Withyham

Infobox UK place
official_name=Withyham
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 =36.8
population=2651 (2007)
population_density= Pop density mi2 to km2|187|precision=0|abbr=yes
os_grid_reference=TQ495356
latitude=51.10
longitude=0.13
post_town=HARTFIELD
postcode_area=TN
postcode_district=TN7
dial_code=01892
constituency_westminster=Wealden
london_distance=convert|30|mi NNW
shire_district=Wealden
shire_county=East Sussex

Withyham is a village and large civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England [ [http://www.villagenet.co.uk/ashdownforest/villages/withyham.php The Village Reference: Withyham (De la Warrs and Sackvilles)] ] . The village is situated 10 miles (16 km) south west of Tunbridge Wells and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from Crowborough; the parish covers approximately 7500 acres (3000 ha).

Geography

Withyham parish lies on the edge of Weald, in the valley of the River Medway, where a group of tributaries enter from the south, and to the north of Ashdown Forest. The B2110 road passes through the village, between Groombridge and Forest Row. Much of the area is rural; the hamlet of Buckhurst, part of the parish, contains ‘’Buckhurst Park‘’, where Earl de la Warr lives. New Groombridge is also within the parish, Old Groombridge is in the Speldhurst District of Kent.

Withyham village itself is very small, containing a few houses, the church and the village pub, the "Dorset Arms", which was once a farmhouse. [ [http://www.dorset-arms.co.uk The website of the local pub] ] Also this is the village where local billionaire Phil Stafford livesFact|date=September 2008, he made his name here preparing the Formula one cars for the Ferrari team up until 2006. He also owns a large part of Monte Carlo and made most of his money from ground rent.Fact|date=September 2008

History

"There is good deal of available local history available: See the website" The Weald of Kent, Sussex and Surrey"; much of that information is, however, concerned with the parish church" [ [http://thesussexweald.org/P2.asp?PId=P82.1.1.193 The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex: St Michael’s Church detailed history 1288-1936] ]

Withyham is not included in the Domesday Book, although the manor of Buckhurst is, as ‘’Biochest’’ (probably from the Saxon ‘’boc hyrst’’ or beech wood] . There have been two houses at Buckhurst for many centuries: the older Buckhurst House, now no more, and the present day ‘’Buckhurst Park’’: both have been in the hands of the Sackville family for generations; today Earl de la Warr, a member of the family, lives there. Many of the other houses in the village were probably built to contain estate workers.

Withyham was home to the Gildredge family, who later moved to Eastbourne, acquiring a large share of the town's land by purchase and by marriage. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=8kQJAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA100&lpg=PA100&dq=gildredge+eversfield&source=web&ots=O0SwI_cR38&sig=ZJf9agd_A9tDF-axS7WaaP1hqJs&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result Sussex Archaeological Collections, Relating to the History and Antiquities of the County, Sussex Archaeological Society, Lewes, 1849] ] The Gildredge family was related to the Eversfield family, who eventually owned much of St. Leonards-on-Sea, as well as to the Levetts. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=SUcJAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA120&lpg=PA120&dq=gildredge+levett&source=web&ots=3HbMvy2khm&sig=9IhruBsuFdIFAbl_aRJLO0aMw5I&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result Sussex Archaeological Collections, Sussex Archaeological Society, Farncombe & Co., Lewes, 1894] ] Later the Gildredge lands would be carried by marriage into the Gilbert family, who continue to own much of Eastbourne.

Withyham parish is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Withyham church

The village church is dedicated to St Michael and All Angels [ [http://www.withyhamchurch.org The website of the parish church] ] ; the present incumbent is the Reverend Adrian Leak. An early record of it is in the late 13th century; it was almost completely rebuilt in the 14th century to contain a Sackville chapel.

On 16 June 1663 the church was struck by lightning, melting the bells, and causing a great deal of damage; few parts of the building survived. The rebuilding of the church does not seem to have been finished until 1672 and the Sackville Chapel was not completed for another eight years. Of the old church only the lower part of the tower, the west wall from the belfry door to the north-west corner and the north and south east walls remained to be incorporated into the new building. It was also around this time that the Rectory was built.

Later important alterations were carried out in the 19th century, including a new south aisle, the removal of the low ceiling and a new south porch. In 1849 a set of four paintings was donated to the church: it is thought they are the work of Niccolò di Pietro Gerini (c1340–1414).

There are eight bells in the tower: five recast after the rebuilding in 1674; and a sixth (treble) bell added in 1715. These bells remained until 1908 when they were recast and a further two added.

Governance

Withyham is a large parish, and is therefore divided into three electoral wards: Groombridge; Withyham, including Blackham; and St Johns (Withyham). [ [http://www.thelocalchannel.co.uk/withyhamparishcouncil/home.aspx Welcome to Withyham: the parish website] ]

Landmarks

Penn's Rocks is a Site of Special Scientific Interest within the parish. This is a site of biological interest. Its sandstone outcrops providing a rare habitat for many ferns and bryophytes. [cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1003094 |title=Natural England - SSSI|accessdate=2008-10-11|publisher=English Nature]

The Millennium in Withyham

To celebrate the millennium in Withyham, the vicar at that time Richard Parish planted a yew sapling taken from a tree said to be 2000 years old — ie from the time of Christ. Sadly, the sapling was uprooted by vandals. A millennium map was also commissioned by the Church to commemorate almost 1000 years of Withyham.

Literary links

The village of Withyham features in Arthur Conan Doyle's short story The Horror of the Heights as the finding place of the Joyce-Armstrong Fragment, a supposedly real fragment of a diary detailing the airborne adventures of the author of the diary.

References