2 Liberal Democrats, 2 UK Independence, 1 Labour and 1 Green, none of whom live in East Sussex. [cite web |url=http://www.europarl.org.uk/uk_meps/MembersMain.htm |title=UK MEP's |accessdate=2007-09-19 |publisher=UK Office of the European Parliament]

References