Mayfield and Five Ashes

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

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

The village name derives from both "Maghefeld" (a field where mayweed grows) and "maid's field"–the village sign depicts a maid.^[4] 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.

After the line from Tunbridge Wells opened in 1880, Mayfield used to have a railway station^[5] but it was closed following the Beeching Report. There is a cycle route starting from Station Road pointing towards the railway station at Eridge. On 1 September 1897, there was a railway accident on a curved section of track between Heathfield and Mayfield near Clayton Farm. A six-carriage train pulled by the engine 'Bonchurch' was derailed and the driver was killed.^[6]

Mayfield churches

Both village and church are said to have been founded by the Archbishop of Canterbury, St Dunstan, in 960 CE, and there are legends surrounding his connection with the village. Dunstan is supposed to have become an ironworker and run a small forge next to the church. The legend goes that he was confronted by the devil, either making offensive remarks, or disguised as a young woman.^[7][8] He then pinched the devil's nose with the tongs. The devil then fled to Tunbridge Wells and doused his burnt nose with the spring water.^[5][9] Some sources note that the story happened in Glastonbury rather than Mayfield, and that Dunstan may have in fact clamped tongs around someone's nose, with the story of it being the devil added later.^[7]

The Anglican church is dedicated to Dunstan. 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.^[10] The church was subsequently rebuilt in the fifteenth century. The church is in a mostly Perpendicular style and has a "squat, shingled broach spire".^[9] Inside the church there are a number of graves made of iron for the families of Mayfield's ironmasters.^[4]

There are three other religious buildings in Mayfield:^[11] the Roman Catholic church of St Thomas of Canterbury (in Station Road), Colkins Mill Church^[12] (a Free Church, also in Station Road), and Mayfield Baptist Chapel (on South Street).

Shops and businesses

There are a large number of shops and other commercial properties in Mayfield High Street^[13]

There are three pubs in Mayfield: the Middle House (in the High Street), the Carpenters' Arms and the Rose and Crown (both in Fletching Street).

Mayfield schools

St Leonards-Mayfield^[14] Roman Catholic girls' boarding school, which has existed since 1872,^[15] 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. The school is on the site of the Mayfield Old Palace which, after being founded by St Dunstan, used to be a lodging place for archbishops before being given to Henry VIII.^[16][17][18] It was rebuilt in the fourteenth century by Archbishop Simon Islip, and was owned by Thomas Cranmer before being given to Henry VIII in 1545. It was also used by Edward I and Queen Elizabeth I.^[9] After this, it fell into ruin^[19] but was purchased in 1863 by the Duchess of Leeds and given to the Society of the Holy Child, who established a convent there. The school was opened in 1872.^[4]

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.^[20][21]

The village's Church of England primary school is mainly Edwardian but has modern additions.^[22]

Five Ashes village

Between Mayfield and Heathfield lie two small hamlets: Cross-in-Hand and Five Ashes. The latter is part of the same parish as Mayfield.

Churches

The small village church is dedicated to The Good Shepherd.

Commercial businesses

There are no retail shops in the village apart from a Porsche car dealership. There is also a pub called The Five Ashes Inn.

Schools

There are two schools in Five Ashes: the Five Ashes Primary School,^[23] a small voluntary controlled Church of England school with around 45 children on roll^[24][25] and Skippers Hill Manor, a mixed independent school founded in 1945, for around 145 children aged 3 to 13 ^[26]

Parks and recreation

In Five Ashes, there is a large playing field where football and other games can be played and a skateboarding park. Adoining the playing field and village hall is a children's playground.

In Stonehurst Lane, there is a park with wooded areas and ponds called Foxes Copse where dogs can be walked.^[27]

Village information

In general, village activities are listed here: http://www.mayfieldfiveashes.org.uk/Village/v_diary.html

Bus times to and from the village are listed here: http://www.mayfieldfiveashes.org.uk/Village/v_bustimetable.html

Argos Hill

Rising about 7 miles (11 km) south of Tunbridge Wells, Argos Hill is between the villages of Rotherfield and Mayfield. It is known for the landmark of Argos Hill Windmill, a grade II* listed building that was built between 1831 and 1843 and operational until 1927.^[9] It was restored in the 1960s, and was under threat of demolition in 2008.^[28][29][9] In 1939 Counties Ship Management renamed the cargo ship SS Canadian Constructor "Argos Hill".

See also

• Church of St. Dunstan, Mayfield
• Walter Gale, the first schoolmaster of the primary school in Mayfield (now Mayfield Church of England Primary School)

References

• Eva Margaretta Bell-Irving (1903). Mayfield: the story of an old Wealden village. W. Clowes and sons, limited. http://books.google.com/books?id=KBIhAAAAMAAJ. Retrieved 18 January 2011.