Isfield
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Isfield Civil Parish | |
  Isfield Civil Parish shown within East Sussex |
|
| Area[1] | 3 sq mi (7.7 km²) |
|---|---|
| Population | 564 (2007)[1] |
| - Density | 190/sq mi (73/km²) |
| OS grid reference | |
| - London | 40 miles (64 km) NNW |
| District | Wealden |
| Shire county | East Sussex |
| Region | South East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | UCKFIELD |
| Postcode district | TN22 5 |
| Dialling code | 01825 |
| Police | Sussex |
| Fire | East Sussex |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| European Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | Wealden |
| List of places: UK • England • East Sussex | |
Isfield is a small village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex in England, located north-north-west of Lewes.
Contents |
[edit] History
The village of Isfield originally grew adjacent to the ford where the Roman road crossed the river Ouse. The village had a very active history through the Saxon, Norman and Tudor eras[citation needed]. Local legend has it that King Harold spent the night before the Battle of Hastings at his demesne in the village, located where Isfield Place (north of the village) now stands. Isfield Place became the home of John Shurley (d.1527].The area was heavily involved in the Wealden iron industry from the 15th century onwards.
Isfield became a very busy place in the 19th century. Much of its traffic was river-bourne: coal and building materials, together with other produce, used the Ouse as its transport[2]. A paper-mill and a a large flour-mill[3] both made use of the river.
[edit] Governance
Isfield Parish Council
[edit] Geography
The parish of Isfield, as noted above, stands on the flood-plain of the River Ouse[4], at its confluence with the River Uck and a conveniant crossing point, a ford, which the Romans used; the road through the village crosses the Uck by bridge, and the erstwhile Wealden Line did likewise. The main A26 road, while crossing the parish, runs to the west of the village. The land hereabouts is a floodplain because of all the rivers and streams.
The ancient ecclesiastical parish, which is very similar to the modern civil parish, had an acreage of 1822 acres (736ha). Today's population is relatively small, since much of the parish is rural. The village centre lies adjacent to the river crossing; a more modern part is further south.
[edit] Transport
The A26 road, between Uckfield and Lewes, passes through the parish to the east of village. The remant of the Wealden Line, the Lavender Line Steam Railway, is based here in the old Isfield Station. There is a campaign to reopen the line between Lewes and Uckfield.
[edit] Religion
The parish church is dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch. Within the church are tombs to the Shurley/Shirley family [5]
[edit] Leisure, Culture and Sport
The Laughing Fish[6], is a small public house with a garden.
The local cricket team, WG Gracefully plays in the East Sussex Cricket League.
[edit] References
- ^ a b East Sussex in Figures. East Sussex County Council. Retrieved on 2008-04-26.
- ^ Isfield history
- ^ Isfield mill
- ^ The Sussex River Ouse
- ^ St Margaret's church
- ^ ghing_Fish/Isfield Laughing Fish
