|
Heritage
History
In
brief, the town’s origins can fairly be said to date from the second half of the 10th century when the original parish church was dedicated to St
Swithun. East Grinstead in 1086 appears in Domesday Book as a number of holdings in East Grinstead Hundred. In the early 13th century the town was founded as a borough.
The 1861 Adam & Charles Black travel guide to the South-Eastern Counties describes East Grinstead as
'…an irregularly-built, but pleasant market-town, situated on an ascent which commands a good view of Kent, Surrey and Sussex. It contains some old timbered houses, and some modern ones of tolerable pretensions...'
Today this snapshot remains largely true.
The first book-length history of the town was published in 1906 by Wallace Henry Hills. Although now out of print, reference copies may be consulted in the Town Museum and Public Library. From the 1890s onwards, commercial photographers produced significant numbers of picture postcards of the town. Many have been reproduced in no less than five published books.
A definitive ‘History of East Grinstead’ was written by M. J. Leppard in 2001, a full and scholarly account of the town’s history.
In 2004 Dorothy Hatswell produced ‘A History & Celebration’ of East
Grinstead, illustrated by pictures from the Francis Frith Collection, relating stories from the past with what can be seen today.
In 2006 M. J. Leppard published ‘100 Buildings of East Grinstead’.
All the books in print mentioned here can be obtained from the town
museum and local booksellers www.waterstones.co.uk
and eastgrinbookshop@talktalk.net.
Dorothy Hatswell’s book is available only at the museum, where other publications of local interest are also on sale.
Over 800 images of old East Grinstead can be seen in the West Sussex
County Council archive www.westsussexpast.org.uk/pictures
Museum
East
Grinstead's new museum was opened in September 2006. Opening times:
Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm.
Sundays & Bank Holidays 2pm to 5pm.
Free admission.
For more information see www.eastgrinsteadmuseum.org.uk
Cultural & Heritage events
Three town trails
Historic High Street – 19th and 20th Century buildings – Victorian Heritage
Visits
Gardens and architectural sites.
Fairs.
May Fair and Local History and Crafts Fair.
Heritage Open Days - access to local buildings and events as part of a
national programme.
Places visited in 2007 included as listed:
Sackville College, High Street
St Swithun’s Parish Church, High Street
Zion Chapel Baptist Church, West Street
Queen Victoria Hospital open day and museum, Holtye Road
St Mary’s Church, Windmill Lane
Gravetye Manor garden
Hammerwood Park house and garden
Standen House and garden
For dates of the above events see
Activities
|
|
