Wadhurst

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Wadhurst , a busy small town granted a market charter by King Henry III in 1253, is on the Kent – East Sussex border just seven miles East of Crowborough and about seven miles south of Tunbridge Wells and is in the High Weald, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The name of the town is Anglo-Saxon and probably derives from Wada; believed to be the name of a Saxon tribe that occupied the area and began clearing the forests in the 7th or 8th centuries.

 

Wadhurst lies on a high ridge of the Weald and the beautiful Church of St. Peter and St. Paul which is more than 900 years old, dominates the centre of the town and stands at 500ft above sea level. The Norman tower is the oldest part of the Church which is famous for its collection of iron tomb slabs set in the floor in memory of the local iron masters. These are a legacy of the Wealden Iron industry which flourished in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, contributing to the local wealth and a number of large houses such as the Georgian buildings in the High Street, Hill House and The Old Vicarage which remain in private ownership to this day.

 

To the South of the town you will find Wadhurst Castle which was built on the site of a much older house mentioned in 14th century records. The main part of the Castle was built in the Regency period between 1818 and 1820 and was enlarged in the 1840's. The Castle stands 550ft above sea level surrounded by parklands and commands panoramic views of the gloriously beautiful Sussex countryside to the south and west, extending to the South Downs.

 

The Victorian era saw the town expand towards the new railway station, about 1.5 miles north of the town. Wadhurst Station (the highest in southern England) is on the line from London Charing Cross to Hastings via Tunbridge Wells, and was opened in 1851 by the South Eastern Railway. Journey times to Charing Cross are around seventy minutes, while Tunbridge Wells is less than 10 minutes away and Hastings around 30 minutes.

 

Schools in Wadhurst

Local schools include Bricklehurst Manor School, Sacred Heart, Wadhurst C of E Primary School and Uplands Community Technical College

 

Follow this link to find a complete list of Nursery Schools, Middle Schools and Sixth Form Colleges in East Sussex

 

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You can find further information about the area by following these links: Golf, Hunting, Fishing & Shooting, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

 

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