Herstmonceux

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Herstmonceux Castle

Herstmonceux (pronounced: "Herss(t)'-mn-zoo")^[1] is a village in the county of East Sussex in the South East of England. The village (previously called Gardner Street) is part of the larger Herstmonceux civil parish which also includes Herstmonceux Castle, the village of Cowbeech and a number of smaller hamlets, including Foul Mile, Trolliloes, Cowbeech Hill, Stunts Green, Ginger's Green, Flowers Green and part of Windmill Hill.

Herstmonceux Castle (some 2 miles south-east of the village) is a former site of the Royal Greenwich Observatory. It is now home to the International Study Centre of Queen's University, Kingston, Canada, and the area therefore enjoys an influx of Canadian and other international students each school year. The castle grounds are also home to the Observatory Science Centre and the Herstmonceux Medieval Festival.

All Saints (Church of England) Church, with its 12th century west tower and 13th/14th century nave, overlooks the Castle. Herstmonceux Congregational Church, located just outside the village on the way to the castle, was erected in 1811 and now a listed building.

The Herstmonceux area is famous for the making of trugs - baskets made from split willow boards set in an ash or chestnut frame. A number of local people continue this tradition.