This is the page where YOU can let us know all about our village and its past.

This section of the village website is about some of the landmarks, hidden mysteries, traditions, and, maybe even oddities of our village! We hope that people will enjoy finding out more about the village and also sharing their knowledge with each other. You can contact us by clicking HERE or by signing in and sending a post to this page directly.

11. Village Origins & the mysterious Westfield Place

For a more detailed version of this Yeakell & Gardner map click HERE. 

(Thanks to Cliff Dean)

The 18th century map above shows Westfield houses grouped around the central "Down" area. This common area of grazing and multi-purpose land was obviously at the centre of village life in the past. The windmill can be seen at the top of the Down in what is now Cottage Lane. Brede village can just be seen at the top right, separated from Westfield by the river as today. Interestingly Church Place farm is labelled "Westfield Place", not the old house of the same name which is in Cottage Lane today. Does anyone know anything about the history of the two Westfield Place(s)?

10. Main Road Stores

(Photograph from the collection of the village school)

Who are the proprietors of the village stores in this photograph? They were obviously proud of their tree-lined frontage!

9. Cottage gardens on the main road

(Photograph from the collection of the village school)

The main road was a country lane sometime back in the early 20th Century. Who was the proud owner of the early motor car parked outside the village stores?

8. "Summer Cottage" Stores

Who knows the name of the shop which is now Summer Cottage at the junction of Cottage Lane and New Cut? Some Westfield residents will remember it still trading in the 1980s!

(Photograph from the collection of the village school)

7. The Westfield Tardis

What is the strange object outside the old village post office? This photo - possibly from the 1930s or 1940s shows the junction of Cottage Lane and the A28 main road. Is the structure a post box, a telephone box or some sort of sentry box - or - was the Doctor visiting the Old Surgery?

Let us know!

(Photograph from the collection of the village school)

6. New Cut and Blue Barracks

Photograph of Blue Barracks and part of New Cut, taken in 1922 (photo courtesy of V.B.)

When was New Cut first established, and what is the significance of its name? Local tradition suggests that it must have existed around the time of the Napoleonic wars and that the cottages called Blue Barracks were used by cavalrymen who were billeted there in the time of the wars. Is there any evidence to back this story up?

5. The workhouse of Westfield

We have all probably walked down Workhouse Lane, taking our children to school or going to the shops. Was the Westfield workhouse actually housed in the (now) attractive cottages opposite the school? 

According to the report written by Thomas Gilbert in 1777, the workhouse had the capacity to accommodate 36 inmates. One sad entry in the parish records refers to the illegitimate baby of one Elizabeth Borthwick, admitted to the workhouse on 25th March 1820. You can click on the Book icon, below, to begin a search for the poor individuals kept there.

Visit the Westfield Poor Law records from as early as 1552 (discovered in the church tower in 1937 and deposited now in the East Sussex archives)

4. Our Village School

We all know where our village school is today, but who knows when the Old School House (in Wheel Lane) served as Westfield's place of education? Was this building the very first school in Westfield?

(You need to be logged in to read other people's posts about the village schools)

3. Heavy Industry in Westfield

Most people know that, long ago, there was once a thriving iron works somewhere out in the fields by Forge Stream. Where exactly was it situated? How old is iron-working in Westfield? What range of types of iron goods were made? What connections did it have with Brede and with Crowham Manor?

(You need to be logged in to read other people's posts about The Forge Stream)

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Illustration of a 17th century blast furnace and forge from the Wealden Iron Research group

The History of Iron Working in Westfield
According to the Sussex Archaeological Society, iron working at Westfield existed from the very first years of the Roman conquest, if not before (Grid ref. TQ 784186). Just on the borders of the parish in Beauport Park there are the famous remains of a Roman bath house, associated with the large scale iron workings carried out there under the control of the Roman navy. The Westfield site at Forge Stream (also known as Crowham Forge TQ 814172) began producing iron work around 1573. In the 17th century it was operated by one Peter Farnden ,and in the 18th century it belonged to a consortium of Midlands "Ironworks in Partnership". In 1717 it was producing 50 tons of iron under the ownership of Samuel Gott. The forge fell out of use by 1787. Cannon were certainly one of the forge's products. A fragment of one Westfield cannon was dredged out of the stream in the past and is now in Anne of Cleves Museum, Lewes. (From "The Iron Industry of the Weald" Cleere & Crossley 1985)

2. The Windmills of Westfield

It seems that there were at least two windmills in Westfield at some time. One of them was burned down in mysterious and controversial circumstances. Who knows exactly where they were sited? When were they built? When were they destroyed and why?

(You need to be logged in to read other people's posts about The Windmills.)

Stories of the Westfield windmills

There were definitely two windmills at Westfield at different times. One was sited somewhere on The Down. The Sussex Weekly Advertiser of 8th May 1776 reports the story of " a lad standing carelessly with his hand on the cogs of the windmill on Westfield Down, a sudden gust of wind unexpectedly turned the sweeps whereby the lad's hand was torn in a terrible manner.."
There was also a windmill at the crossroads of Cottage lane with Mill Lane, close to the house named Highlands. It is possible that this mill was moved from the Down. The mill belonged to Stephen Crisford and on 14th June, 1830 two men were sentenced to transportation for breaking and entering and stealing 21 bushels of flour. It was this mill, "Westfield White Mill", that was destroyed by fire on the 5th November  1908, after standing derelict since the beginning of the 20th century.

The other mill may have stood in the vicinity of Archer's shop. Indeed the wood framed shop itself may be all that is left of the buildings associated with the mill.

(from "Lost Windmills of Sussex" - Guy Blythman 2008)

1.The Pubs of Westfield

Most people know that The Old Courthouse was formerly called The New Inn (“New Inn” is actually a common name of some of the very oldest pubs in England) Where was the previous inn? Is it actually still there? Was it, in fact, the ancient-looking weather boarded building behind the present-day Victorian façade?

(Photo from the collection of the school, digitally enhanced by P.T.)

 If you know the answer - or indeed anything at all about the past of The Old Courthouse pub or The Plough, send us your ideas by first logging in, or registering (via the green link below) and then clicking on the green "Add New Comment" link which will then appear below these words. Can you let us know the names of the publicans of both pubs since 1938?

(You need to be logged in to read other people's posts about The Old Courthouse.)

Landlords, Publicans and families of the two Westfield Pubs

 The New Inn

 1890/Samuel Coppard
1899/Roland James Hoad
1901/Rowland Jas Hoad/Publican/30/Warbleton,
1901/Emily Hoad/Wife/30/Whetley Chevening,
1901/Grace Lilian Hoad/Daughter/1/Westfield,
1901/Annie Kemp/General Servant/14/Hailsham,
1905/Roland James Hoad
1915/Montague Godfrey
1918/Montague Godfrey
1930/Walter Twort
1938/Hy A Standivan

(Photo from the collection of Valerie Bishop)

The Plough

 1859/T Stunt
1866/C Coleman
1878/William Vidler
1890/William Goodsell
1899/William Goodsell
1901/Richard Clapton/Publican/54/Oxford
1901/Eleanor Clapton/Wife/43
1901/Ethel Clapton/Daughter/10
1901/Edward Clarke/General Servant/54/Ewhurst,
1905/Frederick Marden
1915/David Keel
1918/George Turner
1930/Hy A B Spoone
1938/Henry E L Coles