The Middy - April 1 1999

Still idyllic after all these years

Five times winner of the best kept village competition, Lindfield has achieved national fame as one of the prettiest villages in the country.

After the turn of the century it had all the idyllic ingredients which are still evident today – the Common, the Pond, the 13th century church and a High Street of mediaeval houses whose roofline has featured in many a glossy magazine on quintessential middle England.

In today's conservationist times, the village probably had the Southeast's highest tally of protected sites – around 50 grade 2 listed buildings. The picture postcard status was conferred by the media in 1934 when it was so voted by readers of the Sussex County magazine, and perversely confirmed in 1995, when it was asked to leave the best kept village free to allow others a chance.

But underneath the chocolate box exterior is a vibrant, feisty community which has taken its responsibilities seriously – archives in the early 1900s are punctuated by rows over traffic and pondlife, Motif which remains unchanged to this day.

In 1908 it was suspected the tar spraying on the roadway had polluted the pond, resulting in the death of hundreds of fish. Villagers were horrified to see that as fresh fish were introduced, many of them suffered a similar fate.

Traffic calming measures were around as early as 1909 when the county council proposed to restrict the maximum speed limits in parts of Lewes Road, Black Hill and Batchelors Lane to 10 mph.

Three years later the public inquiry was held in the King Edward Hall intercounty proposals to cut speed – 27 people objected to the speed restrictions, but only eight of them were local residents.

In fact traffic rules are just one of the many facets of Lindfield life which have helped remarkably steady through the century. The only real change has been geographical, as the outer fringes of the village have gradually sprawled southwards to join with Haywards Heath – much to local dismay. Repeated efforts to thwart the urbanisation by appealing to Royal mail to scrap the RH 16 postcode had failed, and Lindfield to its discomfort still has the postal address of Haywards Heath.

But that apart, community life hinges around the same focal points – not just the Common and the Pond, but High Street shops, the King Edward Hall and the wide range of clubs, sports and societies.

Just before the century began, the Bonfire Society was formed and also the Football Club, which celebrated its centenary last year. Cricket was already long established, the Bowls club started in 1903 and small bore rifle club in 1915.

The High Street was thriving with shops – including three department stores, Durrant, funnels and Masters – family businesses and light infantry. Industry. They provided the main employment along with agriculture in domestic service for the big privately owned houses at Buxshalls, Paxhill and Old Place.

Box’s nurseries were extensive and one of the biggest employers, and in 1901 a steam laundry was built at the bottom of Gravelye Lane from the funds provided by Lady Tankerville.

It was initially run by the Salvation Army to provide work and accommodation for “wayward girls”. Later it became a commercial business and was only closed down by the boom in washing machines as late as 1972.

Off the High Street, where the Tollgate car park and medical centre are now, was a building which you began life as a piano factory, was then used as Assembly Rooms and ended as a skirt factory until the late 1960s.

Durrants had a small brewery behind it which closed in 1906, and Mr Edward Durrant built a beer shop for his workmen there.

Since apparently he thought that those who sat to drink lingered too long, no seats were provided – the name Stand Up was given to it and the name remained until 1982 when the inn was renovated and renamed the Linden Tree.

The centuries-old practice of conducting the annual sheep fair in the High Street – where it was estimated that as many as 20,000 head of sheep would be penned awaiting sale – ended in 1906 because of the growth in traffic. But the annual pleasure fair on the Common, held by Royal Charter since 1344 continued till 1992.

The big event in the village before the First World War was the opening of the King Edward Hall in January 1911 at a cost of £2,155 raised by subscriptions. It was built on land donated by Mr study of Paxhill Place and dedicated to King Edward VII who had paid a visit to the Old Place the year before.

At the outbreak of war, the hall was used as a military hospital with local ladies serving as auxiliary nurses. A detachment of the Royal Army medical Corps was billeted in the village.

Prime Minister Lloyd George stayed at Walstead Place for a few weeks in 1917 making “far-reaching decisions” and was obliged to use Lindfield Post Office to contact Whitehall when an observation balloon broke from its moorings and damaged overhead cables.

Pictures courtesy of Terry Jeeves of ‘Leave it to Jeeves’, Denmans Lane, Lindfield.