Mayfield and Five Ashes

Coordinates: 51°01′N 0°16′E / 51.02°N 0.26°E / 51.02; 0.26

Mayfield and Five Ashes
Mayfield and Five Ashes  Mayfield and Five Ashes shown within East Sussex
Area	42.4 km2 (16.4 sq mi) [1]
Population	3,562  (Parish-2007)[1]
- Density	84 /km2 (220 /sq mi)
OS grid reference	TQ585269
- London	37 miles (60 km) NNW
District	Wealden
Shire county	East Sussex
Region	South East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MAYFIELD
Postcode district	TN20
Dialling code	01435
Police	Sussex
Fire	East Sussex
Ambulance	South East Coast
European Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Wealden
Website: http://www.mayfieldfiveashes.org.uk/
List of places: UK • England • East Sussex

Mayfield and Five Ashes is a civil parish in the High Weald of East Sussex, England. The two villages making up the principal part of the parish lie on the A267 road between Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne: Mayfield, the larger of the two villages is ten miles (16 km) south of Tunbridge Wells; with Five Ashes being 2.5 miles (4 km) further south. ^[2]

Mayfield village

Signpost in Mayfield.

The historical notes are taken from The Village Reference^[3]

The village name derives from Maghefeld (Maid's Field). Mayfield used to be a part of the manor of Malling, to the north west of Lewes, which belonged to the Kings of Wessex. Between 823 and 836 CE, King Egbert of Wessex and his son Æthelwulf gave it to Canterbury Cathedral: it became an Archbishop's 'peculiar' in the Diocese of Canterbury, and one of the Archbishop's palaces was built here. It was transferred to the Diocese of Chichester in 1846. On 23 September 1556 four Protestants were condemned here and burnt at the stake in Lewes.

Mayfield was at its height during the boom in the Wealden iron industry, and many of the fine houses date from that time.

During the early 18th century Mayfield became a centre for owling - smuggling wool for brandy and silk. Gabriel Tomkins was the leader of the local gang: in 1721 he was chased from Burwash to Nutley and then was arrested. The gang had a reputation for not using violence; and also applying their profits to the benefit of the local community, unlike many other such gangs: the Hawkhurst Gang in particular.

The Swing Riots affected the area with army arriving on 15 November 1830. Some local workers were imprisoned or transported.

Mayfield churches

Both village and church are said to have been founded by St Dunstan in 960, and there are legends surrounding his connection with the village. The Anglican church is dedicated to him. In 1389 much of the village and most of the church were destroyed by fire; the latter was struck by lightning in the 17th century.

There are three other religious buildings in Mayfield^[4]: the Roman Catholic church of St Thomas of Canterbury; Mayfield Baptist chapel; and[2]Colkins Mill Church.

The High Street

There are a large number of shops and other commercial properties in Mayfield High Street^[5]

Mayfield schools

St Leonards-Mayfield [3] Roman Catholic girls' boarding school, which has existed for 125 years,^{[citation needed]} is situated on the High Street. The school consists of years seven up to thirteen. The head mistress is called Miss Antonia Beary and the head of lower school is called Mr Peter Fisher.

Mayfield College, a now-defunct boys' boarding school, was located in nearby Little Trodgers Lane. Following its closure its main building, designed by E. W. Pugin, has been converted to luxury apartments.^[6]

The village primary school is mainly Edwardian, but has had modern additions ^[7]

Five Ashes village

The small village church is dedicated to The Good Shepherd. There are no shops in the village apart from the Paragon Porsche garage.

Argos Hill

Rising about 7 miles south of Tunbridge Wells, Argos Hill is between the villages of Rotherfield and Mayfield, East Sussex. Its best known landmark is the Argos Hill windmill[4].

References