Polegate
Encyclopedia
Polegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden
District of East Sussex
, England
, United Kingdom
. It is located five miles (8 km) 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 closures of routes. The parish of Polegate had a population of 7929 on the 2001 census of which 37% were aged 65 and over.
. The Roman road
from Pevensey
to Lewes
passed through here, and the turnpike
between London and Eastbourne was developed in the 18th century; but it was the opening of the railway between Lewes and Hastings
, with later branches to Eastbourne and Hailsham, that meant growth for Polegate. It became a significant junction, with a freight terminal serving both the nearby market town
of Hailsham
and the local brick making industry. The town grew partly to accommodate the railway employees.
In the 13th century, the Premonstratensian
order of monks occupied property in the parish, before they relocated to Bayham Abbey near Lamberhurst. Two buildings remain of that time, Otteham Court and its Chapel.
In the 21st century, with the closure of the line to Hailsham and the once direct route to Hastings, its importance as a railway hub has gone. It remains a road junction, with the erstwhile turnpike now being the A22 road
; the junction with the A27
lies within the town boundary.
There are four streets in today's Polegate named for the Levett
family (Levett Close, Levett Road, Levett Avenue and Levett Way). The Anglo-Norman
family were early Sussex landowners, and held manors and lands across the county, including Firle
, Bodiam
, Hollington
and elsewhere. The family's lands were carried into the families of Gildredge (and then to the Davies-Gilbert
family of Eastbourne), the Eversfields of St. Leonards-on-Sea, the Ashburnhams, the Chaloners and others.
to the north and the South Downs
. To the east lie the Pevensey Levels
, the one time bay now converted into farmland with the build up of the coastal shingle bank during the early Middle Ages. Both the roads and the railway use the gap.
The town is gradually becoming part of the greater Eastbourne conurbation, connecting with Willingdon
to the south. Many of the town’s working population work away: either in Eastbourne or Willingdon.
The district council for Polegate is Wealden District Council. District council elections are held every four years. Fifty-five councillors in total are elected, three of these from the Polegate wards. The May 2007 election returned 34 Conservative, 12 Liberal Democrat, 3 Independent Democrat, 3 Wealden Independent, 2 Green Party and 1 no party allegiance. The Polegate councillors parties were 2 Liberal Democrats and 1 Independent Democrat.
The next tier of government is the East Sussex
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 Polegate is combined with Willingdon
and East Dean
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 Polegate, Willingdon and East Dean ward provided two Independent councillors.
Polegate is represented in the UK Parliament by the Lewes
constituency. The current serving MP is the Liberal Democrat Norman Baker
who first won the seat in the 1997 general election
.
At European level, Polegate is represented by the South-East region, which holds ten seats in the European Parliament
. The June 2004 election returned 4 Conservatives, 2 Liberal Democrats, 2 UK Independence, 1 Labour and 1 Green, none of whom live in East Sussex.
was built in 1817. It is now a working museum.
Championship Division, and the 2nd team in Division 5.
The club reformed in 2006 after an absence of 5 years without a Polegate team. In 2008, the club moved back to playing at the Rec, having played its first 2 seasons on Eastbourne Council pitches. The club have enjoyed various successes since reforming, most recently winning the Blacklands Finance Challenge Cup.
In 2015, the club will celebrate its centenary, as the earliest known Polegate team was first established in 1915 (a photo of this team can be seen in the pavilion at the War Memorial Recreational Ground). For more information about the club, please visit their very successful website: www.polegatetownfc.co.uk
Polegate also have a successful Cricket team who use the same pitch during the summer months. You can also see a local stoolball team use the Rec in the evenings between May and July.
in 1846, built by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway on the extension from Brighton to Hastings. In 1849 branches extended to Eastbourne and Hailsham (later to Eridge). The line to Hailsham
was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line
by railway workers. Both that and the direct link to Hastings are now closed. The present Polegate railway station
is served by the Southern (train operating company)
with regular train services to London, Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings and Ashford International.
The long-distance footpath, the Cuckoo Trail
passes through the parish, as does the cycleway
route #2.
Polegate is served by five transport companies: Stagecoach in Eastbourne
operate routes 51 and 54 between Eastbourne and Hailsham and onwards to Tunbridge Wells and Uckfield, also route 56 from Eastbourne to Stone Cross, Westham and Langney; Whilst Cuckmere Community Bus
operate local services to small villages nearby; Renown Coaches
: Route 126 to Alfriston and Seaford); and Stagecoach in Hastings Route 98 to Hailsham, Bexhill and Hastings, provide other local services.
There is a daily National Express
coach service to London.
parish church, dedicated to St John; the Roman Catholic church of St George; a Seventh-day Adventist Church
; and a United Reformed Church
.
, Heart Sussex and Sovereign FM. Local newspapers include the Eastbourne Herald, Eastbourne Gazette, Hailsham Gazette and the Sussex Express; all published by Beckett Newspapers’
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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is located five miles (8 km) north of the seaside resort of 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 is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with closures of routes. The parish of Polegate had a population of 7929 on the 2001 census of which 37% were aged 65 and over.
History
Until the coming of the railways in the 1840s, Polegate was a small settlement within the parish of HailshamHailsham
Hailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five main towns 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...
. The Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
from 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...
to 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...
passed through here, and the turnpike
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
between London and Eastbourne was developed in the 18th century; but it was the opening of the railway between Lewes and 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....
, with later branches to Eastbourne and Hailsham, that meant growth for Polegate. It became a significant junction, with a freight terminal serving both the nearby 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...
of Hailsham
Hailsham
Hailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five main towns 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...
and the local brick making industry. The town grew partly to accommodate the railway employees.
In the 13th century, the Premonstratensian
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
order of monks occupied property in the parish, before they relocated to Bayham Abbey near Lamberhurst. Two buildings remain of that time, Otteham Court and its Chapel.
In the 21st century, with the closure of the line to Hailsham and the once direct route to Hastings, its importance as a railway hub has gone. It remains a road junction, with the erstwhile turnpike now being the A22 road
A22 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...
; the junction with the A27
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...
lies within the town boundary.
There are four streets in today's Polegate named for the Levett
Levett
Levett is an Anglo-Norman territorial surname deriving from the village of Livet-en-Ouche, now Jonquerets-de-Livet, in Eure, Normandy. Ancestors of the earliest Levett family in England, the de Livets were lords of the village of Livet, and undertenants of the de Ferrers, among the most powerful of...
family (Levett Close, Levett Road, Levett Avenue and Levett Way). The Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
family were early Sussex landowners, and held manors and lands across the county, including Firle
Firle
For the suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, see Firle, South Australia.Firle is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. Firle refers to an old-English/Anglo-Saxon word fierol meaning overgrown with oak...
, Bodiam
Bodiam
Bodiam is a small village and civil parish in East Sussex, England, in the valley of the River Rother near to the villages of Sandhurst and Ewhurst Green. It is home to Bodiam Castle, a small range of houses, a pub opposite Bodiam Castle, and a restaurant...
, Hollington
Hollington, East Sussex
Hollington is a suburb and local government ward in the northwest of Hastings, East Sussex. The area lies next to Baldslow, Ashdown, North and Conquest, and less than five miles southeast of Battle, East Sussex, the home of Battle Abbey, which commemorates the victory of William the Conqueror at...
and elsewhere. The family's lands were carried into the families of Gildredge (and then to the Davies-Gilbert
Davies-Gilbert
The Davies-Gilbert family is one of Britain's most prestigious families.The Davies-Gilbert family are descendants of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, who was an older half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh . In the 19th Century, they developed the towns of Eastbourne and East Dean in Sussex...
family of Eastbourne), the Eversfields of St. Leonards-on-Sea, the Ashburnhams, the Chaloners and others.
Geography
Polegate is located on a ridge in the gap between the WealdWeald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
to the north and 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...
. To the east lie 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...
, the one time bay now converted into farmland with the build up of the coastal shingle bank during the early Middle Ages. Both the roads and the railway use the gap.
The town is gradually becoming part of the greater Eastbourne conurbation, connecting with Willingdon
Willingdon and Jevington
Willingdon and Jevington is one of the civil parishes in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The two villages lie one mile south of Polegate. The two parishes, two decades ago, were separate; the merger of the two has produced a parish of over 6,000 people...
to the south. Many of the town’s working population work away: either in Eastbourne or Willingdon.
Governance
Polegate is split into two wards for local elections, North and South Polegate. North Polegate with 4000 electors is twice the size of South Polegate's 2000 electors, returning twice as many councillors. The Parish is represented at the lowest tier by Polegate Town Council. Fifteen councillors are elected from the two wards every four years. Public meetings are held monthly at the council chambers in Polegate. The 2007 election returned twelve councillors representing the Polegate residents association, two Liberal Democrats and an Independent.The district council for Polegate is Wealden District Council. District council elections are held every four years. Fifty-five councillors in total are elected, three of these from the Polegate wards. The May 2007 election returned 34 Conservative, 12 Liberal Democrat, 3 Independent Democrat, 3 Wealden Independent, 2 Green Party and 1 no party allegiance. The Polegate councillors parties were 2 Liberal Democrats and 1 Independent Democrat.
The next tier of government is 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:...
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 Polegate is combined with Willingdon
Willingdon and Jevington
Willingdon and Jevington is one of the civil parishes in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The two villages lie one mile south of Polegate. The two parishes, two decades ago, were separate; the merger of the two has produced a parish of over 6,000 people...
and East Dean
East Dean and Friston
East Dean and Friston is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England.The two villages in the parish are in a dry valley on the South Downs - between Eastbourne three miles to the east and Seaford an equal distance to the west. The main A259 road goes through both village centres...
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 Polegate, Willingdon and East Dean ward provided two Independent councillors.
Polegate is represented in the UK Parliament by the Lewes
Lewes (UK Parliament constituency)
Lewes is a constituency located in East Sussex and centred on the town of Lewes. It is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a safe Conservative seat until 1997, but the Liberal Democrats have gained a strong foothold.-Boundaries:The constituency is...
constituency. The current serving MP is the Liberal Democrat Norman Baker
Norman Baker
Norman John Baker is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Lewes in East Sussex since 1997. Since May 2010 he has been Parliamentary Under Secretary for the Department for Transport....
who first won the seat in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
.
At European level, Polegate 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 2004 election returned 4 Conservatives, 2 Liberal Democrats, 2 UK Independence, 1 Labour and 1 Green, none of whom live in East Sussex.
Economy
Chaucer Industrial Estate is located in Dittons Road where the major part of Polegate's industrial businesses are located; apart from that the usual small-town shops and businesses occupy the High Street, including the Co-op (supermarket), a total of 5 hair salons, and the One Stop chainstore and a franchise of Blazes Fireplaces.Attractions
The tower windmillOvenden's Mill, Polegate
Ovenden's Mill or Mockett's Mill is a grade II* listed tower mill at Polegate, East Sussex, England which has been restored and is open to the public.-History:...
was built in 1817. It is now a working museum.
Sport and Leisure
The local football team, Polegate Town FC, currently play each Saturday at the War Memorial Recreational Ground in Wannock Road. The club currently have 2 teams, with the 1st team playing in the Mid Sussex LeagueMid-Sussex Football League
The Mid-Sussex Football League is a football competition in England. It has a total of 13 divisions headed by the Premier Division which sits at step 7 of the National League System...
Championship Division, and the 2nd team in Division 5.
The club reformed in 2006 after an absence of 5 years without a Polegate team. In 2008, the club moved back to playing at the Rec, having played its first 2 seasons on Eastbourne Council pitches. The club have enjoyed various successes since reforming, most recently winning the Blacklands Finance Challenge Cup.
In 2015, the club will celebrate its centenary, as the earliest known Polegate team was first established in 1915 (a photo of this team can be seen in the pavilion at the War Memorial Recreational Ground). For more information about the club, please visit their very successful website: www.polegatetownfc.co.uk
Polegate also have a successful Cricket team who use the same pitch during the summer months. You can also see a local stoolball team use the Rec in the evenings between May and July.
Transport
The railway arrived in PolegatePolegate railway station
Polegate railway station serves Polegate in East Sussex, England. It is on the East Coastway Line, and train services are provided by Southern.-First Station:...
in 1846, built by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway on the extension from Brighton to Hastings. In 1849 branches extended to Eastbourne and Hailsham (later to Eridge). The line to Hailsham
Hailsham
Hailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five main towns 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...
was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line
Cuckoo 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...
by railway workers. Both that and the direct link to Hastings are now closed. The present Polegate railway station
Polegate railway station
Polegate railway station serves Polegate in East Sussex, England. It is on the East Coastway Line, and train services are provided by Southern.-First Station:...
is served by the Southern (train operating company)
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
with regular train services to London, Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings and Ashford International.
The long-distance footpath, 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 :...
passes through the parish, as does the cycleway
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
route #2.
Polegate is served by five transport companies: Stagecoach in Eastbourne
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:...
operate routes 51 and 54 between Eastbourne and Hailsham and onwards to Tunbridge Wells and Uckfield, also route 56 from Eastbourne to Stone Cross, Westham and Langney; Whilst 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:*...
operate local services to small villages nearby; Renown Coaches
Renown Coaches
Renown Coaches are based in Bexhill with a yard at Newhaven. They run bus services in East Sussex, Essex, Kent and into Hertfordshire. They also offer self drive car hire, coach hire and day trips by coach...
: Route 126 to Alfriston and Seaford); and Stagecoach in Hastings Route 98 to Hailsham, Bexhill and Hastings, provide other local services.
There is a daily National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
coach service to London.
Religion
There are four churches in Polegate: the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church, dedicated to St John; the Roman Catholic church of St George; a Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
; and a United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
.
Media
Polegate 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...
, Heart Sussex and Sovereign FM. Local newspapers include the Eastbourne Herald, Eastbourne Gazette, Hailsham Gazette and the Sussex Express; all published by Beckett Newspapers’
Notable residents
- David DimblebyDavid DimblebyDavid Dimbleby is a British BBC TV commentator and a presenter of current affairs and political programmes, most notably the BBC's flagship political show Question Time, and more recently, art, architectural history and history series...
(1938– ), TV commentator, who included the town as a destination in his 2007 TV series How We Built BritainHow We Built BritainHow We Built Britain was a series of six television documentaries produced by the BBC in 2007 and repeated in 2008. The series was written and presented by broadcaster David Dimbleby...
; and Denis HealeyDenis HealeyDenis Winston Healey, Baron Healey CH, MBE, PC is a British Labour politician, who served as Secretary of State for Defence from 1964 to 1970 and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1974 to 1979.-Early life:...
(1917– ), politician and writer, both have links with the town. - Judge SmithJudge SmithChristopher John Judge Smith , is a songwriter, composer and performer, and a founder member of progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. Initially working under the name Chris Judge Smith, he has been known simply as Judge Smith since 1994.- Early years :In 1967, with Peter Hammill, Judge...
(1948– ), singer-songwriter and "songstory" composer, Peter HammillPeter HammillPeter Joseph Andrew Hammill is an English singer-songwriter, and a founding member of the progressive rock band Van der Graaf Generator. Most noted for his vocal abilities, his main instruments are guitar and piano...
collaborator and former Van der Graaf GeneratorVan der Graaf GeneratorVan der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester. They were the first act signed to Charisma Records. The band achieved considerable success in Italy during the 1970s...
band member.