the Hurst
Given that Hurst Green has a population of around 1500, it is continuously gratifying to see how active the village is on many different fronts.
Just take a look at the community orchard. A lovely idea of creating something that will benefit everybody. And the fantastic playground which is attracting more and more children – it’s interesting to see that children outside our village are now coming in to use the playground, such is its popularity. This issue provides a snapshot of village life. From a debate on the funding of street lighting to community speedwatch, a much needed initiative aimed at keeping the village safe from speeding cars and trucks.
Our primary school goes from strength to strength –a fact born out by their highly successful Key Stage 2 SATs results and its excellent reputation as a caring and inclusive school that ‘fosters an ambitious learning environment.’
The cricket club continues to grow and has enjoyed a successful season and the walking footballers continue to have fun.
Nobody could doubt that we’ve had a magnificent summer. But, of course, the downside of all the sunshine is the lack of water – and the current hosepipe ban. According to Southern Water we had the driest Spring since 1893 and the driest summer on record. Demand for drinking water is at an all-time high. Apparently, overall we are using 100 million litres of water a day more than the average for summer. On particularly warm days, SE Water reported to be pumping enough water to supply an additional four towns the size of Eastbourne. SE Water have tips on water saving – some obvious and some other tricks and tips that might just help ease the current issues.
Of course, we all have busy lives and its sometimes easy to forget how our village has evolved over the years. This issue includes a brief history of Herst Grene (as it was known over 500 years ago). Future issues will delve further into different aspects of our village and how they have developed. If you have any information or background to our village, we’d love to hear from you.
Editor: Francesca Wooldridge. thehurst.hg@gmail.com
Advertising: Allan Cheek. cheekallan@gmail.com
© Hurst Green PCC
USEFUL CONTACTS
Allotment Association 01580 860251
Breakfast Club (75+) 01580 860760/860358
Brownies 01580 860742
Comedy Capers 01580 860221
Cricket Club 07796 976809
Holy Trinity Church 01580 880282
Hurst Green C of E School 01580 860375
Nursery School 01580 860375 x211
Parish Clerk 01580 860111
Rother District Council 01424 787000
Short Mat Bowling 01580 752348
Twinning Association 01580 860977
Village Hall Booking Agent 01580 860425
Walking Football 01435 882444
HELPFUL LOCAL SERVICES
Cars Mobile Car Mechanic: Cliff Mercer 07909 911869
Dogs Holiday and day care: Lorely Watson 01580 880061/07796 392653
Pippin’s Pet Sitting and walking: 07717 681972
Sarah.janeheasman@hotmail.co.uk
Eco-friendly products Joanna Girling 07443 411677 girling.joanna@gmail.com
Electricians Gareth Skinner 07929 839309
Tim Russell 07771 687636 trussell.5@btinternet.com
House Portraits Christine Masters Art 07833 342020
www.christinemastersart.wordpress.com
Leather repairs Kay Lloyd,Wealden Saddlery 01580 860860
Maths tuition Alec Whiteman 01580 861304
Plastering and tiling Edd Ripley, 07875 494493
Plumbers Aaron Plumbing & Heating LtdAaron Rowsell 01580 230330
Steve Walker 07564 405702
Private car hire and taxi service Hugo, 01435 883803 Mob. 07931 605057
If you would like to be included in this list please email thehurst.hg@gmail.com This is a free listing.
Getting together...
As I write this, it’s a glorious, hot, August day. There is something about the warmth of a summer day that speaks to us. The sun rises early and the air hums with the sound of lifebirds calling, insects buzzing, leaves rustling in the breeze. In these moments, I am reminded that the beauty around us in Hurst Green is not an accident. It is a gift. The Psalmist wrote: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1). Summer invites each of us to pause and truly see this handiwork all around us —the ripening fields around the village, the gardens in the village bursting with colour, the cool stream in Burgh woods (at the bottom of a very steep hill). Summer in Hurst Green, as I walk around the village, has much beauty if we only but pause and look.
Summer is also a season for us to be together. I see children, with their mums and dads, enjoying their time in the park whenever Mary and I take our grandchildren to play there (and a big thank you to the Parish Council for supplying the play items). I enjoy chatting to the people I meet around the village whilst walking my dog.
One of the highlights I had this summer, was being invited to speak at the Primary school leavers service. It was lovely to see a school full of obviously happy children, and I wish all those children who have now left our hurst green primary school all the best as they start in their new schools.
As summer starts to turn to autumn, given you will be reading this in September, it is good to remember all the good things around us, especially as we seem to be always bombarded with solely bad news from every type of media. In the hustle and bustle of life, we sometimes forget to notice the good things. But all we need to do is pause, and look, and we can find it.
Church Details:
Services are every Sunday at 9.30am, with coffee beforehand at 9.00am. We alternate services between Holy Communion and a more Informal Service of Worship. You will receive a very warm welcome from our small but loyal congregation. The church normally remains open until
4pm on Sundays for private prayer or just a few moments peace and quiet; a space to think away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Events:
5th October - Harvest Service and a Harvest lunch at 12:15 9th November - Remembrance Service
We currently have no vicar and do not yet know when we might get a vicar. Our Church Warden is Alan Digman. Alan is the contact for requests for baptisms, weddings and funerals and for access to the church. Phone: 07435 064809. Helen Winning is our Authorised Lay Minister who can offer pastoral care and home visits, including Holy Communion for people in Hurst Green who are housebound. Phone: 07788 596115. Mary Digman is our Safeguarding Officer for the church. Phone; 077136 25801
Alan Digman & Holy Trinity PCC
VILLAGE HALL
Reg Charity no. 229672
MONDAY 5pm Children’s gymnastics
7.30pm Short Mat Bowls
TUESDAY 8.45am Pilates (07798 663820)
7pm Jive & Lindy Hop (07766 881045) 8pm Parish Council Meeting (last Tuesday of each month)
WEDNESDAY 5.30pm Brownies (termtime only)
THURSDAY 8.45am Pilates
1.30pm Short Mat Bowls
8pm Zumba
FRIDAY 10am Breakfast Club (2nd & 4th Friday each month) 4pm Children’s gymnastics
For more information, contact: Sue Endean, 07718 282605, 01580 860425
A Brief History of Hurst Green
In all our busy lives, it’s easy to forget sometimes that our village has a rich and varied heritage. As a reminder of what led to our village as it is today, here’s a brief potted history.
Hurst Green’s heritage spans several centuries—from its roots near medieval manorial estates to the smuggling drama of the 18th century, through 19th-century community landmarks, and culminating in 20th-century civic formation and modern-day commemoration.
The earliest documented reference to the village as “herst grene” dates back nearly 500 years to 1574, and proves that a settlement was already firmly established by that time.
However, whilst it is difficult to trace the village further back, the surrounding area has much deeper medieval roots. Manors such as Bernhurst, which wqs mentioned as early as 1230, and Iridge, which was recorded back in 1248, already formed part of the landscape, while many of the farms around Hurst Green— including Burghham, Eyelid, Boarzell, and Bourne—are thought to date as far back as the Domesday Book.
Before the Norman Conquest, the land was considered to be part of the parish of Salehurst, held by Countess Goda, though it remained sparsely populated. Countess Goda was the sister of King Edward the Confessor and a prominent Anglo-Saxon noble. In 1066, she held lands in numerous locations across England,
including Salehurst. In the Domesday Book (1086), Salehurst is recorded as having been under her lordship in 1066, although by 1086 the land had passed into the hands of Norman lords after the Conquest. Specifically, Hurst Green was part of her holdings. It’s noted that before the Norman invasion, this area was under her control, though it was sparsely populated at the time.
Running through it was an ancient ridgeway, probably an Iron Age track, which linked Etchingham to Heathfield. This route emphasises the area’s strategic importance long before the village emerged as we know it today.
One of the most significant estates nearby was Iridge Place, now a Grade II* listed country house dating from the late eighteenth century but replacing an earlier structure. The manor itself can be traced at least to 1327 under the Brabon family, and in 1539 it was still in the hands of Martin Brabon.
By 1556, however, John Wildegos had purchased it, and in the eighteenth century it was held by William Peckham before passing eventually to the Micklethwait family.
The eighteenth century brought turbulence as the district became entangled in the activities of the notorious Hawkhurst Gang, a smuggling network that operated across Sussex.
In 1740, the gang attacked a revenue party at nearby Silver Hill, killing an officer after contraband was discovered. One of the smugglers, George Chapman, was later executed and gibbeted at Hurst Green. By the middle
of that century, the village green stretched in a triangular shape from the site of the present courthouse to the village hall. Historic buildings such as The Cottage and Yew Tree were already standing by 1650 on the green’s edge.
Later landmarks cemented Hurst Green’s identity. In 1892, the community erected a clock tower above the new courthouse and police station as a memorial to George Burrow Gregory of Boarzell, a local landowner and Member of Parliament. The building also served as a lock-up and court before being converted to private use in the twentieth century.
Nearby, in May 1901, a drinking fountain was installed through the gift of William Orme Caterson JP. Even earlier, in 1862, a Church of England primary school had been established, complete with a residence for the schoolmaster.
The ecclesiastical parish of Hurst Green was created in 1907, followed by the formal establishment of a civil parish in 1952, carved out of Etchingham, Salehurst, and part of Ticehurst.
During the 1930s, the population hovered around 628, but by the census of 2011 it had risen to 1,481. In the early 1980s the village formed international ties through twinning with Ellerhoop in Germany, sealed by a charter in 1984.
The story of Hurst Green also carries sorrowful chapters. During the First World War, two local
families endured unbearable losses: Annie and William Souls lost five of their six sons, and the Baldock-Apps family suffered the same fate. Taken together, the history of Hurst Green stretches from its early manorial estates and medieval roots through the smuggling dramas of the eighteenth century, the creation of village landmarks in the nineteenth, and the civic developments of the twentieth.
Today the village sits within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, its landscape and heritage standing as a layered testament to the resilience of rural England.
Macmillan: what can I do to help?
Come and support our coffee morning in: Hurst Green Village Hall on Saturday 27th September, 10am – 2.00pm.
Every Pound and Penny we can raise will help us do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer.
Let’s do it for our community.
Let’s do it for people we know who are battling cancer.
Let’s do it in memory of loved ones who have passed away with cancer.
Let’s do it together.
Let’s help Macmillan to do what they do best.
Last year Hurst Green’s coffee morning raised a total of £1102.00.
Many thanks to local businesses and individuals who supported our raffle with prizes, made cakes and all those who came for coffee and cake, purchased raffle tickets and made generous donations.
If you are unable to make our coffee morning this year but would like to make a donation please follow the link below:
Will you donate to Macmillan Coffee Morning 2025 ? Looking forward to seeing you all on 27th September.
Elaine Ralph Coffee Morning Organiser
Raffle and cake donations needed
Please contact Elaine Tel: 01580 860358 Mobile 07931 248867
Email: Elaine.ralph@pobox.com
Place: Hurst Green Village Hall
Date: Sat 27th September 2025
Time: 10am to 2pm
Contact: Elaine Ralph 01580 860358 elaine.ralph@pobox.com
The next issue of The Hurst will be published at the beginning of December - just in time to let everybody in the village know about planned Christmas festivities, services and more. If you would like to include anything in this issue, do please let us know by 25 November - the hursthg@gmail.com
Our church needs your help...
Many people think the Church of England covers the running costs of every church — sadly, that’s not true. Each parish has to pay for its own day-to-day expenses, repairs, and upkeep of both the church and churchyard. Here in Hurst Green, that money comes entirely from the generosity of local people.
Right now, our church is struggling to keep up with bills. The diocese has told us that unless our income improves, we may not be given a replacement vicar in the future.
Without extra support, we could one day face the heartbreaking reality of having to close our church.
If you value having a church in our village — a place for worship, celebration, and community — please consider helping in any way you can:
• Make a one-off donation
• Set up a regular gift through the Parish Giving Scheme — even a small amount makes a big difference
• Volunteer to help clean the church
• Volunteer to help care for the churchyard
You are always welcome to join us for Sunday services — it’s your church, and we would love to see you there.
To give a gift or offer your help, please contact our treasurer, Helen, on 0778596115 or Alan, our church warden on 07435 064809.
Together, we can make sure Hurst Green Church remains a warm, welcoming part of our village life for generations to come.
It has been wonderful to see the new community orchard in Hurst Green park begin to take shape, with the young fruit trees showing good signs of growth. Less welcome, however, has been the discovery that many of the trees have suffered damage. Fortunately, most are now recovering well.
The likely culprits behind the damage are deer, although we cannot rule out that some vandalism may also have played a part. The original grant funding for the orchard did not stretch to full deer protection, which is why only six of the trees were fenced originally.
Residents may have noticed Parish Council Chairman and local farmer, Graham Browne carefully tending to the orchard, especially during the hot spells, when he has been out watering the trees to give them the best chance
of survival. The Council has approached South East Water for support, but as with their provision during water outages, we are still awaiting a response.
There is, however, some good news. Using Community Infrastructure Levy funds, received from a new house built in the east of the parish, the Council has allocated money to install deer protection around all of the trees in the coming weeks. Thanks to the help of parish councillors and volunteers, costs will be kept to a minimum.
The orchard will soon also benefit from the installation of a new bench, which was part of the original DEFRA grant. Looking ahead, we hope to see the launch of the Friends of the Orchard, a new volunteer group to help care for and promote the orchard.
If you are interested in taking a lead role or volunteering, please contact Councillors Andrew Brown or Paul Cloves, or any of your parish councillors.
The Council is exploring a way to record and acknowledge those families and individuals who adopted trees, perhaps with the addition of another commemorative plaque in the park.
Together, these improvements will help ensure that the orchard continues to grow into a thriving community asset for years to come.
Hurst Green CE Primary School celebrates a year of achievement
Hurst Green Church of England Primary School and Nursery is proud to celebrate a year filled with achievement, creativity, and community spirit, crowned by a glowing inspection report from March 2025 that praised the school’s nurturing ethos and ambitious curriculum.
The inspection highlighted the school’s “unwavering commitment to fostering a nurturing and ambitious learning environment,” noting that pupils are “fiercely proud” of their village school and arrive each day with excitement. The school’s Core Christian values—trust, perseverance, aspiration, service, compassion and courage—shine through in every aspect of school life.
Key Highlights from the Report:
• Ambitious Curriculum: A well-sequenced and inclusive curriculum tailored to meet the diverse needs of all pupils.
• Outstanding Behaviour: Pupils demonstrate high levels of motivation and attentiveness.
• Rich Enrichment Opportunities: From museum visits to leadership roles like Worship Warriors and the School Council.
• Personal Development Focus: The Life Skills curriculum builds confidence, resilience, and self-belief.
A Year of Memorable Moments
• Educational Trips: Visits to the Science Museum, British Museum, Bedgebury, Drusillas, and a Nursery celebration with inflatables.
• Musical Excellence: Pupils performed a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang routine at the DCAT Enriched event, winning “Best Musical Theatre Performance.”
• Community Engagement: Worship Warriors supported the local Breakfast Club, sharing stories and serving tea to older residents.
• Creative Clubs: Gardening, art, and sports clubs flourished, with children crafting butterfly feeders, clay snails, and vibrant fish bowls.
• Sporting Success: KS2 pupils placed 2nd in the Quad 4s and 1st in the local cricket tournament.
• Career Inspiration: Careers Week featured speakers from medicine, finance and tech to the armed forces and counselling.
• Historical Learning: Viking Day for Year 3 and 4 brought history to life with hands-on experiences and costumes.
Looking Ahead
The school is excited to unveil a new logo and uniform in the upcoming term and will soon announce Open Day dates on its website.
As Year 6 pupils prepare to move on to secondary schools including Cranbrook Grammar, Uplands, and Robertsbridge, the entire school community celebrates their journey and achievements.
Headteacher Miss Flack shared, “We are incredibly proud of our pupils, staff, and families. This year has been a shining example of what makes Hurst Green special—a place where every child is known, nurtured, and inspired.”
Battling the need for speed ...
Ask anybody in our village what the key issues are and I would bet that speeding through the village comes out as a major concern. Whilst endless schemes including traffic calming, roundabouts, lights and more have been put forward, so far none has been adopted. And still, cars and trucks hurtle through the village.
To try to keep the village safe, Community Speedwatch is now active in Hurst Green.
Allan Cheek, a member of the group, tells us more.
“As reported in the last issue we now have a regular volunteer attendance at two locations on the A21 and A265 Station Road to monitor the traffic through our village and here are some results from Hurst Green (A21) Speedwatch Group:
During the last week 29 vehicles were input
During the last month 41 vehicles were input
During the year (since inception) 198 vehicles were input
‘Input’ refers to the number of vehicles recorded during the sessions at speeds in excess of the Sussex police thresholds and requiring action. Details of these vehicles including the recorded speeds are passed directly to Sussex police for further action.
Apart from the speed detection during the sessions, the aim of these Community Speedwatch volunteers is to create awareness in road users of the importance of simply complying with the village’s speed limit to make everyone’s safety their responsibility.
The group would still benefit from more volunteers coming forward to assist with this important element of our village life. It’s not an onerous task, just a half hour maybe once a week to suit your availability. See the Community Speedwatch website: https://www.communityspeedwatch.org”
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20, HIGH STREET, ROBERTSBRIDGE
Tel 01580 880977
thefloralboutiqueltd@gmail.com
FRESH FLOWERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS FOLIAGE & FLOWERING PLANTS
Also stocking – Candles, glass, ceramic pots.
AGENT FOR DRY CLEANING & LAUNDRY SERVICE
Open Monday – Saturday
Telephone orders welcome
Wide delivery area
Major credit cards taken Committed to using less plastic
Who Really Pays to Keep the Lights On?
In recent months, the Parish Council has been digging into the complicated question of who owns and maintains which streetlights around Hurst Green.
You might think that lights along major A roads and at busy junctions - there for clear road safety reasons, would naturally be funded and maintained by the County Council or National Highways. Equally, you might assume that smaller residential roads might sometimes be the Parish Council’s responsibility. But in Hurst Green, in nearly every case, the reality is the opposite.
Streetlights in locations you’d expect to be covered by the County Council are instead paid for by the Parish Council, while streetlights on many of the village roads and those in less critical locations are looked after by the County. This patchwork of ownership doesn’t make sense, and seemingly leaves parishioners footing the bill for lights that serve the wider travelling public. The cost of powering and maintaining these lights forms a significant share of the Parish Council’s annual budget. That is money that could otherwise be spent on improving village facilities, enhancing community services, and delivering projects that directly benefit Hurst Green residents.
Parish Councillor Andrew Brown said, “every
COMEDY CORNER
A man said, “Some fellow stole my wife’s credit card. His friend said, “Have you reported it to the Police?”
The husband quickly replied, “No I haven’t. It turns out the fellow who stole it is spending less than she was??”
A Spanish Fire Chief’s wife presented him with twin boys. They called one of them Hosea - and the other Hose-B!
pound spent subsidising county roads, is a pound that can’t be spent on improving life in the village. These costs should be borne by higher government authorities, the County Council or National Highways, not by local taxpayers, and we’re grateful for the support of our county councillors to help resolve this.”
The Parish Council has requested meetings with officials from East Sussex County Council and National Highways. In the meantime, rest assured that the Parish Council is doing its best to shine a light on this issue (quite literally). After all, streetlights aren’t just about bulbs and columns, they’re about keeping our parish safe, welcoming, and well looked after.
Best foot forward!
With no league matches during the summer we have been keeping up our fitness levels by playing a few friendlies at the Uckfield 3G sports facility. This has involved games for league players but also some where the rest of us get to have a game against another club.
Nothing too strenuous but a good run-out and good experience for those not used to playing league matches.
Talking of strenuous, we have been having some debate over how best to introduce new players into the game.
Many think that it’s a game for doddery old blokes on zimmers but it can be quite a shock to
the system to walk at speed, stop, twist and turn and kick a ball – something they may not have done for 30 years or more.
We advise new players to warm-up before kickoff and don’t go too mad straight away but for all that good advice we have still lost our last two new players through a pulled calf muscle and a groin strain within the first half an hour of making their debut.
Not a great advert for the game but ultimately they must take some responsibility for their bodies - don’t push yourself too hard and grow into the sport over a few sessions – please!
Last month we had a Pizza Evening at the Etchingham Bistro and as can be seen in the photo – clean platters all round and no injuries!
If all this talk of injuries hasn’t put you off and you want to get involved please contact Steve Mintram on 01435 882444 for more information www.burwashwalkingfootballers.co.uk
Howzat!
At the time of writing we’re well into the season which has been going reasonably well with 4 wins out of 6.
In the last issue of the Hurst we featured our darts match against the Royal George and on 27 June we played the return match in front of the biggest crowd I can remember at the Drewett Field.
Closer than we would have wanted it to be, Hurst Green CC came out eventual winners and it was followed by a great barbecue in the garden at the Royal George.
Further thanks to the Royal George for sponsoring some new training equipment for the club which has been put to good use on our Tuesday evening practice sessions. At those sessions we’ve also had a few younger players come along and join in which has led to George Marsh turning out for the team on a Sunday and taking a good catch in just his second game. By the time this issue lands on your doorsteps, our
season will be close to finishing and we hope, all being well, that our practice net will be finished and ready for use next season.
The practice net will provide an all weather surface for us to further practice our bowling and batting and, we hope, encourage a few more in the village to pick up a bat and ball and have a go.
Enjoy the autumn and we look forward to doing it all again next season!
