Latest News of Local Interest
Sloe Gin
Sloe Gin and Homemade Liqueur Competition: Monday 6th February, Royal Oak Poynings (Village Night — table reservations advisable). Entries in by 8:00pm (a jam jar will do), £1.50 per entry (2016/2017 fruit only). Two categories:
(i) Poynings — Sloe Gin Cup and prize for best liqueur (fruit+spirit);
(ii) Foreigners — Fulking, Newtimber, Pyecombe, and Woodmancote.
Two new local history articles
Following an eighteen month furlough, we are pleased to announce the publication of two new local history articles on this website: a guest post by Stewart Angell, author of The Secret Sussex Resistance, on the role that Tottington Manor played as the headquarters of the Sussex Auxiliary Units during WWII; and a new post by Tony Brooks on the rather complex architectural history of the Oldwood site with some extra material on the two major 1930s literary figures who lived, or lodged, there.
On the market
Hillbrook was originally a one acre plot known as ‘Shady Acre’ and was part of Brookside Nurseries in the 1920-1950 period. The nurseries were sold in 1953 and one of the employees purchased Shady Acre. It was then sold to the present owners in 1965. Glasshouses were built in 1970 and the owners then lived on the property in a mobile home for 5 years until they obtained planning permission to build the bungalow that stands on the site today. It was developed and run as a successful plant nursery, until 1998 when the owners retired. Since then the glasshouses have been removed and the site has been re-landscaped to form a large garden.
[Adapted from Anthony R. Brooks (2008) The Changing Times of Fulking & Edburton. Chichester: RPM Print & Design, pages 85-86.]
Dripping tap entails nine week road closure
The dog-leg that connects Poynings to the Saddlescombe Road is to be closed from Wednesday 11th January until .. Tuesday 17th March 2017 — according to the obvious nonsense circulated by Matt Davey, Director of Highways and Transport at WSCC.
Update 14th January: as of 5:00pm this afternoon, the road was open. That does not mean it will be open on Monday morning, though. Proceed cautiously.
Update 16th January: the road remains open, all contractor detritus removed.
Examination of The Mid Sussex Local Plan I
Both Nick Herbert MP and Sir Nicholas Soames MP will be attending the meeting in Haywards Heath this Friday, January 13th.
Sir Nicolas Soames recently noted in Parliament:
The hon. Friend the Minister knows of the infamous application by Mayfield Market Towns to build a completely unwanted new settlement to the south of my constituency and partially in the constituency of my right hon. Friend the Member for Arundel and South Downs [Nick Herbert]. It has been turned down time after time. No one wants it and it is not in any plan, yet the builders continue to chip away at the fabric, integrity and credibility of the plans.
The West Sussex County Times reports:
Robert Worsley, who refused to sell his 550 acres in Twineham to Mayfield Market Towns, is due to .. publicly challenge the developers over their refusal to accept that they cannot build on his land. He explained that he is so frustrated about the injustices of the planning system he wants to appeal directly to the Government’s planning inspector at the examination.
Updated 12th January.
Heat for Health
Drop-in event at Fulking Village Hall, during the Family Coffee Morning from 10:00am–11.30am on Wednesday 18th January. Come and see us. Pick up your free room thermometer cards. Discuss with us energy efficiency measures and grants available – and the support provided by Heat for Health. [Probably your last chance — the scheme is ending this financial year.]