East Grinstead

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East Grinstead

Coordinates: 51.1292° N 0.007° W

East Grinstead (United Kingdom)
East Grinstead
Population 29,000
OS grid reference TQ395385
District Mid Sussex
Shire county West Sussex
Region South East
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town EAST GRINSTEAD
Dial code 01342
Police Sussex
Fire West Sussex
Ambulance South East Coast
UK Parliament Mid Sussex
European Parliament South East England
List of places: UK • England • West Sussex

East Grinstead (archaically spelt Grimstead[1]) is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. In fact until 1974 East Grinstead was in the county of East Sussex but was moved, along with Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill during a boundary re-organisation. The large civil parish covers an area of 2443.45ha and had a population of 23,942 persons (2001 census).

It is located on the Greenwich Meridian. The Weald and Ashdown Forest lie to the south of the town.

Contents

[edit] Places of Interest

East Grinstead High Street
East Grinstead High Street

The High Street contains the longest continuous run of 14th-century timber-framed buildings in England. Other notable buildings in the town include Sackville College, the sandstone almshouse built in 1609 where the Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas" was written. On the A264 to Tunbridge Wells, is a Historic House called Hammerwood Park. On the outskirts of the town is Standen, a country house containing one of the best collections of Arts and Crafts movement furnishings and fabrics. East Grinstead House is the headquarters of the (UK and Ireland) Caravan Club.

Local attractions include Ashdown Forest (where the Winnie the Pooh stories are set) and the Bluebell Railway, a preserved heritage line with steam locomotives. The town is also the site of Queen Victoria Hospital, where famed plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe treated burn victims of World War II and formed the Guinea Pig Club. In 2006, the East Grinstead Town Museum was moved to new custom built premises located in the historic centre of the town, and successfully re-opened to the public. Chequer Mead Arts Centre includes a modern 349-seat purpose-built theatre, which stages professional and amateur plays and music (local rock groups to chamber orchestra), opera, ballet, folk music, tribute bands, and talks. The Centre has a large art gallery for temporary exhibiitions.

[edit] Religious Institutions

A number of important religious sites are located in East Grinstead.

The strange co-incidence of such a number of religious organisations being headquartered in the town prompted a documentary in 1994, Why East Grinstead?, which was produced for Channel 4 by Zed Productions and directed by Ian Sellar. The documentary didn't come to any definite conclusions: the explanations ranging from the fact that East Grinstead sat on the convergence of ley lines to the more prosaic idea that the various religious inquirers had settled there because they liked the views.

One of the most impressive buildings in the town is St. Swithun's church which has been on its present site since the 11th century. The graves of three women burnt at the stake for witchcraft can be found in the grave yard. The building was struck by lightning in 1772 and rebuilt to designs by Wyatt. It was opened in 1789. There are also three other Anglican churches (St Barnabas, St Luke and St Mary); West Street Baptist chapel; Our Lady and St Peter Roman Catholic church; Trinity Methodist church; and a United Reformed Church in the town.

[edit] Transport

A map of East Grinstead from 1946
A map of East Grinstead from 1946

[edit] Rail

It has been a rail terminus since the 1960s, after the lines to Lewes, Three Bridges, and Forest Row were closed as recommended in Dr. Beeching's report into the future of British Railways. In the late 1970s the town's inner relief road was built on the line of one of the closed railways and named Beeching Way, after the author of the report that led to the closure of so many railways, who happened to live in the town. It is rumoured that this road was intended to be called "Beeching Cut", but that the name was altered at the last minute to avoid causing offence.

A part of the Lewes line will soon be reinstated by the Bluebell Railway, the first preserved standard gauge railway in the world, with its line of steam locomotives. Work has now actively started on the final push to the north towards East Grinstead where the line will once again join to the national rail network. A new station is to be built just south of the main-line station.

[edit] Road

The town is within commuting distance of London by road (the A22 and A264 roads pass through it)

[edit] Twin towns

The town is twinned with the towns of:

The village of West Grinstead is located some 25 km to the southwest.

[edit] Famous Residents Past and Present

Houses and shops in East Grinstead
Houses and shops in East Grinstead

[edit] East Grinstead in Literature

East Grinstead is the destination of the adulterous lovers Norman and Annie in Alan Ayckbourn's trilogy of plays entitled The Norman Conquests. It was chosen because of the dubious impression that no reasonable person would consider vacationing there and therefore they would not be discovered. In the 1978 film version of the trilogy, Norman and Annie were portrayed by Tom Conti and Penelope Wilton.

East Grinstead also features in Christopher Fowler's novel, Psychoville (1996), in which the town features as harbouring the fictional Invicta Cross, as well as the eventual New Invicta. The town of New Invicta was later used by Jo Amey in Heist as a safehouse

East Grinstead is mentioned in the lyrics to British musician Robyn Hitchcock's song, Listening To The Higsons. ("The Higsons come from Norwich, but I prefer East Grinstead.")

[edit] Sports and Social Clubs

East Grinstead is well served by local sports clubs and has a King George's Field in memorial to King George V. The clubs include the:

[edit] External links

Grinstead Lacrosse Club Forum - Keep up to date with the top lacrosse club in Sussex]

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