Recent posts 2/3

Nov 4, 20208 min read

Basil Boothroyd, Cuckfield's comic genius

Those who were living in the village in the 1960s to 80s will fondly remember Cuckfield’s famous resident humorist Basil Boothroyd who...

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Nov 3, 202010 min read

The five windmills in the Cuckfield area

A windmill stands for the 'old times'; it is a monument to many things which have vanished from country life for ever. The windmill was...

662 views

Nov 3, 20202 min read

1923: Ancient windows revealed in Holy Trinity Church during roof repairs

Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 11 September 1923 CUCKFIELD PARISH CHURCH: TWO ANCIENT WINDOWS In the September issue of the Cuckfield Parish...

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Nov 2, 20204 min read

Why Cuckfield won and lost the coach trade

Cuckfield owed much of its wealth and prominence through its importance as stopping place for coaches. The road was improved - and the...

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Nov 1, 20203 min read

One of Cuckfield's most famous former residents, Lord Denning (1899-1999)

Lord Denning is described as ‘the law student’s favourite’ judge - a model of clarity. He was on the side of the ‘underdog’ and was known...

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Oct 30, 20205 min read

1902: Cuckfield Baker Samuel Willett - music, smugglers and dishonest nightwatchmen

This item appeared in Mid Sussex Times on 10 June 1902, and gives an interesting snapshot of the village life in both Cuckfield and...

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Oct 29, 20204 min read

Cuckfield ghost tale for Halloween: 17th century villain recalled in verse

HALLOWEEN: “WHERE THERE IS NO IMAGINATION, THERE IS NO HORROR” – ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE The following verse, published during Christmas 1916,...

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Oct 29, 20203 min read

The drama of London to Brighton Mail coaches

Some of the last coaches to run on the London Brighton road through Cuckfield were the night mail coaches. Here is a personal account of...

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Oct 28, 20202 min read

1939: Children's Sussex escape from the London Blitz

For some children it may have been an exciting adventure, for others evacuation from London at the time of the Blitz in September 1939...

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Oct 27, 20202 min read

1850s: Travellers find love on stage coaches - but not on trains!

Writing in in the mid 1850s, Samuel Shergold, observed that coach travellers were more likely to find love on a stage coach rather than...

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Oct 26, 20205 min read

1797: Our local and national hero - Admiral Sir John Wells of Bolnore

We learn from the Gentleman’s Magazine, dated May 1842, that Admiral Sir John Wells, GCB after 65 years in the navy died at his home,...

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Oct 24, 20202 min read

1940: Cuckfield House - 'I could feel the noise of German bombers overhead'

For so many years Cuckfield was associated with the wonderful deaf school run by Mary Stephens Corbishley MBE. Initially it was located...

181 views

Oct 22, 20203 min read

1805: Cuckfield's battlefield destruction averted

Not many people are aware that Cuckfield could have been right at the centre of a defensive front line to resist Napoleon’s invasion...

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Oct 21, 20202 min read

1917: Hero verger saves Cuckfield Church from destruction

A verger who helped prevent a church from being destroyed by fire was remembered in 2017 for his heroics 100 years on. Alfred Browne was...

71 views

Oct 20, 20204 min read

1700s: Dining like the Burrells

Timothy Burrell kept a set of account diaries which give a fascinating insight into the daily life of a wealthy land-owning Sussex squire...

279 views

Oct 19, 20206 min read

1856: All the fun and excitement of Cuckfield Fair recalled in Victorian verse

This is 1500 words of a 9000 word poem from a book called “Mrs Funnell” and concerns her visit to Cuckfield Fair. She was on a mission...

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Oct 18, 20203 min read

1920s: 'Girls run Cuckfield'... notes visitor

In a delightful book called ‘The Lure of Sussex’, Thurston Hopkins records several of his walks around Sussex in the late 1920s. There is...

86 views

Oct 17, 20205 min read

1824: Daredevil couple land their balloon in Cuckfield

Cuckfield was the location of the landing of a pioneering gas balloon flight in 2 June 1824 by balloonist George Graham accompanied by...

341 views

Oct 16, 20203 min read

The absurdities of a Victorian archery party at Cuckfield Park

Although this is not an easy read, due to its archaic eccentric wording, this chapter from one of Twynihoe William Erle’s books ‘The...

67 views

Oct 15, 20202 min read

The mysterious origin of 'Whiteman's Green'

A traditional story handed down through generations tries to explain the origin of the name Whiteman's Green. When Cuckfield Church was...

460 views

Cuckfield Connections

A personal journey of discovery