Hailsham
Encyclopedia
Hailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five main town
s in the Wealden
district of East Sussex
, England. Mentioned in the Domesday Book
, the town of Hailsham has had a long history of industry and agriculture. Whilst the town is undoubtedly moving with the times, it still retains its character as a market town.
), ‘Aylesham’ in the 13th century, to its present spelling in the late 1600s.
and the Anglo Saxons. In the year 490 A.D., the Saxon invaders advanced along the coast from their original landing place at Selsey
and, according to the Saxon Chronicle, attacked and took the British stronghold of Anderida which was the fort the Romans had built at what is now Pevensey
, a few miles from Hailsham, thereby consolidating their conquest and forming the small kingdom of the South Saxons, or Sussex
.
It was on the Pevensey Levels
, which extend from Hailsham to the coast, that William of Normandy made his historic landing in 1066, for, in those days, the seashore was some distance inland - about halfway between Hailsham and the present beach along Pevensey Bay - and the ancient castle stood upon an island amongst the marshes of the River Ashburn
.
The manor of Hailsham is recorded in the Domesday Survey completed by the Normans twenty years later.
There was some activity in this part of Sussex during the baronial wars and in the armed rivalry between Matilda and Stephen, the castle at Pevensey being garrisoned and held by opposing sides. Men of Hailsham may have taken part in the important battle of Lewes in 1264 when Simon de Montfort
’s victory resulted in the establishment of the first principles of parliamentary representation.
During the seventeenth-century civil war between Charles I
and Parliament
, Hailsham and this part of Sussex declared against the royalist cause.
Little is known of the town of Hailsham before the 1086 Domesday Book
, but evidence of a Roman road from Leap Cross across the Common, indicates some occupation prior to this.
granted the town a Market Charter in 1252 - 200 years before the discovery of America. Originally, the market was held in the High Street and in Market Square, only moving to its present location in 1868. Sheep and cattle were driven from miles around along the various ancient droves until the arrival of the railway station and motor lorries. Today, the weekly livestock markets
, together with the monthly farmers’ market and Friday stall markets continue to serve the town and the wider rural economy.
road and crosses the low-lying farmlands, passing close to New Bridge and on across Horse Eye Level to Rickney.
It then turns westwards taking an irregular course over the Glynleigh Level, across the Cuckoo Trail
(former railway line) to the main Eastbourne
road (A22), continuing northwards along this for about three-quarters of a mile until it goes west and north again to take in some of the woodlands around Cacklebury.
It runs on the west side of the A22 in a northerly direction between Hailsham and the River Cuckmere
to Hempstead where it turns east to meet the A22. It then runs northwards to the point where the Cuckmere crosses the A22 and follows the river eastwards to Horsebridge
and the A271.
On an irregular course eastwards, sometimes following the A271 and sometimes to the north of it, until Amberstone where it completes its delineation by a final straight mile along the line of the road to Carter's Corner Place.
This includes the areas, which under the Wealden
Parishes Order 1991, were transferred to Hailsham being a large area of Hellingly
Parish (the residential areas around Anglesey Avenue, Upper Horsebridge, and Lansdowne Drive) along with several smaller areas to the east, south and west (transferred from Arlington, East Sussex
, Hellingly
, and Pevensey
Parishes). A further area of Hellingly Parish (between the A22 and Anglesey Avenue) was transferred to Hailsham under the Wealden Parishes Order 1993.
, within about 7 miles (11.3 km) of the coast and between the well-wooded hills of the southern Forest Ridge and the undulating chalk countryside of the South Downs
, Hailsham is surrounded by much attractive and unspoilt scenery. Hailsham is already the largest settlement in the southern half of the Wealden district, and the largest inland town in East Sussex with around 8,500 homes and a population of just over 20,000.
; 24 miles (38.6 km) south of Tunbridge Wells; 18 miles (29 km) west of Hastings
; and 14 miles (22.5 km) east of the County town of Lewes
. London
is some 57 miles (91.7 km) away.
Hailsham is ideally situated for ease of access to many of the larger towns of Sussex and the south coast, with their more extensive shopping centres and entertainment facilities, being centrally located within the Eastbourne
/Hastings
/Tunbridge Wells triangle. It is also within easy reach of airports, Channel ferry terminals, the Channel Tunnel
and London
.
district, has a relatively high average daytime temperature, with above high sunshine averages. Rainfall is heaviest during the autumn and early winter months. As South East England
is closest to continental Europe
, this can result in cold spells in winter and very warm, humid weather during the summer.
Local/regional crime figures
(statistics are per 1,000 of the population within the local authority (Wealden
) area (2008/09)
As of May 2011, Jeff Bentley-Astor is the current Town Mayor/Chairman and Richard Grocock is the Deputy Town Mayor/Vice-Chairman.
County Council
with responsibility for Education, Libraries, Social Services, Civil Registration, Trading Standards and Transport. Elections for the County Council are held every four years. For these elections Hailsham is combined with Herstmonceux
to return two seats. The 2009 East Sussex County Council election resulted in 29 Conservatives, 13 Liberal Democrats, 4 Labour and 3 Independent, of which the Hailsham and Herstmonceux ward provided two Conservative councillors.
is the parliamentary constituency that covers Hailsham, much of the Wealden area and parts of Eastbourne, Lewes and Battle. The current serving MP is the Conservative Charles Hendry, who won the seat in the 2001 general election
and was re-elected in 2005 and 2010. At European level, Hailsham is represented by the South-East region, which holds ten seats in the European Parliament
. The June 2009 election returned 4 Conservative, 2 Liberal Democrat, 2 UK Independence, 1 Labour and 1 Green awarded seats.
Hailsham was granted a charter to hold a market in 1252 by King Henry III
.
There is currently much controversy over the sale of Hailsham Cattle Market and its redevelopment into a supermarket. The land is currently owned by supermarket chain Aldi
who plan to build a supermarket on the site, although the amended planning application was rejected by Wealden
District Council in November 2007. Should the market close, the nearest alternatives would be in Ashford, Kent
or Salisbury, Wiltshire
. Local MP Charles Hendry
, the National Farmers Union amongst others have spoken out against closure. The Public Inquiry lodged by Aldi against the District Council's decision to refuse planning permission commenced on 11 February 2009 and ended on 19 February 2009.
Hailsham's traditional industry was rope making, which included supplying ropes for public hanging
to Great Britain and the Colonies. Presently, light industry survives in two large industrial estates to the west of the town, located in Diplocks Way and Station Road, and several smaller ones including those situated in Hackhurst Lane (Lower Dicker
) and north of Old Swan Lane, all of which provide a source of employment for local residents.
In the past few decades, the main shopping area in Hailsham has developed along the High Street and George Street. A parade of units at St Mary's Walk made a significant contribution to the variety and quality of independently owned retail facilities in Hailsham.
The Quintins development, located beside the longer-established Vicarage Field precinct, was opened to the public in the late 1980s, creating a more central focus for shopping in Hailsham. The shopping centre was named after Quintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone
. At the heart of the centre was the Co-operative (supermarket) until its closure on 15 July 2011. There is a Waitrose
supermarket nearby in Vicarage Field, which was previously a Somerfield store.
Another supermarket, Tesco
, was granted planning permission for a new store on land in North Street. Building work began in 2007 and the store opened on 3 November 2008. The Tesco plans have been the subject of much debate in the town over the past 15 years, with some local councillors disagreeing with the planned development. Another supermarket, Lidl
, also plan to open a supermarket at the new Ropemaker Park development, on the former site of the Marlow Ropes factory. Plans to redevelop the Quintins Centre car park to include provision for a 1,407 square metre food store, additional units to the North Street frontage and a new car park deck have undergone public consultation
and been approved by Wealden District Council.
for both convenience goods, (day to day) shopping and higher order durable goods shopping. A retail study commissioned by Wealden
District Council for the non-statutory local plan indicated that Hailsham town centre could support around 1,600 square metres net of additional convenience goods floorspace by 2014. The study also indicated that there was scope in expenditure terms for 2,100 square metres net durable goods floor space in the town centre.
Within the main shopping area in Hailsham, as indicated in the Hailsham & Hellingly
Masterplan, the Council aims to improve the quality of shopping facilities by encouraging small-scale redevelopments, the refurbishment and annexation of existing premises, and better and more sympathetic shop signs and frontages.
Established in 1998, Hailsham Farmers' Market
is based in the only active Livestock Market in East and West Sussex
, and is living proof that Farmers' Markets are a vital link between the farmer and the consumer all round.
. Wealden
planning
policies will result in further development in and around Hailsham, together with increased local infrastructure and services. These developments will add growth to the town and could result in an expansion of its amenities once completed.
The Hailsham & Hellingly Masterplan, submitted to Wealden District Council as supplementary planning guidance in 2009, has taken a holistic approach to the town's infrastructure: roads; sewerage and drainage; transport
; retail
; employment land; housing; healthcare; education
and training; leisure, recreation and the arts. Among the Masterplan’s proposals are long-term visualisations for the town's roads, including two major (new) relief roads which would make the High Street and town centre more pedestrian-friendly, a community-based diagnostic and treatment centre with GP surgeries, and a community park/complex.
, located in Battle Road, which has achieved a specialist status of sports college. In 2006, Hailsham Community College was awarded the prestigious Sportsmark standard for its work in Physical Education and within the wider community. In June 2007 it gained the Healthy Schools Gold standard, in recognition of its work to support the health and wellbeing of the students.
The town also has an independent secondary school, St. Bede's School
.
In Literature, the book "Never Let Me Go" uses Hailsham school as a background.
, Wealden
District Council, the Federation of Small Businesses
, and East Sussex
County Council Social Care representatives. This body is co-ordinating a unified provision with support via a series of working groups, and any new educational provision in Hailsham (i.e. new schools) would be required to be integrated within this project.
doctors’ practices, one health centre, one physiotherapy unit and four NHS dental practices. Hospitals serving this area are located in Eastbourne
, Hastings
, Uckfield
and Crowborough
, and are managed by the East Sussex
Hospitals NHS Trust
.
With the proposed increase in housing for Hailsham in the next few years, there is a projected growth in the population of approximately 8000 by 2026. As a consequence, the health requirements for the area are likely to be reviewed to meet the extra demands on the services, including the need for new and expanded doctors' surgeries, that will be created by these developments to achieve a qualitative improvement to existing services.
to Eastbourne
and the A27 South Coast Trunk Road
. Both of them (the latter especially) have frequent congestion and traffic problems due to roundabouts and short single carriageway stretches.
Hailsham is served by Stagecoach Buses
on routes that serve the town; and also extend to Eastbourne
, Bexhill
and Uckfield
. Cuckmere Community Bus
, an independent charity run by volunteers, provides supplementary bus links into Hailsham to and from neighbouring villages. A Quality Bus Partnership was set up by Hailsham Town Council in November 2011 to drive forward improvements to the planning of bus routes and bus stop networks.
, running from Polegate
to Tunbridge Wells
. The line from Polegate was opened in May 1849 and finally closed as part of the Beeching cuts
in 1968. The southern 12 miles (19.3 km) of disused line between Polegate and Heathfield
is now a cycleway-footpath known as the Cuckoo Trail
. Hailsham Railway station
outlived the rest of the Cuckoo Line by three years, the section north of Hailsham closing to passenger
traffic in 1965. The track was retained with a weekly freight service until April 1968 when a bridge at nearby hamlet
Horsebridge was damaged by a road vehicle. With the whole line due for closure, the damaged railway infrastructure was never repaired.
The closure of the section from Polegate to Hailsham was disputed — British Railways going so far as to admit that the town was growing at the time of closure and that the town would soon outgrow other public transport. Despite this, passenger services finished on 9 September 1968 with the final train, composed of two Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) units, leaving Hailsham station to the sound of detonators on the line and the tune of Auld Lang Syne
sang by a large crowd who had gathered. After 119 years of railway operation into Hailsham, the line was gone.
Print
Local newspapers include the Hailsham Gazette and the Sussex Express, both published by Johnston Publishing Ltd. The Hailsham music and social scene is also covered in the monthly East Magazine, an independent publication aimed principally at younger people. A similar publication is the more regional Magnet. Both are freely distributed throughout the town.
, as well as independent stations Heart Sussex (formerly Southern FM) and 107.5 Sovereign FM, which is based in St Mary's Walk.
within the town as an essential activity for residents. The Alliance has an active committee which meets regularly to discuss local sporting issues.
for the current Welbury and Woodholm Farm development and as outlined in the Hailsham & Hellingly
Masterplan proposal, plans to build an additional community sports hall and formal play facilities in Hailsham are being discussed. The new sports facility will accommodate a wider variety of users, meeting the demands of the growing local sports community.
which rehearses at Union Corner Hall. The band was formed in February 1979 and held its first practice in the Church at Vines Cross on the 6th of March 1979. The Hailsham Choral Society, founded in 1961, performs several concerts in Hailsham and neighbouring towns throughout the year.
Four pubs remain in the three streets that make up the triangle of Hailsham Town Centre including: The Grenadier; The Corn Exchange; and The Terminus. The fourth, 'The George', closed in June 2008 due to financial pressures, but reopened in December 2008 under new ownership. The Corn Exchange also operates as a nightclub
on weekend nights. In addition, Hailsham has several members' clubs in the town centre including: Slate Base; the Hailsham Memorial Institute and The Hailsham Club (known locally as The Top Club). Local public houses and inns that have vanished over the years include: The Railway Tavern, The Good Intent; The Fox; The Black Horse Inn; The Swan Inn; The Market House; The Cow and The Brewers Arms (formerly the Railway Arms).
, with The Kid
starring and directed by Charlie Chaplin as the first picture.
Following many years of service, the Pavilion closed as a cinema in 1965. The Pavilion served as a bingo hall until 1987, before being purchased using a Compulsory Purchase Order
, after its owners fell into receivership, by Wealden
District Council. By 1999, Hailsham Old Pavilion Society had raised enough money to restore the old cinema, and signed a 31-year lease at a peppercorn rent.
, Gallery North in North Street. Since the Gallery North project began in November 2004, they have shown the work of over 200 artists, organised numerous art workshops, courses and events (including the formation and promotion of Hailsham’s first Arts Festival).
Although Gallery North is supported by Wealden
District Council and Hailsham Town Council
, they rely on donations, grants, bursaries and sponsorship from various organisations to manage the project. They are a not-for-profit organisation run by unpaid volunteers.
councillor (unknown) and adopted by Hailsham Town Council for use on all official documents. It was created by a local resident in the form of a shield, which was presented to the Council, and now hangs in the Town Council
offices at The Inglenook in Market Street. The resident responsible for painting the shield was Mr P.V. Collings, a reitired artist assigned to produce work for the Royal Family
.
The shield is divided into four sectors. The upper left of these shows the six gold martlets and crown of the armorial bearings of the County of East Sussex
. The remaining three quadrants each depict a facet of the town's history or culture.
The upper right shows a sheaf of corn, crook and rake, to illustrate the agricultural and rural connection from which Hailsham derived its status as a market town
. The lower right shows a mill, of which Hailsham originally had several of this type - although it is believed that this represents the last surviving mill - Hamlin's Mill in Mill Road (the remains of ancillary buildings can still be seen) and again represents Hailsham's close connection with the farming industry.
Finally, the lower left quadrant depicts a ball of twine and rope "dolly", representing Hailsham's later entry into light industry, in the form of rope
making, which supported several factories and numerous "ropewalks" within the town's boundaries. These have all but disappeared, with the Marlow Ropes factory in South Road, relocating in 2006.
, held annually in October. An average attendance of 3,000+ people descend upon the town centre to witness the event, organised by the Hailsham Bonfire Society. Additional town festivities include the Hailsham Carnival, held each summer and organised by the Lark In The Park Charitable Trust
and partner organisations, and various Christmas
activities, which have been coordinated by Hailsham Town Council
, Hailsham & District Chamber of Commerce
, Hailsham Lions' Club
, Hailsham Rotary Club and St Wilfrid's Hospice in recent years.
prior to preservation orders being introduced. However, the present town retains a number of buildings which display evidence of antiquity. The houses are mainly Victorian
in character with more modern residential developments around the original town centre.
The Twinning Charter between Hailsham and Gournay-en-Bray
(a small town in Normandy
, France) was originally signed in Hailsham in October 2000 and in Gournay-en-Bray in February 2001, but officially renewed in October 2010 and February 2011 respectively. Whilst the population of the two towns differs considerably (Hailsham c.20,500; Gournay-en-Bray c.5,000), the features and facilities of both towns are quite similar. A number of cultural and host family visits in both directions take place each year.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
s in the Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
district of East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, England. Mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, the town of Hailsham has had a long history of industry and agriculture. Whilst the town is undoubtedly moving with the times, it still retains its character as a market town.
Etymology
The name ‘Hailsham’ is thought to come from the Saxon ‘Haegels Ham’, meaning the cleaning of Haegel, or possibly even 'Aella’s Ham’, the cleaning of Aella the Saxon. The name of the town has changed through the ages to ‘Hamelsham’ (as it was referred to in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
), ‘Aylesham’ in the 13th century, to its present spelling in the late 1600s.
History
The town of Hailsham was settled before the RomansAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and the Anglo Saxons. In the year 490 A.D., the Saxon invaders advanced along the coast from their original landing place at Selsey
Selsey
Selsey is a seaside town and civil parish, about seven miles south of Chichester, in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. Selsey lies at the southernmost point of the Manhood Peninsula, almost cut off from mainland Sussex by the sea...
and, according to the Saxon Chronicle, attacked and took the British stronghold of Anderida which was the fort the Romans had built at what is now Pevensey
Pevensey
Pevensey is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The main village is located 5 miles north-east of Eastbourne, one mile inland from Pevensey Bay. The settlement of Pevensey Bay forms part of the parish.-Geography:The village of Pevensey is located on...
, a few miles from Hailsham, thereby consolidating their conquest and forming the small kingdom of the South Saxons, or Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
.
It was on the Pevensey Levels
Pevensey Levels
The area known as the Pevensey Levels is a Site of Special Scientific Interest notified under Section 28 of theWildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an area of marshland situated between Bexhill in the east, Pevensey in the west and Hailsham in the north...
, which extend from Hailsham to the coast, that William of Normandy made his historic landing in 1066, for, in those days, the seashore was some distance inland - about halfway between Hailsham and the present beach along Pevensey Bay - and the ancient castle stood upon an island amongst the marshes of the River Ashburn
River Ashburn
Ashburn is a river in the Dartmoor moors in Devon in south-west England, flowing through the Ashburton valley to the River Dart.The River Ashburn is a small river on Dartmoor, rising near Rippon Tor, flowing through the town of Ashburton and joining with the river Dart near Buckfastleigh. The...
.
The manor of Hailsham is recorded in the Domesday Survey completed by the Normans twenty years later.
There was some activity in this part of Sussex during the baronial wars and in the armed rivalry between Matilda and Stephen, the castle at Pevensey being garrisoned and held by opposing sides. Men of Hailsham may have taken part in the important battle of Lewes in 1264 when Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Chester , sometimes referred to as Simon V de Montfort to distinguish him from other Simon de Montforts, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4, and...
’s victory resulted in the establishment of the first principles of parliamentary representation.
During the seventeenth-century civil war between Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
, Hailsham and this part of Sussex declared against the royalist cause.
Little is known of the town of Hailsham before the 1086 Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, but evidence of a Roman road from Leap Cross across the Common, indicates some occupation prior to this.
Market town status
Henry IIIHenry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
granted the town a Market Charter in 1252 - 200 years before the discovery of America. Originally, the market was held in the High Street and in Market Square, only moving to its present location in 1868. Sheep and cattle were driven from miles around along the various ancient droves until the arrival of the railway station and motor lorries. Today, the weekly livestock markets
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
, together with the monthly farmers’ market and Friday stall markets continue to serve the town and the wider rural economy.
Dates of significance
- 1154 to 1189: Sir Richard Covert of Bradbridge was Lord of the “Manor of Haylesham”.
- 1228: Advowson of "Haylesham Church" granted to Michelham Priory.
- 1234: Salt pan workings extracted salt from the tidal waters (hence, the areas of Saltmarsh and Marshfoot).
- 1252: Henry IIIHenry III of EnglandHenry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
granted Market Charter to the Royal favourite, Peter of Savoy. - 1263: Gilbert, son of Gilbert Godseb drowned while bathing in “Haylesham Pond” (now known as the Common Pond.)
- 1264: Benedict the Jew of “Heylesham”, was “outlawed” (much as Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
would have been) for clipping the King’s coin. - 1399 to 1413: Troy weights were introduced to the Market. Early consumer protections move.
- 1425 to 1450: St Mary’s Church, Hailsham built - (present structure).
- 1540 to 1640: Hailsham was one of the chief centres of leatherwork and tanningTanningTanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
(using local oak bark) due to being a thriving cattle market town. - 1542: Fleur-de-Lys Inn built in Market Street (later to be the Parish Workhouse, and now Town CouncilTown councilA town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
Offices). - 1559: Uprising of the inhabitants of Hailsham who burnt part of the church.
- 1581: Manor of “Haylesham” granted to Gregory, Lord Dacre of HerstmonceuxHerstmonceuxHerstmonceux is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The parish includes Herstmonceux Castle, the village of Cowbeech and a number of smaller hamlets.-History:...
. - 1603: James VI of Scotland declared King of England - probably from the market cross in Market Square in "Haylysham".
- 1663: First five bells cast for Hailsham Church at Bellbanks (Common Pond) by John Hodson.
- 1708: Hailsham Vicarage built next to Parish Church (now known as “The Grange”).
- 1800: The Stone Cross in Market Square removed as being an obstacle to carts and wagons.
- 1803: Barracks established on Hailsham Common (between Summerfields Road and London Road) to house troops for the war with FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(dismantled in 1815 after success at Battle of WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
). - 1803: Grenadier Inn in High Street also built to meet needs of troops.
- 1804: “Newhouse” built in George Street (later to be re-named “Cortland”).
- 1807: Rope making started by Thomas Burfield.
- 1827: National School built in South Road, Hailsham to replace one held in the Church by churchwarden Francis Howlett.
- 1836: New “Union” Workhouse built at junction of Hellingly and Hailsham parish boundaries (serving needs of 12 parishes).
- 1849: Hailsham Station and railway service to PolegatePolegatePolegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne, and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with...
opened. - 1855: As a result of an Enclosure Award on Hailsham Common, the Recreation Ground in Western Road was created.
- 1862: Hailsham Infants’ School built in the High Street (at the junction with North Street).
- 1868: Market ceased to be held in High Street/Market Square - moved to new walled-in site in Market Street.
- 1878: Hailsham Board School built in Battle Road (now Hailsham Community CollegeHailsham Community CollegeHailsham Community College is the only secondary school in Hailsham. The school is a dual specialist Sports College and Business and Enterprise College. Hailsham Community College consists of a secondary school for pupils aged 11–16 and then a Sixth Form College for students aged 16–18. There are...
).
- 1880: Railway line extended northwards to HeathfieldHeathfield, East SussexHeathfield is a small market town, and the principal settlement in the civil parish of Heathfield and Waldron in the Wealden District of East Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, England.-Location:...
and Tunbridge Wells. - 1885: Water Works Company started supply from springs at Magham Down.
- 1894: Austens gun shop burnt down where Victoria Gate now stands.
- 1895: First Parish Council elections.
- 1906: Hailsham Church obtained first pipe organPipe organThe pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
. - 1907: Telephone ExchangeTelephone exchangeIn the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
first installed in High Street. - 1921: Hailsham War Memorial erected.
- 1943: Bomb fell near church destroying the Auxiliary Fire Station with the loss of one life.
- 1951: Four of the Hailsham church bells were re-cast and all the bells re-hung.
- 1965: Closure of the Cuckoo line to passenger traffic.
- 1974: Hailsham Parish Council adopted the status of Town Council.
- 1986: Major improvement works carried out to the 1.86 acre Common Pond site began, including the creation of a second central island.
- 1988: The Quintin’s Shopping Centre in North Street opened to the public, named after Quintin HoggQuintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St MaryleboneFor the businessman and philanthropist, see Quintin Hogg Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC, FRS , formerly 2nd Viscount Hailsham , was a British politician who was known for the longevity of his career, the vigour with which he campaigned for the Conservative...
, Baron Hailsham of Marylebone. - 1990: Cuckoo TrailCuckoo TrailThe Cuckoo Trail is an footpath and cycleway which runs from Hampden Park to Heathfield in East Sussex. It passes through the towns of Polegate and Hailsham, as well as the villages of Hellingly and Horam.- History :...
opened to walkers, cyclists and horse riders. - 1993: The Hailsham Pavilion Cinema & Theatre refurbished.
- 2000: The Hailsham Pavilion Cinema & Theatre re-opened to the public via funds raised by the Hailsham Old Pavilion Society (H.O.P.S.) to restore the old cinema. A 31-year lease was signed at a peppercorn rent.
- 2007: Planning applications for the construction of an AldiALDIALDI Einkauf GmbH & Co. oHG, doing business as ', short for "Albrecht Discount", is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany...
supermarket at the historic Hailsham Cattle Market site rejected by WealdenWealdenFor the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
District Council.
Hailsham Museum & Heritage Centre
Glimpses of the town's intriguing past are to be found in photographs and artefacts available for viewing at the Heritage Centre, Blackman’s Yard, Market Street, which is run by members of the Hailsham Historical and Natural History Society. A small but interesting display is available to members of the public including period kitchen, farming and agriculture, local industry and wartime memorabilia. The Centre is open May to September (Fridays and Saturdays from 10.30am-12.30pm).The Parish of Hailsham
The civic parish of Hailsham is approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) in breadth and 4 miles (6.4 km) from north to south between its extreme points. Its boundary (going in a clockwise direction) runs from its most northerly limit, near Carter`s Corner Place, in a southerly direction around Magham Down, over the HerstmonceuxHerstmonceux
Herstmonceux is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The parish includes Herstmonceux Castle, the village of Cowbeech and a number of smaller hamlets.-History:...
road and crosses the low-lying farmlands, passing close to New Bridge and on across Horse Eye Level to Rickney.
It then turns westwards taking an irregular course over the Glynleigh Level, across the Cuckoo Trail
Cuckoo Trail
The Cuckoo Trail is an footpath and cycleway which runs from Hampden Park to Heathfield in East Sussex. It passes through the towns of Polegate and Hailsham, as well as the villages of Hellingly and Horam.- History :...
(former railway line) to the main Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
road (A22), continuing northwards along this for about three-quarters of a mile until it goes west and north again to take in some of the woodlands around Cacklebury.
It runs on the west side of the A22 in a northerly direction between Hailsham and the River Cuckmere
River Cuckmere
The River Cuckmere rises near Heathfield in East Sussex, England on the southern slopes of the Weald. The name of the river probably comes from an Old English word meaning fast-flowing, since it descends over 100 m in its initial four miles...
to Hempstead where it turns east to meet the A22. It then runs northwards to the point where the Cuckmere crosses the A22 and follows the river eastwards to Horsebridge
Horsebridge
Horsebridge is a small village in the civil parish of King's Somborne in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England. Its nearest town is Stockbridge, which lies approximately 3.6 miles north-east from the village...
and the A271.
On an irregular course eastwards, sometimes following the A271 and sometimes to the north of it, until Amberstone where it completes its delineation by a final straight mile along the line of the road to Carter's Corner Place.
This includes the areas, which under the Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
Parishes Order 1991, were transferred to Hailsham being a large area of Hellingly
Hellingly
Hellingly is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located 1.5 miles north of Hailsham.The nearby village of Lower Dicker is located within the parish.-History:...
Parish (the residential areas around Anglesey Avenue, Upper Horsebridge, and Lansdowne Drive) along with several smaller areas to the east, south and west (transferred from Arlington, East Sussex
Arlington, East Sussex
Arlington is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex. The parish is on the River Cuckmere, and is the location for a medieval priory, a reservoir and car racetrack.-History:The area has been settled since Anglo-Saxon times...
, Hellingly
Hellingly
Hellingly is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located 1.5 miles north of Hailsham.The nearby village of Lower Dicker is located within the parish.-History:...
, and Pevensey
Pevensey
Pevensey is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The main village is located 5 miles north-east of Eastbourne, one mile inland from Pevensey Bay. The settlement of Pevensey Bay forms part of the parish.-Geography:The village of Pevensey is located on...
Parishes). A further area of Hellingly Parish (between the A22 and Anglesey Avenue) was transferred to Hailsham under the Wealden Parishes Order 1993.
Geography and climate
Situated in the county of East SussexEast Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, within about 7 miles (11.3 km) of the coast and between the well-wooded hills of the southern Forest Ridge and the undulating chalk countryside of the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
, Hailsham is surrounded by much attractive and unspoilt scenery. Hailsham is already the largest settlement in the southern half of the Wealden district, and the largest inland town in East Sussex with around 8,500 homes and a population of just over 20,000.
Location and accessibility
Hailsham is 8 miles (12.9 km) north of EastbourneEastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
; 24 miles (38.6 km) south of Tunbridge Wells; 18 miles (29 km) west of Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
; and 14 miles (22.5 km) east of the County town of Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
. London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
is some 57 miles (91.7 km) away.
Hailsham is ideally situated for ease of access to many of the larger towns of Sussex and the south coast, with their more extensive shopping centres and entertainment facilities, being centrally located within the Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
/Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
/Tunbridge Wells triangle. It is also within easy reach of airports, Channel ferry terminals, the Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
- Road: Hailsham is directly reached by road as the A22 from London to Eastbourne passes through the parishParishA parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
where it intersects main roads from KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and from West SussexWest SussexWest Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
(A27), including the road through Haywards HeathHaywards Heath-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
and HorshamHorshamHorsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
to GuildfordGuildfordGuildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, and links with roads from the M25 and Midlands. Bus services link Hailsham with Lewes and BrightonBrightonBrighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, UckfieldUckfield-Development:The local Tesco has proposed the redevelopment of the central town area as has the town council. The Hub has recently been completed, having been acquired for an unknown figure, presumed to be about half a million pounds...
, PolegatePolegatePolegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne, and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with...
and Eastbourne, BattleBattle, East SussexBattle is a small town and civil parish in the local government district of Rother in East Sussex, England. It lies south southeast of London, east of Brighton and east of the county town of Lewes...
, BexhillBexhill-on-SeaBexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
and Hastings.
- Rail: The nearest rail connections to Hailsham are at Polegate station. Rail services operate from Eastbourne and Hastings to London, AshfordAshford, KentAshford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
, Tunbridge Wells, Lewes, Gatwick Airport, and Brighton.
- Air: Airline services operate from Gatwick Airport (near CrawleyCrawleyCrawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has...
) whilst Heathrow Airport is reached via the M23M23 motorwayThe M23 motorway is a motorway in England. The motorway runs from south of Hooley in Surrey, where it splits from the A23, to Pease Pottage, south of Crawley in West Sussex where it rejoins the A23. The northern end of the motorway starts at junction 7 on what is effectively a spur north from...
and M25 motorwayM25 motorwayThe M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
s.
Climate
Hailsham, like other towns in the WealdenWealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
district, has a relatively high average daytime temperature, with above high sunshine averages. Rainfall is heaviest during the autumn and early winter months. As South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
is closest to continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, this can result in cold spells in winter and very warm, humid weather during the summer.
Parish
- Area: Approximately 5000 acres.
- Population: Approximately 20,500. The published Electoral Roll for 1999/2000 shows 14,873 recorded electors (the remainder being school children and young persons under voting age).
- Residential Rates: (Council Tax): For the year 2011-2012 this varies from Band A @ £1,111.55, through Band D @ £1,667.33, to Band H @ £3,334.66.
- Average House Price: For the year 2009, £187,341
Crime
Hailsham is a relatively safe town, falling below the national average for robbery, burglaries and other criminal offenses.Local/regional crime figures
(statistics are per 1,000 of the population within the local authority (Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
) area (2008/09)
| Offence | Locally | National average |
|---|---|---|
| Robbery | 0.1 | 1.6 |
| Burglary | 5.0 | 11.1 |
| Criminal damage | 9.7 | 17.4 |
| Drug offences | 1.4 | 4.5 |
| Fraud and forgery | 1.7 | 3.1 |
| Offences against vehicles | 5.3 | 11.1 |
| Sexual offences | 0.5 | 1.0 |
| Violence against the person | 5.8 | 16.8 |
| Other offences | 0.5 | 1.3 |
Governance and administration
In Hailsham, there are three tiers of local government which manage between them the majority of local community services and amenities.Town
At the local level, Hailsham is represented by Hailsham Town Council. The councillors are elected from four wards: Hailsham Central and North Ward (7 seats); Hailsham East Ward (3 seats); Hailsham South and West Ward (10 seats) and Upper Horsebridge Ward (4 seats). The current seat allocation per party is 3 Hailsham Independents, 3 Liberal Democrat and 18 Conservative.As of May 2011, Jeff Bentley-Astor is the current Town Mayor/Chairman and Richard Grocock is the Deputy Town Mayor/Vice-Chairman.
District
Hailsham is the home of Wealden District Council. District Council Elections are held every four years. Fifty five Councillors in total are elected, six of these from the three wards that make up Hailsham. The May 2011 election returned 47 Conservative, 3 Liberal Democrat, 4 Independent Democrat and 1 No party allegiance/non-group.County
The next level of government is the East SussexEast Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
with responsibility for Education, Libraries, Social Services, Civil Registration, Trading Standards and Transport. Elections for the County Council are held every four years. For these elections Hailsham is combined with Herstmonceux
Herstmonceux
Herstmonceux is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The parish includes Herstmonceux Castle, the village of Cowbeech and a number of smaller hamlets.-History:...
to return two seats. The 2009 East Sussex County Council election resulted in 29 Conservatives, 13 Liberal Democrats, 4 Labour and 3 Independent, of which the Hailsham and Herstmonceux ward provided two Conservative councillors.
Parliament
WealdenWealden (UK Parliament constituency)
Wealden is a county constituency covering the Wealden district in East Sussex. It is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Boundaries:...
is the parliamentary constituency that covers Hailsham, much of the Wealden area and parts of Eastbourne, Lewes and Battle. The current serving MP is the Conservative Charles Hendry, who won the seat in the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
and was re-elected in 2005 and 2010. At European level, Hailsham is represented by the South-East region, which holds ten seats in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. The June 2009 election returned 4 Conservative, 2 Liberal Democrat, 2 UK Independence, 1 Labour and 1 Green awarded seats.
Economy
Hailsham itself has a long but uneventful history. Many years ago it became the market town for the prosperous surrounding agricultural district and it continues to be so although there are now many local light industrial undertakings.Industry and commerce
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
.
There is currently much controversy over the sale of Hailsham Cattle Market and its redevelopment into a supermarket. The land is currently owned by supermarket chain Aldi
ALDI
ALDI Einkauf GmbH & Co. oHG, doing business as ', short for "Albrecht Discount", is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany...
who plan to build a supermarket on the site, although the amended planning application was rejected by Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
District Council in November 2007. Should the market close, the nearest alternatives would be in Ashford, Kent
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
or Salisbury, Wiltshire
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
. Local MP Charles Hendry
Charles Hendry
Charles Hendry is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Wealden. In May 2010 he was appointed Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change.-Early life:...
, the National Farmers Union amongst others have spoken out against closure. The Public Inquiry lodged by Aldi against the District Council's decision to refuse planning permission commenced on 11 February 2009 and ended on 19 February 2009.
Hailsham's traditional industry was rope making, which included supplying ropes for public hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
to Great Britain and the Colonies. Presently, light industry survives in two large industrial estates to the west of the town, located in Diplocks Way and Station Road, and several smaller ones including those situated in Hackhurst Lane (Lower Dicker
Lower Dicker
Lower Dicker is a 0.12 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in East Sussex, England. The site was notified in 1998 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The site is a small, over-grown quarry approximately four kilometres north-west of Hailsham.-Geology:Exposures of a...
) and north of Old Swan Lane, all of which provide a source of employment for local residents.
Shopping and retail
Whilst being largely rural in character, Hailsham can still boast a variety of local and national shops, restaurants, and several supermarkets throughout the town.In the past few decades, the main shopping area in Hailsham has developed along the High Street and George Street. A parade of units at St Mary's Walk made a significant contribution to the variety and quality of independently owned retail facilities in Hailsham.
The Quintins development, located beside the longer-established Vicarage Field precinct, was opened to the public in the late 1980s, creating a more central focus for shopping in Hailsham. The shopping centre was named after Quintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone
Quintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone
For the businessman and philanthropist, see Quintin Hogg Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC, FRS , formerly 2nd Viscount Hailsham , was a British politician who was known for the longevity of his career, the vigour with which he campaigned for the Conservative...
. At the heart of the centre was the Co-operative (supermarket) until its closure on 15 July 2011. There is a Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
supermarket nearby in Vicarage Field, which was previously a Somerfield store.
Another supermarket, Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, was granted planning permission for a new store on land in North Street. Building work began in 2007 and the store opened on 3 November 2008. The Tesco plans have been the subject of much debate in the town over the past 15 years, with some local councillors disagreeing with the planned development. Another supermarket, Lidl
Lidl
Lidl is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that operates over 7,200 stores across Europe. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG...
, also plan to open a supermarket at the new Ropemaker Park development, on the former site of the Marlow Ropes factory. Plans to redevelop the Quintins Centre car park to include provision for a 1,407 square metre food store, additional units to the North Street frontage and a new car park deck have undergone public consultation
Public consultation
Public consultation, or simply consultation, is a regulatory process by which the public's input on matters affecting them is sought. Its main goals are in improving the efficiency, transparency and public involvement in large-scale projects or laws and policies...
and been approved by Wealden District Council.
Potential new retail developments
Hailsham competes with nearby towns such as EastbourneEastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
for both convenience goods, (day to day) shopping and higher order durable goods shopping. A retail study commissioned by Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
District Council for the non-statutory local plan indicated that Hailsham town centre could support around 1,600 square metres net of additional convenience goods floorspace by 2014. The study also indicated that there was scope in expenditure terms for 2,100 square metres net durable goods floor space in the town centre.
Within the main shopping area in Hailsham, as indicated in the Hailsham & Hellingly
Hellingly
Hellingly is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located 1.5 miles north of Hailsham.The nearby village of Lower Dicker is located within the parish.-History:...
Masterplan, the Council aims to improve the quality of shopping facilities by encouraging small-scale redevelopments, the refurbishment and annexation of existing premises, and better and more sympathetic shop signs and frontages.
Hailsham Farmers' Market
Hailsham Farmers' Market operates on the second Saturday of each month in the Cattle Market located in Market Street, from 9.00am to 12.30pm. Local food producers offer a variety of fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, dairy products, honey, bread, cakes, eggs, pies, and jams and pickles.Established in 1998, Hailsham Farmers' Market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
is based in the only active Livestock Market in East and West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, and is living proof that Farmers' Markets are a vital link between the farmer and the consumer all round.
Housing and development
Extensive development has taken place in Hailsham since 1945 by private developers, with the northern part of the town now largely developed right up to the boundary with HellinglyHellingly
Hellingly is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located 1.5 miles north of Hailsham.The nearby village of Lower Dicker is located within the parish.-History:...
. Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
planning
Planning
Planning in organizations and public policy is both the organizational process of creating and maintaining a plan; and the psychological process of thinking about the activities required to create a desired goal on some scale. As such, it is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior...
policies will result in further development in and around Hailsham, together with increased local infrastructure and services. These developments will add growth to the town and could result in an expansion of its amenities once completed.
The Hailsham & Hellingly Masterplan, submitted to Wealden District Council as supplementary planning guidance in 2009, has taken a holistic approach to the town's infrastructure: roads; sewerage and drainage; transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
; retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
; employment land; housing; healthcare; education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and training; leisure, recreation and the arts. Among the Masterplan’s proposals are long-term visualisations for the town's roads, including two major (new) relief roads which would make the High Street and town centre more pedestrian-friendly, a community-based diagnostic and treatment centre with GP surgeries, and a community park/complex.
Primary
Hailsham has several primary schools, including Hawkes Farm, Grovelands, Marshlands and White House. In November 2006 two of these, Marshlands and White House, were placed in special measures; both were removed from this category in September 2008, having improved satisfactorily.Secondary
The town has one secondary comprehensive school, Hailsham Community CollegeHailsham Community College
Hailsham Community College is the only secondary school in Hailsham. The school is a dual specialist Sports College and Business and Enterprise College. Hailsham Community College consists of a secondary school for pupils aged 11–16 and then a Sixth Form College for students aged 16–18. There are...
, located in Battle Road, which has achieved a specialist status of sports college. In 2006, Hailsham Community College was awarded the prestigious Sportsmark standard for its work in Physical Education and within the wider community. In June 2007 it gained the Healthy Schools Gold standard, in recognition of its work to support the health and wellbeing of the students.
The town also has an independent secondary school, St. Bede's School
St Bede's School, Hailsham
St. Bede's Senior School is an independent, fee-paying secondary school in the rural village of Upper Dicker, near Hailsham, East Sussex, England, with a total of about 900 pupils, with 60% being boys and 40% being girls. Its grounds cover around of the local area. Founded in 1979, St Bede's has a...
.
In Literature, the book "Never Let Me Go" uses Hailsham school as a background.
Other
Various evening institutes in commercial and advanced subjects and handicrafts are also organised locally in Hailsham, according to current demand.Current coordination of education
Hailsham is currently under review as an 'innovative project'. The provision of the 'Every Child Matters' agenda in Hailsham has been centred around a co-ordinated project involving all the major primary school heads and secondary school principal along with Sussex PoliceSussex Police
Sussex Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing East Sussex, West Sussex and City of Brighton and Hove in southern England. Its head office is in Lewes, Lewes District, East Sussex.-History:...
, Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
District Council, the Federation of Small Businesses
Federation of Small Businesses
The Federation of Small Businesses was formed in 1974 and is the UK's leading business organisation representing small and medium sized businesses.- About the FSB :...
, and East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
County Council Social Care representatives. This body is co-ordinating a unified provision with support via a series of working groups, and any new educational provision in Hailsham (i.e. new schools) would be required to be integrated within this project.
Primary school performance tables
(Rank by aggregate performance in English, Maths and Science, relating to the school year 2008/09.)- Grovelands Community Primary School: 256 (89 curriculum eligible pupils)
- Hawkes Farm Primary School: 245 (60 curriculum eligible pupils)
- White House Primary School: 223 (31 curriculum eligible pupils)
- Marshlands Primary School: 200 (17 curriculum eligible pupils)
- Park Mead Primary School: 213 (16 curriculum eligible pupils)
Healthcare
Hailsham is served by four NHSNational Health Service (England)
The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
doctors’ practices, one health centre, one physiotherapy unit and four NHS dental practices. Hospitals serving this area are located in Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
, Uckfield
Uckfield
-Development:The local Tesco has proposed the redevelopment of the central town area as has the town council. The Hub has recently been completed, having been acquired for an unknown figure, presumed to be about half a million pounds...
and Crowborough
Crowborough
The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
, and are managed by the East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
Hospitals NHS Trust
NHS Trust
A National Health Service trust provides services on behalf of the National Health Service in England and NHS Wales.The trusts are not trusts in the legal sense but are in effect public sector corporations. Each trust is headed by a board consisting of executive and non-executive directors, and is...
.
With the proposed increase in housing for Hailsham in the next few years, there is a projected growth in the population of approximately 8000 by 2026. As a consequence, the health requirements for the area are likely to be reviewed to meet the extra demands on the services, including the need for new and expanded doctors' surgeries, that will be created by these developments to achieve a qualitative improvement to existing services.
Road
Hailsham is near the junction of two major roads, the A22 roadA22 road
The A22 is one of the two-digit major roads in the south east of England. It carries traffic from London to Eastbourne on the East Sussex coast...
to Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
and the A27 South Coast Trunk Road
A27 road
The A27 is a major road in England. It runs from its junction with the A36 at Whiteparish in the county of Wiltshire. It closely parallels the south coast, where it passes through West Sussex and terminates at Pevensey in East Sussex.Between Portsmouth and Lewes, it is one of the busiest trunk...
. Both of them (the latter especially) have frequent congestion and traffic problems due to roundabouts and short single carriageway stretches.
Hailsham is served by Stagecoach Buses
Stagecoach in Eastbourne
Stagecoach in Eastbourne is the name of the bus operator of bus services in the Eastbourne area after taking over Eastbourne Buses and Cavendish Motor Services.-History:...
on routes that serve the town; and also extend to Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, Bexhill
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
and Uckfield
Uckfield
-Development:The local Tesco has proposed the redevelopment of the central town area as has the town council. The Hub has recently been completed, having been acquired for an unknown figure, presumed to be about half a million pounds...
. Cuckmere Community Bus
Cuckmere Community Bus
Cuckmere Community Bus is an independent bus based in Berwick Station, East Sussex. It is run by volunteers.- History :Cuckmere Community Buses started operations in 1976.- Services :-External links:*...
, an independent charity run by volunteers, provides supplementary bus links into Hailsham to and from neighbouring villages. A Quality Bus Partnership was set up by Hailsham Town Council in November 2011 to drive forward improvements to the planning of bus routes and bus stop networks.
Railways
Hailsham used to have a railway station on the Cuckoo LineCuckoo Line
The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at Heathfield, a station on the route...
, running from Polegate
Polegate
Polegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne, and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with...
to Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
. The line from Polegate was opened in May 1849 and finally closed as part of the Beeching cuts
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
in 1968. The southern 12 miles (19.3 km) of disused line between Polegate and Heathfield
Heathfield, East Sussex
Heathfield is a small market town, and the principal settlement in the civil parish of Heathfield and Waldron in the Wealden District of East Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, England.-Location:...
is now a cycleway-footpath known as the Cuckoo Trail
Cuckoo Trail
The Cuckoo Trail is an footpath and cycleway which runs from Hampden Park to Heathfield in East Sussex. It passes through the towns of Polegate and Hailsham, as well as the villages of Hellingly and Horam.- History :...
. Hailsham Railway station
Hailsham railway station
Hailsham Railway Station was on the Cuckoo Line between Polegate and Hellingly serving the town of Hailsham. Originally built in 1849 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. it was a terminus station serving both passengers and livestock for the nearby market...
outlived the rest of the Cuckoo Line by three years, the section north of Hailsham closing to passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
traffic in 1965. The track was retained with a weekly freight service until April 1968 when a bridge at nearby hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
Horsebridge was damaged by a road vehicle. With the whole line due for closure, the damaged railway infrastructure was never repaired.
The closure of the section from Polegate to Hailsham was disputed — British Railways going so far as to admit that the town was growing at the time of closure and that the town would soon outgrow other public transport. Despite this, passenger services finished on 9 September 1968 with the final train, composed of two Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) units, leaving Hailsham station to the sound of detonators on the line and the tune of Auld Lang Syne
Auld Lang Syne
"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song . It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world; its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight...
sang by a large crowd who had gathered. After 119 years of railway operation into Hailsham, the line was gone.
Radio
Hailsham is covered by BBC SussexBBC Sussex
BBC Sussex is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Sussex. It began on 14 February 1968 as BBC Radio Brighton, later becoming BBC Radio Sussex and then part of BBC Southern Counties Radio, before adopting its present name on 30 March 2009...
, as well as independent stations Heart Sussex (formerly Southern FM) and 107.5 Sovereign FM, which is based in St Mary's Walk.
Notable teams
- Hailsham Town Football ClubHailsham Town F.C.Hailsham Town F.C. is a football club based in Hailsham, East Sussex, England. They were established in 1885 and joined the Sussex County League in 1955 as Hailsham F.C., changing to their present name in 1970...
play in the first division of the Sussex County Football League, and are currently managed by Kenny McCreadie, who returned to the club in November 2009 six months after leaving by mutual consent. The club, known as "The Stringers", had their biggest success in 1989, when they reached the fifth round of the FA VaseFA VaseThe Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System...
, losing to Hungerford TownHungerford Town F.C.Hungerford Town F.C. is a football club based in Hungerford, Berkshire, England. They joined the Hellenic Football League in 1958 and have been FA Vase semi-finalists three times in their history. In the 1979-80 season, they reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup...
at the Beaconsfield, in front of a record crowd of 1,350.
- Hailsham CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
Club is one of the oldest in East SussexEast SussexEast Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
having been established in 1871. The club has been playing at their ground on Western Road in Hailsham ever since, and have on a number of occasions throughout their history won championship awards. Today, the club fields two Saturday one Sunday teams and a girl’s team.
Hailsham & District Sports Alliance
The Hailsham & District Sports Alliance was set up in 1995 with the objective to unite sports clubs and societies within the Hailsham district, provide support for member clubs, and to promote sportSport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
within the town as an essential activity for residents. The Alliance has an active committee which meets regularly to discuss local sporting issues.
Leisure facilities
- The Maurice Thornton Playing Field in the east of the town and provides additional facilities for football (junior and senior), as well as stoolball and athletics.
- The 'Freedom Leisure Centre' recreation complex, located near the town centre, has facilities including a gym and swimming pool (with a flume and water slide). Several ten-pin bowling lanes were added in 2006. Hailsham Outdoor Bowling Club is based at the rear of the complex.
- Knockhatch Adventure Park provides a variety of leisure pursuits on a large complex including a ski and snowboard centre, birds of prey centre, tractor and trailer rides, boating lake, crazy golf and other activities. It is understood that there are plans to increase this operation in the future.
- The Arlington Speedway/Stadium, situated just outside Hailsham, is a well attended 350 yard long concrete oval motor racing track. Racing normally takes place on a weekly basis and more frequently throughout the summer months.
Leisure activities
- FishingFishingFishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
is permitted, in season, at the Hailsham Country ParkCountry parkA country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
lake, off Gleneagles Drive. Horse riding is popular in Hailsham, and there are several livery stables in the area.
- For walkers and ramblers, there are numerous footpaths, woodlands, riverside and field walks in the Hailsham district. Information on suitable routes may be obtained from the Hailsham Town CouncilTown councilA town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
offices. There is an active branch of RamblersRamblersThe Ramblers, formerly known as the Ramblers' Association, is the largest walkers' rights organisation in Great Britain which aims to look after the interests of walkers...
(formerly known as the Ramblers' Association) in Hailsham, which organises a weekly series of walks.
- The local authorities promote cyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, and there is opportunity for safe cycling along the Cuckoo TrailCuckoo TrailThe Cuckoo Trail is an footpath and cycleway which runs from Hampden Park to Heathfield in East Sussex. It passes through the towns of Polegate and Hailsham, as well as the villages of Hellingly and Horam.- History :...
, which runs through Hailsham and connects to Tunbridge Wells, HeathfieldHeathfield, East SussexHeathfield is a small market town, and the principal settlement in the civil parish of Heathfield and Waldron in the Wealden District of East Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, England.-Location:...
and PolegatePolegatePolegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne, and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with...
.
Sports clubs and groups
There are a number of active sports groups in the town, including:- Hailsham Town Football Club
- Hailsham Cricket Club
- Hailsham Tennis Club
- Hailsham Hockey Club
- Hailsham Harriers (Running Club)
- Hailsham Equestrian Club
- Hailsham Ramblers
Proposed new sports facilities
As part of the planning requirementsPlanning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
for the current Welbury and Woodholm Farm development and as outlined in the Hailsham & Hellingly
Hellingly
Hellingly is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located 1.5 miles north of Hailsham.The nearby village of Lower Dicker is located within the parish.-History:...
Masterplan proposal, plans to build an additional community sports hall and formal play facilities in Hailsham are being discussed. The new sports facility will accommodate a wider variety of users, meeting the demands of the growing local sports community.
Entertainment and culture
Hailsham is the home of Wealden Brass, a brass bandBrass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
which rehearses at Union Corner Hall. The band was formed in February 1979 and held its first practice in the Church at Vines Cross on the 6th of March 1979. The Hailsham Choral Society, founded in 1961, performs several concerts in Hailsham and neighbouring towns throughout the year.
Four pubs remain in the three streets that make up the triangle of Hailsham Town Centre including: The Grenadier; The Corn Exchange; and The Terminus. The fourth, 'The George', closed in June 2008 due to financial pressures, but reopened in December 2008 under new ownership. The Corn Exchange also operates as a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
on weekend nights. In addition, Hailsham has several members' clubs in the town centre including: Slate Base; the Hailsham Memorial Institute and The Hailsham Club (known locally as The Top Club). Local public houses and inns that have vanished over the years include: The Railway Tavern, The Good Intent; The Fox; The Black Horse Inn; The Swan Inn; The Market House; The Cow and The Brewers Arms (formerly the Railway Arms).
Hailsham Pavilion
Hailsham Pavilion is a Grade II listed cinema and concert hall built in 1921. After remaining empty, the Pavilion was refurbished in 1993 and reopened in 2000. The Pavilion was originally opened as a cinema on 28 November 1921 by local Justice A.K. Burtenshaw JPJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, with The Kid
The Kid (1921 film)
The Kid is a 1921 American silent dramedy film written by, produced by, directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as his adopted son and sidekick. This was Chaplin's first full-length movie...
starring and directed by Charlie Chaplin as the first picture.
Following many years of service, the Pavilion closed as a cinema in 1965. The Pavilion served as a bingo hall until 1987, before being purchased using a Compulsory Purchase Order
Compulsory purchase order
A compulsory purchase order is a legal function in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland that allows certain bodies which need to obtain land or property to do so without the consent of the owner. It may be enforced if a proposed development is considered one for public betterment - for...
, after its owners fell into receivership, by Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
District Council. By 1999, Hailsham Old Pavilion Society had raised enough money to restore the old cinema, and signed a 31-year lease at a peppercorn rent.
Summerheath Hall
Summerheath Hall also serves regularly as a theatre to Hailsham, and has a long history of being home to amateur dramatic players, whose regular musical and drama performances have been presented there since the early 1930s. A number of other local theatrical and drama groups use the hall as a “theatre” venue for productions on less frequent occasions.Gallery North
Hailsham has one major fine art galleryArt gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
, Gallery North in North Street. Since the Gallery North project began in November 2004, they have shown the work of over 200 artists, organised numerous art workshops, courses and events (including the formation and promotion of Hailsham’s first Arts Festival).
Although Gallery North is supported by Wealden
Wealden
For the stone, see Wealden GroupWealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.-History:...
District Council and Hailsham Town Council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
, they rely on donations, grants, bursaries and sponsorship from various organisations to manage the project. They are a not-for-profit organisation run by unpaid volunteers.
Voluntary and community groups
There are a number of voluntary and community groups active in Hailsham ranging from small volunteer-led groups to large well-established charities:Clubs and societies
- Hailsham & District Twinning Association
- Hailsham Bonfire SocietySussex Bonfire SocietiesThe Sussex Bonfire Societies are responsible for the series of bonfire festivals around Central/Eastern Sussex along with parts of Surrey and Kent from September - November....
- Hailsham Old Pavilion Society (H.O.P.S.)
- Hailsham Historical & Natural History Society
- Hailsham In Bloom
- Hailsham Horticultural Society
- Hailsham & District Flower Club
- Hailsham & District Bird Club
- Hailsham Photographic Society
- Hailsham Choral Society
- Hailsham & District U3A
- Hailsham Trefoil Guild
- 249 Squadron (Air Training CorpsAir Training CorpsThe Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
)
Charities
- Computers For Charities (CfC)
- East Sussex Association of Blind and Partially Sighted People (ESAB)
- Anchor Staying Put
- Crossroads Care
- The Quicken Trust
- Charles Hunt Centre (Age Concern)
The Town Crest
The Hailsham Town Crest was originally designed by a parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
councillor (unknown) and adopted by Hailsham Town Council for use on all official documents. It was created by a local resident in the form of a shield, which was presented to the Council, and now hangs in the Town Council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
offices at The Inglenook in Market Street. The resident responsible for painting the shield was Mr P.V. Collings, a reitired artist assigned to produce work for the Royal Family
The Royal Family
The Royal Family is a play written by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber. Its premiere on Broadway was at the Selwyn Theatre on 28 December 1927, where it ran for 345 performances to close in October 1928.-Plot summary:Characters...
.
The shield is divided into four sectors. The upper left of these shows the six gold martlets and crown of the armorial bearings of the County of East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
. The remaining three quadrants each depict a facet of the town's history or culture.
The upper right shows a sheaf of corn, crook and rake, to illustrate the agricultural and rural connection from which Hailsham derived its status as a market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
. The lower right shows a mill, of which Hailsham originally had several of this type - although it is believed that this represents the last surviving mill - Hamlin's Mill in Mill Road (the remains of ancillary buildings can still be seen) and again represents Hailsham's close connection with the farming industry.
Finally, the lower left quadrant depicts a ball of twine and rope "dolly", representing Hailsham's later entry into light industry, in the form of rope
Rope
A rope is a length of fibres, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength...
making, which supported several factories and numerous "ropewalks" within the town's boundaries. These have all but disappeared, with the Marlow Ropes factory in South Road, relocating in 2006.
Local traditions and festivals
A main event in the town's calendar is its celebration of Guy Fawkes NightGuy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
, held annually in October. An average attendance of 3,000+ people descend upon the town centre to witness the event, organised by the Hailsham Bonfire Society. Additional town festivities include the Hailsham Carnival, held each summer and organised by the Lark In The Park Charitable Trust
Charitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
and partner organisations, and various Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
activities, which have been coordinated by Hailsham Town Council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
, Hailsham & District Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, Hailsham Lions' Club
Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
, Hailsham Rotary Club and St Wilfrid's Hospice in recent years.
Buildings and architecture
Many older parts of Hailsham have been lost to redevelopmentRedevelopment
Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses.-Description:Variations on redevelopment include:* Urban infill on vacant parcels that have no existing activity but were previously developed, especially on Brownfield land, such as the redevelopment of an industrial site...
prior to preservation orders being introduced. However, the present town retains a number of buildings which display evidence of antiquity. The houses are mainly Victorian
Victorian house
In the United Kingdom, and former British colonies, a Victorian house generally means any house built during the reign of Queen Victoria...
in character with more modern residential developments around the original town centre.
- War memorial - The High Street's war memorial was unveiled on 28 November 1920 by Lord Leconfield, the then Lord LieutenantLord LieutenantThe title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
of the County. It records the loss to the community of the eighty-six men killed in World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and a further thirty-five lost during the Second World War. The memorial comprises a wheel cross with CelticCeltic languagesThe Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
lettering under which the names of the dead are listed on two tablets. - St Mary's Church - St Mary’s Church is a grade-listed building and dates back to the early 15th century, although there is evidence of a church on this site in the early 13th century. The building was substantially rebuilt in VictorianVictorian eraThe Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
times. Five of the peal of eight bells date from 1663 and three from 1889. The present clock was installed to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond JubileeDiamond JubileeA Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
. - The Old Vicarage - Now ‘The Grange’, the Old Vicarage was built 1701-1705 for the Reverend Thomas Hooper as a vicarage for the adjacent church. The architectural style of the house exemplifies what many refer to as the Mary-Anne style which reflect the Dutch domesticity of the William and Mary period, combined with the more grand and formal style of the Queen AnneQueen Anne"Queen Anne" generally refers to Anne, Queen of Great Britain , Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1702, and of Great Britain from 1707.Queen Anne may also refer to:-Uses relating to Queen Anne of Great Britain:...
period, is an early 18th century residence and a Grade II listed building. - Fleur de Lys and Inglenook - The ‘Fleur de Lys’ and ‘Inglenook’ in Market Street – one building divided in two in the late 19th century, but now reinstated as one – was originally built in the reign of Elizabeth I (1542) as part of the original hostelry of the town. Later to become the Workhouse, after which it was converted to shops and residential dwellings, it is now the Hailsham Town CouncilTown councilA town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
’s offices and meeting room.
- The Grenadier - In 1803, Hailsham Barracks were built to quarter troops intended to man the Martello towers, which defended the PevenseyPevenseyPevensey is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The main village is located 5 miles north-east of Eastbourne, one mile inland from Pevensey Bay. The settlement of Pevensey Bay forms part of the parish.-Geography:The village of Pevensey is located on...
areas from Napoleon. It is believed that The Grenadier was built to serve troops stationed at the barracks. The barracks were closed after the defeat of Napoleon at WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
in 1815. - The Old Court House - The Old Court House was erected in 1861 consisting of a Court Room together with an office and residence for the Police Superintendent. Prior to 1861, the first Police Station was located at the top of Hailsham High Street. Offenders were placed in the stocks situated in front of the Terminus Hotel, and a gibbetGibbetA gibbet is a gallows-type structure from which the dead bodies of executed criminals were hung on public display to deter other existing or potential criminals. In earlier times, up to the late 17th century, live gibbeting also took place, in which the criminal was placed alive in a metal cage...
was built on the corner of Summerheath Road and Western Road. - The Stone - A grade II listed building, 'The Stone' is probably the oldest house in Hailsham and possibly named after an old boundary stone in the grounds, and originally built around 1320 in the style of the Wealden Hall houses. Featuring inglenookInglenookAn inglenook , or chimney corner, is a small recess that adjoins a fireplace.Inglenook may also refer to:*Inglenook, California, community in Mendocino County...
fireplaces, a bread oven, a priest hide, and with evidence of early sliding shuttered windows, it was once owned by Cardinal Wolsley. - Cortlandt - Originally called ‘Newhouse’, Cortlandt was renamed after one of its previous occupants, Philip van Courtlandt, an American who fought on the British side in the American War of Independence. The renaming was undertaken by William StricklandWilliam StricklandWilliam Strickland may refer to:* William Strickland , English clergyman* William Strickland , credited with introducing the turkey to England, later a Member of Parliament...
.
- The Old Court House - Erected in 1861 consisting of a Court Room together with an office and residence for the Police Superintendent, The Old Court House was, prior to 1861, the first Police Station in Hailsham.
- The Old Brewery - Built in 1827 by Thomas Gooch from Norfolk, The Old Brewery was renowned for strong beers. The building was used by a succession of brewersBrewingBrewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
and was, for a while, used as a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
place of worship. - Hamlin's Mill - The one millMill (grinding)A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
believed to be the town’s last surviving one was Hamlin’s Mill (where the remains of the mill’s ancillary buildings can still be seen today). The mill was a smock type built in 1834, and was destroyed by fire on 17 November 1923. It was replaced by a powder millPowder millThe term powder mill is usually used for a mill that manufactures blackpowder, a type of gunpowder.A powder mill could be driven by wind or water power, and contained rollers for grinding the ingredients of gunpowder together, as well as presses and tumbling barrels and sieves for compacting,...
, but by 1969, it was being used as a sack mill when it was again destroyed by fire. - Harebeating Mill - Harebeating Mill, a post millPost millThe post mill is the earliest type of European windmill. The defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single vertical post, around which it can be turned to bring the sails into the wind. The earliest post mills in England are thought to have...
located at St Wilfrid's Green just off the top of Hailsham High Street, was previously known as Kenward’s Mill. Only the lower floor of the mill remains and this, together with a more modern upper storey, has been converted into a private house. - Michelham Priory - Michelham PrioryMichelham PrioryMichelham Priory is the site of a former Augustine Priory near Upper Dicker, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is owned and administered by the Sussex Archaeological Society.-History:...
at Upper Dicker in Hailsham, was founded for Augustinian Canons in 1229 in the Sussex Weald. It is surrounded by a great medieval moat, with 7 acres of lawns and gardens. Parts of the Priory buildings were destroyed at the Dissolution in 1636, and the remaining buildings formed the nucleus of a fine TudorTudor architectureThe Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
house built in the late 16th century. The property was owned by the SackvilleThomas Sackville, 1st Earl of DorsetThomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset was an English statesman, poet, dramatist and Freemason. He was the son of Richard Sackville, a cousin to Anne Boleyn. He was a Member of Parliament and Lord High Treasurer.-Biography:...
family from 1603 to 1897, and was given to the Sussex Archeological Trust in 1959.
Parks and gardens
- Hailsham Country ParkCountry parkA country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
covers approximately 22 acres and incorporates woodland, an open field area, wildflower meadow, two ponds and a lake. A water course skirts the open field area and all-weather footpaths can be found throughout the park to encourage people of all ages to enjoy this precious open space area. The various woodland sites within the Country Park have a very good selection of tree species including birch, oak, ash, maple and wild cherry. Wildlife residing in the area includes voles, mice, lizards and weasels. The Hailsham Country Park received South & South East in Bloom Silver Awards in 2009 and 2010, in recognition of the efforts of volunteers to restore the park's wildflower meadow and the planting of additional trees in recent years.
- The Common Pond in Bellbanks Road has been a focal point in Hailsham for centuries and is considered to be the town's "Jewel In The Crown". The commons were largely enclosed in 1855, but the pond area was retained by the lord of the manor, Lord Sackville. It was finally bought by the Council in 1922 for £300, and became a public open space. Major improvement works to the 1.86 acre site began in 1996. The pond base was then excavated and surplus clay used to extend the existing central island, before the construction of a second island and a sloping marginal wetland area along and over a section of the south perimeter wall.
- The Dennis King Memorial Orchard & Sensory GardenSensory gardenA sensory garden is a garden or other plot specifically created to be accessible and enjoyable to visitors, both disabled and non-disabled. The purpose of such a provision is to provide individual and combined sensory opportunities for the user such that they may not normally experience.A sensory...
was officially opened in 2010 to help reverse the trend in the loss of traditional English orchards and create a fully accessible community garden for local residents. Advice and recommendations were received from the East Sussex Association of Blind and Partially Sighted People (ESAB) and Thrive, a national charity dedicated to enabling positive change in the lives of disabled and disadvantaged people through the use of gardening and horticulture.
Other sites of interest
- Burfield Park - In 1807, Thomas Burfield, a local saddle maker, founded his rope company in Hailsham. Ropes were produced for the demands of the re-emerging yachtingYachtingYachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:...
industry, which was just recovering after World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Furthermore, all the official hangman’s ropes used here and in the colonies were made in Hailsham. Today, Marlow Ropes has a brand new purpose-built factory and warehouse, and continues to manufacture quality British ropes on the same site as Thomas Burfield over 200 years ago. - Market Square - the site of the original market, with sellers spreading out into the adjoining roads. A market cross was erected in the square to make sure all deals were seen to be “done in the sight of the Lord.” The cross was removed in c.1880, to allow carts to turn the corners of the roads leading to the square.
- Amberstone Farm - On Sunday 26 June 1814, the Emperor of Russia, the King of PrussiaKing of PrussiaKing of Prussia may refer to:* A ruler of the former German state of Prussia**List of rulers of Prussia* Place names** King of Prussia, Pennsylvania* Shopping Centers** King of Prussia Mall...
and their suites halted on their way to DoverDoverDover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
at Amberstone Farm, which, at the time, was in the hands of Samuel Rickman, whose son was born soon afterwards. The child was by imperial request, named Alexander.
Places of worship
- St Mary's Parish Church (Anglican)
- Christchurch Hailsham
- Emmanuel Church (Anglican)
- Hailsham Baptist Church
- St Peter & St Paul's Church
- Hailsham Free Church (Evangelical)
- St Wilfrid's Roman Catholic Church
- Hailsham Methodist Church
- Gordon Road Evangelical Church
- Living Word Community Church (Evangelical)
- Hailsham Gospel Mission
- Primrose Hall Corinthian Church
- Kingdom Hall (Jehovah's Witnesses)
- Batholemew's Church
International relations
Gournay-en-Bray, FranceThe Twinning Charter between Hailsham and Gournay-en-Bray
Gournay-en-Bray
Gournay-en-Bray is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:A town of farming and light industry situated in the Pays de Bray, some east of Rouen, at the junction of the N31, the D930 and the D915 roads...
(a small town in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, France) was originally signed in Hailsham in October 2000 and in Gournay-en-Bray in February 2001, but officially renewed in October 2010 and February 2011 respectively. Whilst the population of the two towns differs considerably (Hailsham c.20,500; Gournay-en-Bray c.5,000), the features and facilities of both towns are quite similar. A number of cultural and host family visits in both directions take place each year.
Notable residents
- Fanny CradockFanny CradockPhyllis Nan Sortain Pechey , better known as Fanny Cradock, was an English restaurant critic, television cook and writer who mostly worked with her then common-law husband Johnnie Cradock, adopting his surname long before they married. She was the daughter of the novelist and lyricist Archibald...
(1909–1994), British writer, restaurant critic and television cook. - Peter Grant (1935–1995), British music manager and former manager of Led ZeppelinLed ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
.
See also
- List of places of worship in Wealden
- Hailsham railway stationHailsham railway stationHailsham Railway Station was on the Cuckoo Line between Polegate and Hellingly serving the town of Hailsham. Originally built in 1849 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. it was a terminus station serving both passengers and livestock for the nearby market...
- Hailsham Community CollegeHailsham Community CollegeHailsham Community College is the only secondary school in Hailsham. The school is a dual specialist Sports College and Business and Enterprise College. Hailsham Community College consists of a secondary school for pupils aged 11–16 and then a Sixth Form College for students aged 16–18. There are...
- Hailsham Town F.C.Hailsham Town F.C.Hailsham Town F.C. is a football club based in Hailsham, East Sussex, England. They were established in 1885 and joined the Sussex County League in 1955 as Hailsham F.C., changing to their present name in 1970...