Heathfield, (East Sussex)

Parish picture

Heathfield lies on the A265, midway along an ancient track called the Ridgeway, that since pre-historic times, has been the link between the South Downs and the Weald.

Among the trees, near the bridge in Ghyll Road, north-west from sandy cross on the B2203 is an old stand pipe. This is the last remnant of Heathfield's natural gas industry. In its heyday it produced some 15 million cubic feet a day, and provided the railway station with lighting until the 1930's. The gas was discovered in 1895 when engineers were actually looking for water. However the operation never proved commercially viable. A medallion was struck to commemorate the coronation of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra - one side portrayed the Royal heads, and the other side was the inscription "Heathfield, Sussex, 1902. Natural gas first used for light and power".

Parish picture

Between the 1600 and the 1800's the Fuller family from Brightling , ran an iron furnace at Heathfield which produced cannons for the Royal Navy. The Iron Ore was mined locally, and the charcoal used to fire the ore was also produced locally, some from Blackboys (Another local village, named after the colour of the charcoal burners).

Heathfield Baptist Church appears to have undergone sideways expansion!

Sadly Heathfield is no longer connected by rail, the line was axed in 1965 by Dr Beeching. A section of the track bed is now a linear Country Park called the "Cuckoo Trail".

Other Heathfield parishes:

Horam.

Places of worship:

Church details, together with baptism, marriage, monumental inscription & burial records can be accessed by clicking on the church name.

All Saints

Ebenezer Chapel, Broad Oak

Gospel Hall, Maynards Green

Heathfield Chapel, Punnett's Town

Mission Hall, Maynards Green

Recreation Hall (King's Church)

Rest Christian Centre, Three Cups Corner

St Catherine

St George, Broad Oak

St Peter, Punnett's Town

St Richard

Union Church

Welcome Chapel

Census returns:

The OPC Database has no census returns for people residing in this parish yet.

People born in this parish but residing elsewhere:

1 individual in the OPC Database for the 1851 census.

20 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1861 census.

3 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1871 census.

1 individual in the OPC Database for the 1891 census.

Maps:

Grid reference: 558105, 121505 ~ View on: Google Maps, Open Street Map, Streetmap, National Library of Scotland Map or Oldmaps.

Militia records etc:

War Memorial on the exterior of the Ebenezer Chapel, Broad Oak

Other links relating to this parish:

Roughwood has images of the windmill at Punnett's Town

Poll Registers:

The OPC database contains 249 poll register entries for people entitled to vote in this parish.

1641 Protestation Returns:

There are no protestation returns for this parish in the OPC database.

Gazettes:

The OPC database contains 81 entries for people associated with this parish mentioned in Gazettes.

Photographs:

There are 144 images depicting this parish in the OPC database.

POWPics (The new Roughwood churches album) contains 30 photographs of churches in this parish. This album will also display any postcards or other images of churches which are in the Sussex OPC database.

Roughwood Postcard Album has images of Heathfield mills

Roughwood Postcard Album has images of Heathfield Post Office

Postal directories:

The OPC database contains 1 postal directory entry for this parish, (breakdown below).

1 entry from the 1791 Universal British Directory.

The OPC database contains the following directory sections which cover this parish.

1791 Universal British Directory for Battel.

1867 Kelly's Directory for Heathfield is available on the GENUKI site

Publications:

There are 4 books about this parish in the Sussex OPC Bibliography.

There are 3 articles about this parish in the OPC Sussex Archeaological Collections Index.

There are 6 people from this parish in the OPC Sussex Archeaological Society Members Index.

Wills:

The OPC database contains 2 wills of people who lived in this parish.

The OPC database contains 2 wills which mention this parish.

Interest in this parish:

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