Heathfield

History

Historically, Heathfield lay on an ancient trackway connecting the South Downs with the Weald. The Manor of Heathfield lies in the parish of the same name. The earliest known record for the manor is a market grant given to Ralph, Bishop of Chichester by Henry III in 1234. The rights to a fair were granted in February 1316 during the reign of Edward II to John, Bishop of Chichester. In 1559, the Government of Elizabeth I passed the Act of Exchange, seizing the possessions of the Bishops of Chichester in return for other payments. Heathfield was one of 73 manors taken by the Crown, which was subsequently granted to Thomas Sackville, the Earl of Dorset. The Manor remained in possession of the Sackville family until the death of the last Duke of Dorset, when it was acquired by the family of the Lords De La Warr through Elizabeth Sackville, Countess of De La Warr, whom married George Sackville-West, the 5th Earl De La Warr. The Manor left the possession of the De La Warr estate in the 1980s. The current Lord of Heathfield is Christopher Repetsky, a physician. The Wealden iron brought prosperity to the town during the 16th and the 17th centuries. The coming of the railway (the Cuckoo Line) in 1880 gave it another new lease of life. The latter was not a financial success, and the branch line between Eridge and Polegate closed in 1968. The trackbed is now named the Cuckoo Trail, part of the National Cycle Network. The original village, Old Heathfield, is now only part of the town, which has expanded over time. In 1961 the parish had a population of 3244. On 1 April 1990 the parish was abolished and merged with Waldron to form "Heathfield and Waldron".