The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex
St. Dunstan Church  High Street    Mayfield  
Parish records Before
1500
1500
to
1550
1550
to
1600
1600
to
1650
1650
to
1700
1700
to
1725
1725
to
1750
1750
to
1775
1775
to
1800
1800
to
1825
1825
to
1850
1850
to
1875
1875
to
1900
1900
to
1925
1925
to
1950
1950
to
1975
1975
to
2000
After
2000
N/K

5636Christenings15025324615924438652488914578664575
1268Marriages52763629411041422253391873052
1239Burials297732365571941792832201421011
 

Books and other documents
PublishedTitle, author and references
1766The History of Tunbridge Wells by Thomas Benge Burr ⇒ p. 259
1830Guide of Tunbridge Wells ⇒ p. 88
1852Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey by The Rev. Arthur Hussey, M.A. ⇒ p. 256
1869Mayfield by William Durrant Cooper, F.S.A., V.P. ⇒ p. 16
1870A Compendious History of Sussex - Volume II. by Mark Antony Lower, M.A.p. 44
1874Ecclesiastical History of the Deannery of South Malling by Edwin Hadlow W. Dunkin ⇒ p. 59
1927The Sussex Highlands ⇒ p. 48

Historical records

c 980Historya wooden church at "Mayhfeld"Horsfield's Sussex
Eaderamus, a monk of Canterbury, in his biography of St Dunstan records that he, when Archbishop of Canterbury, built a wooden church at "Mayhfeld".

1867Directory entrySt. Dunstan ChurchPost Office Directory
The church of St. Dunstan is a large commodious building, with square tower and 6 bells; it has nave, deep chancel, carved oak pulpit, curious stone font - date, in raised figures, 1666: it is in the Later English style, and is capable of holding about 1,000 persons: in the church there are monuments to the Baker family; and in the south aisle are memorial windows to the Rev. John Kirby, M.A., who was thirty years vicar of the parish, and died in 1801; also to his son, the Rev. John Kirby, M.A. who was rector of the same parish thirty-four years, and died in 1844; also monuments to the Aynscombe and Sands families. The register dates from 1572. The living is a vicarage value £834 per annum, with residence, in the gift of, and held by, the Rev. Henry Thomas Murdoch Kirby, M.A., of St. John's College, Cambridge.

1874Directory entrySt. Dunstan ChurchPost Office Directory
The church of St. Dunstan is a large commodious building in the Later English style, with square tower and 6 bells: it has deep chancel, nave, carved oak pulpit, curious stone font - date in raised figures, 1666: in the church are monuments to the Baker family; and in the south aisle memorial windows to the Rev. John Kirby, M.A., who was thirty years vicar of the parish, and died in 1801: also to his son the Rev. John Kirby, M.A., who was vicar thirty-four years, and died in 1844: also monuments to the Aynscombe and Sands families: it is capable of holding 732 persons. The register dates from the year 1570. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £834, with residence, in the gift of, and held (since 1845) by, the Rev. Henry Thomas Murdoch Kirby, M.A., of St. John's College, Cambridge.

c 1875Mayfield, Sussex - c 1875Part of the 6 inch to 1 mile map of Sussex produced in 1875 by Ordnance SurveyDunstans Church

Aug 1879Deathaged 59 yearsDavid Dann, farm labourerSt. Dunstan ChurchMayfield Burial Registers

1882Directory entrySt. Dunstan ChurchKelly's Directory
The church of St. Dunstan is spacious and chiefly of the Perpendicular period, consisting of chancel, and nave and a tower containing 6 bells: in the church are monuments to the Baker family, and in the south aisle memorial windows to the Rev. John Kirby M.A. thirty years vicar of the parish who died in 1811 and to his son tile Rev, John Kirby, M.A. who was vicar thirty-four years and died in 1844; there are also monuments to the Aynscombe and Sands families and several others of iron, cast at Huggett's furnace, to the family of Sands: the chancel has four windows of Munich glass and there is a pulpit of carved oak and a stone font, dated 1666. The register dates from the year 1570. The living is a vicarage, gross yearly value £800, with residence and 52 acres of glebe, in the gift of and held, since 1845, by the Rev. Henry Thomas Murdoch Kirby M.A. of St. John's College, Cambridge.

1890HistoryChurch of S. DunstanFirmin's Guide

The other building is the Church of S. Dunstan. The original Church, constructed of wood, is said to have been built by S. Dunstan, and that observing its position was not due east and west, he very easily shifted it into its right place by his own unaided strength. The Church and the greater part of the village were in 1389 burnt down. The new building was then con-structed of stone. There is a legend that "whilst the workmen were engaged in building the stone church, Satan every night set wrong what had been done during the day. The print of his foot was also shown in the quarry, where he obstructed the workmen who were employed in procuring stone for the building."

There are some picturesque houses in the village - the "Lower House," said to be of the time of James I., and to be built of the stone taken from the Palace, and the "Middle House," a half-timbered building, dating from 1576, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

There are a few other picturesque buildings in the streets of the village.

It is uncertain whether Mayfield is mentioned in Domesday Book. In Reredfelle hundred is mentioned "Mesewelle," thus : - "The Earl (Mortain) himself holds Mesewelle. Godwine held it then and now for four hides. There is land for two ploughs, and there are four villeins and five bordars; in demesne one plough, and wood for thirty hogs; in the time of Edward it was worth £4; now 40s. Of this land William de Warrene holds three rods of land and one mill." It seems doubtful whether "Mesewelle" is meant for Mayfield or Maresfield.


1896St. Dunstan's ChurchSt. Dunstan's Church, MayfieldPrivate collection

c 1900St Dunstan's ChurchSt Dunstan's Church, MayfieldBell-Irving

1930St Dunstan's Church and War MemorialSt Dunstan's Church and War Memorial, Mayfield photographed by H.H. Camburn, Tunbridge WellsPrivate collection

The Weald is at  Database version 14.05 which has ongoing updates to the 395,000 people; 9,000 places; 613 maps; 3,308 pictures, engravings and photographs; and 248 books loaded in the previous version

ODNB  
British Libarary  
High Weald  
Sussex Record Society  
Sussex Archaeological Society  
Kent Archaeological Society  
Mid Kent Marriages  
Ancestry  
Genes Reunited  
International Genealogical Index  
National Archives  

Top
of the
page