The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Rotherfield
The View from the hill above Rectory House in 1785
The View from the hill above Rectory House in 1785
Our ancestors must have been an agricultural people living at peace in the midst of the clearing in the dense forest that surrounded it. There is evedence to be found in our lanes and hedgerows. The cow-wheat grew in all. It abounded throughout Hornhurst Wood, in the lane from Highgate to the Warren Farm, at Cottage Hill, Gravel Hill, Sheriffs Lane, Boarshead, Hamsell, Crowborough and it is said, cow-wheat grows only on the site of ancient forests. Wherever, therefore, its pale yellow, snap-dragon-like sprays were seen, they told of the isolation of the first inhabitants here amidst the forest …
extract from Rotherfield: The Story of some Wealden Manors by Catherine Pullein
Rotherfield is a village and large parish in the East Grinstead division of Sussex, in the hundred of Rotherfield, rape of Pevensey, rural deanery of East Grinstead, archdeaconry of Lewes and diocese of Chichester. Rotherfield is 7 miles from Tunbridge Wells and 47 miles south of London. The parish of Rotherfield included Crowborough and Jarvis Brook up until Crowborough was formed into an ecclesiatical parish on 19th September 1880 and into a civil parish on 1st April 1905
The population of Rotherfield in 1811 was 2,122; in 1841 was 3,054; in 1861 was 3,413; in 1871 was 4,149; in 1881 was 4,344 (of whom 1,700 were in Crowborough); in 1891 was 5,099 (of whom 2,068 were in Crowborough); in 1901 was 2,322 (ex Crowborough); in 1911 was 2,870 (ex Crowborough); in 1921 was 2,821 (ex Crowborough); and in 1931 was 2,821 (ex Crowborough).
Rotherfield historical notes has been derived from the same sources to highlight Rotherfield's key events in chronological order

Parish & other 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

17798Births11184438368964684886651169226933364078252247624922
11016Christenings101419798889461485635905158220881909724191
2102Marriages1611216712539611462212503804371023196
2426Deaths174412210568841081432435065553017437191
2330Burials14379699648411014524150054630955255
 
Books and other documents
Published Title, author and references
1444 to 1458Court Rolls of the Manor of Rotherfield - Vol. I ⇒ p. i
1557 to 1560Court Rolls of the Manor of Rotherfield - Vol. II ⇒ p. 1 and 2
1583 to 1711Dewlands Manor Rolls ⇒ p. 1
1587 to 1593Court Rolls of the Manor of Rotherfield - Vol III ⇒ p. 1
1593 to 1607Court Rolls of the Manor of Rotherfield - Vol IV ⇒ p. 1
1616 to 1631Court Rolls of the Manor of Rotherfield - Vol V ⇒ p. 1
1631 to 1674Court Rolls of the Manor of Rotherfield - Vol VI ⇒ p. 1
1766The History of Tunbridge Wells by Thomas Benge Burr ⇒ p. 258
1830Guide of Tunbridge Wells ⇒ p. 90
1835The History, Antiquities and Topography of the County of Sussex by Thomas Walker Horsfield, F.S.A.p. 397
1840New Guide for Tunbridge Wells by John Colbran and edited by James Phippen ⇒ p. 167
1849Historical and Architectural Notices of the Iron Works of the County of Sussex by Mark Antony Lowerp. 215
1851The Post Office Directory of Sussex by E. R. Kelly, M.A., F.S.S. ⇒ entry
1867The Post Office Directory of Sussex by E. R. Kelly, M.A., F.S.S. ⇒ entry
1870A Compendious History of Sussex - Volume II. by Mark Antony Lower, M.A.p. 125
1874The Post Office Directory of Sussex by E. R. Kelly, M.A., F.S.S. ⇒ entry
1882Kelly's Directory of Sussex by E. R. Kelly, M.A., F.S.S. ⇒ entry
1883Pelton's Illustrated Guide to Tunbridge Wells by J. Radford Thomson, M.A. ⇒ p. 182
1886Local Blue Book and Directory of East Sussex ⇒ p. 248
1904Highways and Byways in Sussex by E.V. Lucas ⇒ p. 302
1913 to 1941Rotherfield Parish Magazine ⇒ page
1927The Sussex Highlands ⇒ p. 41
1928Rotherfield - The Story of some Wealden Manors by Catharine PulleinBook p. i

People of note
Hallett, William
(1793 - 1862)
Mayor of Brighton and J.P. for Sussex
Harman, Ellen Mary
(1893-1994)
Teacher, post mistress and author
Livesey, Sir Harry, K.B.E., G.B.E.
(1860 - 1932)
Civil engineer
Pullein, Catharine
(1854 - )
Historian
    

Picturesmore pictures 

From the hill above the Rectory House - 1785

The Manor of Hall - 1785

Rotherfield Church from the Turnpike Gate at Mark Cross - 1785

Rotherfield Church - 1809

View of St Denys Church - 1850

Tudor House - c 1850

The Manor House - 1882
 

St Denys Church - 1890

Rotherfield Hall - c 1900

The Rother - 1904

The Rectory - 1904

The Village - 1905

Rotherfield Village - 1905

Rotherfield from Cottage Hill - 1905
 

Rotherfield Maps

1597

c 1724

c 1795

c 1825

c 1875

c 1899
 

Sussex Maps

1610

1645

1695

1750

1756

1763

1st Sept 1787
 

1808

1837

1840

1864

1928
 

Places and properties in Rotherfield - a directory of homes, farms, churches, schools, inns, and other places of interest that existed prior to 1900 has been compiled from Post Office directories, Kelly's directories, Trade directories, Census data, Ordnance survey maps and books of the period
Churches, Inns,
Schools, Shops
and other places of interest
Bethel Particular Baptist Chapel, North Street
Bicycle Arms, Argos Hill
Bricklayers Arms, Cottage Hill
Bull Inn
Court House, Mark Cross
Denys Church Rectory, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Frankham School, Mark Cross Road
George Inn, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Kings Arms, High Street
Mark Cross Inn, Mark Cross
Mark Cross National School, Mark Cross
National School
Providence Baptist Chapel, South Street
Railway Station, Town Row
Roman Catholic Chapel, Mark Cross
Salters Green, Argos Hill
South Street Post Office, South Street
St. Denys Church, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
St. Mark's Church, Mark Cross
The Catts Inn, High Street
The Chequers, Argos Hill
The Rectory [a.k.a. Dowland Manor], Mayfield Road
The Three Guns Public House
The Vicarage, Mark Cross
The Workhouse
Wesleyan Meeting House, Mark Cross
Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
 
Roads and Streets
Bletchinglye Lane
Castle Hill
Catts Corner
Chant Lane
Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Cottage Hill
Dewlands Hill
East Street
High Cross
High Street
Mark Cross
Mayfield Road
New Road
North Street
Northburgh
Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Rotherfield Village
Rotherhurst Lane
Saxonbury Hill
Sheriffs Lane
South Street
Suthburgh
Town Row
Town Row Green
Yew Tree Lane
 
Homes and Farms
A-L
Allan Down, Dewlands Hill
Alma Cottages, Mark Cross
Argos Prospect [a.k.a. Red House], Mayfield Road
Argoshill Lodge, Argos Hill
Ashcroft, High Cross
Ashleigh, Mark Cross
Ashley, Town Row
Babbington House, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Baldock Cottages, Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Beava Cottages, High Cross
Beecholme, New Road
Bell Meade, Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Beulah, Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Biddenden Farm, Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Blatchinglye [a.k.a. Holy Trinity] Orphanage, Mark Cross
Bletchinglye, Bletchinglye Lane
Briccon Villa [a.k.a. Brecon Terrace], Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Brick & Tile Works, Mark Cross
Brick Kiln [a.k.a. Dadswell] Farm, Bletchinglye Lane
Brickyard Cottages, Mark Cross
Bridgers Farm [a.k.a. Town Row Green Farm] Farm, Town Row Green
Broadview, New Road
Brown Gate, Town Row Green
Browngate Farm, Jarvis Brook
Builth House, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Burwood [a.k.a. Dail House], Argos Hill
Burwood Farm, Sheriffs Lane
Carisbrooke, South Street
Castle Hill Farm, Castle Hill
Castle Hill Gardens, Castle Hill
Castle Hill House, Castle Hill
Castle Wood, Castle Hill
Cats Grove Cottage
Catts Cottages, Catts Corner
Catts Cottages, Mark Cross
Catts Farm, Catts Corner
Chapel Cottages, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Church Cottages, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Clonskea, Mayfield Road
Clydesdale, New Road
Coes [a.k.a. Great Ease] Farm
Corner Cottage, Yew Tree Lane
Cottage Hill Farm, Cottage Hill
Court Farm, Rotherfield Village
Court Mead Cottages, High Street
Dampers Cottages [a.k.a. Brookside], Town Row
Dapp Farm, Mark Cross
Dewhurst Cottages, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Edgewood, Town Row
Ferndale Cottages, North Street
Field Cottage, New Road
Fir Tree Cottage, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Forest Farm, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Forest Farm, Mark Cross
Frenches Farm, Mark Cross
Fright [a.k.a. Frighthurst] Farm, Mark Cross
Garden House, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Gate House, Mark Cross
Gate House, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Glebe Cottages, Castle Hill
Glendu, New Road
Glenora, South Street
Gravel Hill [a.k.a. Home Farm and Rotherhurst Farm, Rotherhurst Lane
Great Dewlands [a.k.a. Tourtland, Torteland] Farm
Green Hill, Argos Hill
Greenhedges, Mark Cross
Grub Reed [a.k.a. Drapers Land], High Cross
Harvest Moon [a.k.a. Great Heart / Bloomfield Villa / Railway Inn], Yew Tree Lane
Hawthorn Villa, South Street
Heathfield Hall, Town Row Green
High Cross Cottages, High Cross
High Gate Farm
High Park Cottages, High Cross
High Park Farm, High Cross
Hoadleigh Cottage, High Cross
Holly Dene, North Street
Hollygrove, Castle Hill
Holme Park [a.k.a. Rugham] Farm, High Cross
Homeleigh, New Road
Hope Cottage, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Hope Villas, High Cross
Horse Grove [a.k.a. Townend Farm], South Street
Horseshoe Cottage, North Street
Ivy Cottages, Mark Cross
Ivy House, Mark Cross
Johnstons Cottage, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Kings Clere, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Kingsbury Farm, Castle Hill
Lews Farm, Sheriffs Lane
Limley [a.k.a. Limla], Castle Hill
Little Dewlands [a.k.a. Harris] Farm, Dewlands Hill
Little Ease Farm, Dewlands Hill
Lodge Farm, Mark Cross
Longcroft, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Loose, High Cross
 
Homes and Farms
M-Z
Mafekin Cottages, Chant Lane
Malthouse [a.k.a. Chant Lane] Farm, Chant Lane
Mark Cross Post Office, Mark Cross
Mark Cross Windmill, Mark Cross
Marlborough Head [a.k.a. Wren] Farm, Mark Cross
Meadow View, South Street
Meadow Villas, Sheriffs Lane
Melville, New Road
Mentana, Town Row
Middle House, Mark Cross
Milk Lodge
Mill Cottages, Mark Cross
Mount Pleasant, Town Row
Myrtle Cottages, South Street
Nap Cottage, Saxonbury Hill
Neves, Town Row
Newhouse [a.k.a. Salters Green] Farm, Argos Hill
Oak Cottage, Mark Cross
Oak View, North Street
Oban, New Road
Olinda, High Street
Packham Hill Cottages, Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Parkwood, Catts Corner
Peeps, Mayfield Road
Plympton, New Road
Police Station, Mark Cross
Police Station, High Street
Poplar Cottage
Post Office, High Street
Primrose Villa, South Street
Prior Cottage, North Street
Providence House, High Street
Quarry Farm, Sheriffs Lane
Railway Cottages
Railway Cottages, Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Randalls, Sheriffs Lane
Reculvers Cottage, South Street
Riseleigh, South Street
Rose Cottage, Mark Cross
Roslyn, South Street
Rother House [a.k.a. Rotherhurst] Farm, Mayfield Road
Rotherfield Hall [a.k.a. The Hall], Treblers Road
Russet Cottages, Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Salters [a.k.a. Fauklies], Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Saxonbury, New Road
Saxonbury Hill Cottages, Saxonbury Hill
School House, North Street
Seymour Cottage, Mark Cross
Seymour Cottages, Catts Corner
Sheriffs Farm, Sheriffs Lane
Slaughter House Cottage, New Road
South Villa, South Street
Spitlye Cottages, Argos Hill
Spout [a.k.a. The Spout] Farm, Town Row
Spout Cottage, Mark Cross
Spratts Brook, Town Row Green
Spring Cottage, High Cross
Springfield Cottages, Bletchinglye Lane
St. Denys Lodge
St. Denys View, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
St. Sunnivas, Packham Hill [a.k.a. Peckham Hill & Station Road]
Station Cottages, Town Row
Stile House, Mark Cross
Stockwell, Town Row Green
Stone Farm, Castle Hill
Stone Mill, Castle Hill
Stonehouse, Town Row Green
Sussex Lodge, Mark Cross
Tanyard [a.k.a. Mark House] Farm, Mark Cross
The Cabin / Cellar Cottage / The Old Bakery, North Street
The Cottage, Town Row Green
The Firs, Mark Cross
The Hole [a.k.a. Greenhouse Farm, Green House Farm], Town Row Green
The Hollies, South Street
The Laurels, High Street
The Lewins, South Street
The Manor House, High Street
The Tenter [a.k.a. Tainter] Meads, South Street
Tousers [a.k.a. Towers] Lodge, Mark Cross
Town Hill House, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Town Row Grocer, Draper and Post Office, Town Row
Tudor House, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Unity Cottages, Mayfield Road
Upper Court Farm, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]
Victoria Cottages, Sheriffs Lane
Vine Cottages, South Street
Warren [a.k.a. Old Lodge Warren] Farm
Weleirs Farm, Town Row Green
Woodleigh [a.k.a. Argos Hill Farm], Argos Hill
Woodside Cottages, Town Row Green
Wynberg Cottages, High Cross
Ye Old Monastery Cottages, North Street
Yew Tree [a.k.a. Homestall] Farm, Yew Tree Lane
Yew Tree Cottage, Mark Cross
Yew Tree Cottage [a.k.a. Heart House / Old Dormers] Cottage, Yew Tree Lane
Yew Tree Cottages, Church Street [a.k.a. Church Road]

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

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