Burgess Hill Heritage & History Association<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>From our foundation in 1979 we were The Burgess Hill Local History Society<\/em>.\u00a0 We still are a local history society and at our meetings we still enjoy talks on a variety of local history topics, usually relating to our local area of Sussex. \u00a0Our main enthusiasm and raison d\u2019etre<\/em> is directed towards finding out what we can about the history of our town and to helping others to do so. We created a \u2018motto\u2019 for our new banner:\u00a0 to know our history is to safeguard our heritage.<\/em>\u00a0 We are now trying to ensure that we spread the word on our history in order to protect our heritage.<\/p>\nFor more about the banner, our meetings and the various things we do in the Town, go to our Activities<\/a> and Talks & Events<\/a> pages.<\/p>\nWe wanted to start a conversation about the word \u2018heritage<\/em>\u2019 as relevant to Burgess Hill. It is frequently accused of not having any heritage, or of being a \u2018New Town\u2019! This is far from the case. Despite seeming to be just another growing modern town, it does have a Victorian core, as well as a few old timber-framed farm houses left. There are many buildings of historical significance or architectural merit still standing, and they need to be recognised and preserved. As an earlier community, in the form of interconnected farms and cottages in and around the old \u2018St John\u2019s Common\u2019, which spread from the recently closed Barclays Bank in the Town Centre to the Woolpack public house, on the west side of town, we have also enjoyed a very long rural history of 1000 years or more. Even today there are many visible markers of our rural past for us to appreciate.<\/p>\nMuch has already been pulled down, which is a particular shame in the case of the Victorian houses of significant \u2018founding fathers\u2019 and benefactors of the town, not least those who played a vital role in its early brick and tile trade.\u00a0 Most of the old timber-framed houses dating from the 17th<\/sup> century or earlier which had lingered on withing the town\u2019s boundaries have disappeared in the last 70 years. We are keen to identify what\u2019s still standing from all these eras – Tudor down to Edwardian and beyond \u2013 in order to prevent further senseless loss. \u00a0They help us to frame a picture of the rural or urban lives that the town\u2019s forefathers knew.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Lost urban heritage<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"William](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-meeds-house.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>William Meeds’ house in Station Road: The former brickmaker died in 1904, he had been the owner of the adjacent brick, tile and pottery works…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"The](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-junction-inn.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>The Junction Inn by the level crossing in Junction Road was built in the mid 19th Century after the Lewes branch line was opened…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Open-Air](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-swimming-pool.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>The Open-Air Swimming Pool in St John’s Park. financed by the local council in the 1930’s became a popular destination for local people…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>Standing urban heritage<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"The](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-st-johns-institute.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>The St. John\u2019s Institute, now \u2018the Park Centre\u2019 was built in 1871 – 1874 by local builder Simeon Norman…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"The](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-potters-arms.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>The Potters Arms in Station Road: William Hallett a brewer of Brighton acquired the land in 1852…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Hoadley's](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-hoadleys.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>Hoadley’s Department Store: the towns first and only department store was founded in 1857…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>Lost Rural heritage<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Burgess](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-bh-farm.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>Burgess Hill Farm, formerly standing just downhill from the Railway Station. I was a rich meadowland of 128 acres…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Leylands](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-leylands-farm.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>Leylands Farm, one of the late Anglo-Saxon or early Norman woodland clearances for settlement…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Bedelands\"](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-bedelands.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>Bedelands Farm: The house stood on the south-west side of Valebridge Common, the land is now a nature reserve…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>Standing rural heritage<\/h2><\/div>Not all – in fact very little nowadays – of Burgess Hill’s rural heritage is in the form of old houses. Much of it is in the form of tracks, hedgerows and standing trees. There are in fact a great many of these throughout the town.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"St](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-st-johns-open-space.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>St. John\u2019s Common Open Space: part of the southern boundary of this area is an impressive curved hedge …read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Burdocks](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-burdocks-farm.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>Burdocks Farm this was part of a land-settlement project, probably in the 1200’s when population was rising…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"West](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-home-west-end-farm.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div>West End Farm: the old Farmhouse is now the Woolpack public house and the fields are now part of Howard Avenue…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>For examples of our modern architectural heritage, together with some surviving indicators of our rural heritage, go to the Burgess Hill Heritage\u00a0<\/a> page.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>The dual aspect of our heritage…<\/h2><\/div>The ancient rural as well as the last 200 years or so, since the town was created in 1828, is something we would like everyone to recognise. \u00a0\u00a0It would be good if those who live, work or shop in the town can know something at least of the historical perspective of their surroundings. The recent, unwished for, demolition of the Martlets Hall has brought an air of dereliction to that part of the town but even there, the ground itself owns centuries of history relating to the brick and tile trade, which expanded onto that particular piece of land in 1662. Knowledge of the past can shine a ray of light into the dullest of urban landscapes, however brutal the \u2018redevelopment\u2019 has been. \u00a0Elsewhere in the town the dual aspect of our history, rural and urban, can still be more easily observed. But a bit of guidance on the details can be useful.<\/p>\n
We can all help \u2013 not only those who are already members of the BHHHA, but anyone with an enquiring mind about the past. There have been lots of new people coming to live here in recent decades and many more will arrive in the near future. From a town of just below 8,000 in the early 1960s, we are now steadily rising towards 40,000. We are hoping that many will want to support us and engage with the history of the place. \u00a0Those who grew up here will have interesting and valuable personal experience of what things were like in the past and we would like you to share them.<\/p>\n
So do think of joining with us and coming to our meetings whether as a member or as a visitor. All are welcome. We are both a \u2018society\u2019 of members as well as a wider \u2018association\u2019 of townspeople who share our aims and who support our activities. At our meetings we can also learn from knowledgeable speakers about the history of other local towns and villages or of more general events that have affected Sussex history.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>Our Collections<\/h2><\/div>We have a document storage area and a \u2018museum\u2019, which is a rather poky exhibition room at the back of the main Cyprus Hall in Cyprus Road. The quest for a proper museum building, to bring us up to par with places like East Grinstead, Cuckfield or Crawley, has been on our agenda since 1979. And sadly, it is still ongoing! To read more about our collection, take a look at our Museum & Artifacts<\/a>, Maps & Documents<\/a> and Photographs & Postcards <\/a>pages.<\/p>\n<\/div>
From our foundation in 1979 we were The Burgess Hill Local History Society<\/em>.\u00a0 We still are a local history society and at our meetings we still enjoy talks on a variety of local history topics, usually relating to our local area of Sussex. \u00a0Our main enthusiasm and raison d\u2019etre<\/em> is directed towards finding out what we can about the history of our town and to helping others to do so. We created a \u2018motto\u2019 for our new banner:\u00a0 to know our history is to safeguard our heritage.<\/em>\u00a0 We are now trying to ensure that we spread the word on our history in order to protect our heritage.<\/p>\n For more about the banner, our meetings and the various things we do in the Town, go to our Activities<\/a> and Talks & Events<\/a> pages.<\/p>\n We wanted to start a conversation about the word \u2018heritage<\/em>\u2019 as relevant to Burgess Hill. It is frequently accused of not having any heritage, or of being a \u2018New Town\u2019! This is far from the case. Despite seeming to be just another growing modern town, it does have a Victorian core, as well as a few old timber-framed farm houses left. There are many buildings of historical significance or architectural merit still standing, and they need to be recognised and preserved. As an earlier community, in the form of interconnected farms and cottages in and around the old \u2018St John\u2019s Common\u2019, which spread from the recently closed Barclays Bank in the Town Centre to the Woolpack public house, on the west side of town, we have also enjoyed a very long rural history of 1000 years or more. Even today there are many visible markers of our rural past for us to appreciate.<\/p>\n Much has already been pulled down, which is a particular shame in the case of the Victorian houses of significant \u2018founding fathers\u2019 and benefactors of the town, not least those who played a vital role in its early brick and tile trade.\u00a0 Most of the old timber-framed houses dating from the 17th<\/sup> century or earlier which had lingered on withing the town\u2019s boundaries have disappeared in the last 70 years. We are keen to identify what\u2019s still standing from all these eras – Tudor down to Edwardian and beyond \u2013 in order to prevent further senseless loss. \u00a0They help us to frame a picture of the rural or urban lives that the town\u2019s forefathers knew.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> William Meeds’ house in Station Road: The former brickmaker died in 1904, he had been the owner of the adjacent brick, tile and pottery works…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The Junction Inn by the level crossing in Junction Road was built in the mid 19th Century after the Lewes branch line was opened…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The Open-Air Swimming Pool in St John’s Park. financed by the local council in the 1930’s became a popular destination for local people…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The St. John\u2019s Institute, now \u2018the Park Centre\u2019 was built in 1871 – 1874 by local builder Simeon Norman…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The Potters Arms in Station Road: William Hallett a brewer of Brighton acquired the land in 1852…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Hoadley’s Department Store: the towns first and only department store was founded in 1857…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Burgess Hill Farm, formerly standing just downhill from the Railway Station. I was a rich meadowland of 128 acres…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Leylands Farm, one of the late Anglo-Saxon or early Norman woodland clearances for settlement…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Bedelands Farm: The house stood on the south-west side of Valebridge Common, the land is now a nature reserve…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Not all – in fact very little nowadays – of Burgess Hill’s rural heritage is in the form of old houses. Much of it is in the form of tracks, hedgerows and standing trees. There are in fact a great many of these throughout the town.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> St. John\u2019s Common Open Space: part of the southern boundary of this area is an impressive curved hedge …read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Burdocks Farm this was part of a land-settlement project, probably in the 1200’s when population was rising…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> West End Farm: the old Farmhouse is now the Woolpack public house and the fields are now part of Howard Avenue…read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> For examples of our modern architectural heritage, together with some surviving indicators of our rural heritage, go to the Burgess Hill Heritage\u00a0<\/a> page.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The ancient rural as well as the last 200 years or so, since the town was created in 1828, is something we would like everyone to recognise. \u00a0\u00a0It would be good if those who live, work or shop in the town can know something at least of the historical perspective of their surroundings. The recent, unwished for, demolition of the Martlets Hall has brought an air of dereliction to that part of the town but even there, the ground itself owns centuries of history relating to the brick and tile trade, which expanded onto that particular piece of land in 1662. Knowledge of the past can shine a ray of light into the dullest of urban landscapes, however brutal the \u2018redevelopment\u2019 has been. \u00a0Elsewhere in the town the dual aspect of our history, rural and urban, can still be more easily observed. But a bit of guidance on the details can be useful.<\/p>\n We can all help \u2013 not only those who are already members of the BHHHA, but anyone with an enquiring mind about the past. There have been lots of new people coming to live here in recent decades and many more will arrive in the near future. From a town of just below 8,000 in the early 1960s, we are now steadily rising towards 40,000. We are hoping that many will want to support us and engage with the history of the place. \u00a0Those who grew up here will have interesting and valuable personal experience of what things were like in the past and we would like you to share them.<\/p>\n So do think of joining with us and coming to our meetings whether as a member or as a visitor. All are welcome. We are both a \u2018society\u2019 of members as well as a wider \u2018association\u2019 of townspeople who share our aims and who support our activities. At our meetings we can also learn from knowledgeable speakers about the history of other local towns and villages or of more general events that have affected Sussex history.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div> We have a document storage area and a \u2018museum\u2019, which is a rather poky exhibition room at the back of the main Cyprus Hall in Cyprus Road. The quest for a proper museum building, to bring us up to par with places like East Grinstead, Cuckfield or Crawley, has been on our agenda since 1979. And sadly, it is still ongoing! To read more about our collection, take a look at our Museum & Artifacts<\/a>, Maps & Documents<\/a> and Photographs & Postcards <\/a>pages.<\/p>\n<\/div>Lost urban heritage<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/span><\/div>Standing urban heritage<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/span><\/div>Lost Rural heritage<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/span><\/div>Standing rural heritage<\/h2><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/span><\/div>The dual aspect of our heritage…<\/h2><\/div>
Our Collections<\/h2><\/div>
![\"Suffragist](\"https:\/\/burgesshillheritagehistory.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/bhhha-suffragist-march-1913.jpg\")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>