Wadhurst

The name Wadhurst (Wadeherst in early records) is Anglo-Saxon and most probably derives from Wada which is believed to be the name of a Saxon tribe which occupied the area and began the clearing of the forests in the 7th or 8th century. There is an Anglo-Saxon manor known as Bivelham which lay between the parishes of Wadhurst and Mayfield. Although Wadhurst was almost certainly in existence at the time of the Domesday survey in 1086, it was part of the Archbishop of Canterbury's land and was therefore not mentioned. The earliest record relating to the area is a reference in the Cartulary of Battle Abbey to "Snape in the parish of Wadhurst". Henry III granted Wadhurst its charter in 1253,…

Wadhurst is a small market town, and has kept a very good range of shops considering its size. It has a traditional butcher, baker, ironmonger, hairdresser, bank, post office, gift shop, and several pubs. The population of the ward was 4,883 at the 2011 Census. In 2020, the population estimate is 4,025 according to the Office for National Statistics. There are three buildings of particular architectural interest in the town itself, and a number of old manor houses and farms nearby. There are two early Georgian houses on the High Street, the Old Vicarage and Hill House. On the outskirts is the 19th-century Wadhurst Castle. The rest of the town is in a variety of vernacular styles, from the…