Farming in Sussex, growing food for self-sufficiency and to feed livestock

Herstmonceux is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, which includes Herstmonceux Castle. The village is twinned with Varengeville-sur-Mer, in Normandy, France.

The Herstmonceux Medieval Festival is held annually in August.

The village (previously called Gardner Street) is part of the larger Herstmonceux civil parish, which includes Cowbeech and the hamlets of Foul Mile, Trolliloes, Cowbeech Hill, Stunts Green, Ginger's Green, Flowers Green and part of Windmill Hill where the Windmill Hill Windmill is situated. Cowbeech village is north-west of the parish. Eastbourne is 7 miles (11 km) south-west of the village, and Brighton and Hove 21 miles (34 km) south-west.

Herstmonceux Castle, two miles (3.2 km) south-east of the village, is a former site of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. It is now home to the Bader International Study Centre of Queen's University, Kingston, Canada, and the area therefore enjoys an influx of Canadian and other international students each school year. The castle grounds are also home to the Observatory Science Centre and the Herstmonceux Mediaeval Festival. Buckwell Place was the seat of the Hare family.

Herstmonceux is the location of the world's oldest surviving, wooden, electricity generating station complete with battery load levelling in the distribution to the village. The industrial complex is situated in Lime Park, 400 yards from the extremely congested high street. Where the A271 has to carry many times more traffic than intended, due to the house building boom encouraged by Conservative policies, that have superheated UK economics, leading to excessive borrowing well past £2 trillion pounds, massive inflation and a cost of living crisis in 2022.

There are two Sites of Special Scientific Interest within the parish. Herstmonceux Park is of importance because of its wetland habitat and fen vegetation. It is the only known location of Milk Parsley (Peucedanum palustre) in the south-east. The second site, Pevensey Levels, lies partially in the parish. The site is of biological interest consisting of low-lying grazing meadows, hosting a wide variety of wetland flora and fauna.

ROUTINE CONGESTION - It's no joke. You can see how often this bit of the High Street is dug up from the repair patches. It's like an annual event. East Sussex County Council get their heads together to arrange for the most awkward time run some more cables, sewerage or other pipes. But, why did they not make provision for that before? It's worse than living in London, traffic wise, but you are in the country, cut off from supermarkets and other stores.

HISTORY

The name comes from Anglo-Saxon hyrst, "wooded hill", plus the name of the Monceux family who were lords of the manor in the 12th century. In 1086, the manor, simply called Herste, was in the ancient hundred of Foxearle.

In 1677, Thomas Lennard, 1st Earl of Sussex, was paid £3 when he went to a cricket match played at "ye Dicker", a common near Herstmonceux, one of the earliest references to the sport.

The Herstmonceux area is known for the making of trugs, wooden baskets made from split willow boards set in an ash or chestnut frame, popular with gardeners. A number of local people continue this tradition, though the most famous workshop that was in the heart of the village, was allowed to be demolished by local councillors, for some unremarkable housing.

GOVERNANCE

The parish council consists of eleven elected members. An electoral ward of the same name exists. This ward had a population at the 2011 census of 2,852.

Education is provided at Herstmonceux Church of England Primary School.

RELIGION

All Saints' (Church of England) parish church, with its 12th-century west tower and 13th/14th century nave, overlooks the Castle. Herstmonceux Congregational Church, just outside the village on the way to the castle, was erected in 1811 and is now a listed building.

SUSTAINABILITY - AFFORDABLE HOUSING

There is an almost total lack of affordable housing in and around the village of Herstmonceux. Sustainability and the 'Blue' or Circular Economy, not being high on the agendas of local authorities. But then we must remember that Margaret Thatcher sold off our social housing, and the Conservative Party have continued to promote the build of executive housing as investments to launder overseas money. So creating generations of financial slaves in the village.

WORLD'S ONLY SURVIVING EXAMPLE - The old Generating Station in Lime Park, just a few hundred yards outside the Herstmonceux village envelope, is a modest industrial installation that is remarkable because is has survived the ravishes of time, in a world where Brownfield sites are snapped up by property developers for fast profits. Other early electricity stations have been demolished or rotted away. Hence, is an obvious selection as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Trust that cares for the buildings, needs help to maintain this interesting industrial complex. At present the buildings have no reasonable or beneficial use, leaving the building at risk, not least of which is from heritage vandals.

LINKS & REFERENCE

https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk