20 High Weald Anvil The High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 2004 Pubs of the High Weald High Weald Anvil The Rock Inn, Chiddingstone Hoath, Edenbridge, Kent The Oak Inn, Ardingly, West Sussex A free guide to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Serves beer from a local brewery – Larkin’s of Edenbridge Serves Harvey’s and a guest local real ale Sandstone is what makes the High The timber-framed building was first Weald different from the Low Weald – recorded as an inn in 1625. Many of the which is composed only of Weald clay. old timbers are still on view in the two Bands of sandstone and clay give the bars. High Weald its rolling hills. The clay is The heavy clays of the High Weald soft and easily worn away: it forms the grow one thing to perfection – oak trees. low valleys of the High Weald, with the The oak woodlands of the High Weald harder sandstone forming the high ridges, were a source of timber and fuel but were running east-west. Streams have carved also used by early farmers as a seasonal out distinctive, steep-sided ravines (called source of food for their livestock: during gills) in the sides of these ridges. the early autumn months, they would drive Sandstone has also produced the sandy their pigs from their settlements on the JH soils that favour the development of South Downs, North Downs and coastal Weald. It also accounts for its distinctive, JH heathlands. Harder areas of sandstone plains into the woods to feed on acorns. dispersed pattern of settlement – arising An unspoilt pub with a brick floor and have formed the famous sandrock out- This method of feeding pigs is known as from the scattered woodland pastures or bar. Lots of old wood everywhere and a crops of the High Weald and these shelter pannage. dens created by pannage. Furthermore, it large hearth. some extremely rare plants. The annual acorn pilgrimage began the explains why there are so many north- © Countryside Agency/Peter Greenhalf process of human colonization of the High south routes in the High Weald. Local Products • Exploring • Heritage • Events • Wildlife • Attractions • Map The Two Sawyers, Pett, East Sussex The Old Vine, Cousley Wood, East Sussex Serves beer from its own micro brewery: The Old Forge Serves Harvey’s beer plus others This 14th Century Inn serves food pre- This 16th Century Inn with beamed ceil- ed in the number of vineyards to be found pared from local produce where available, ings and inglenook fireplace was voted in the area. including fresh fish from the trawlers of a Wealden’s Best Village Pub in 2003. Food English winemaking is not a new phe- family firm based in Hastings. is prepared at The Old Vine using fresh nomenon, but began when the Romans The High Weald boasts the greatest local produce. brought the vine to England around 2000 proportion of Ancient Woodland in the The climate of the High Weald seems to years ago. It reached its peak in early Tudor country. This woodland is of international particularly suit the vine and this is reflect- times when English vineyards produced importance to wildlife. almost 3 million bottles a year, but declined High Weald woodlands have been man- JH with the dissolution of the monasteries by aged for centuries by skilled workers. Henry VIII. The revival in English wine Woodlands need to be worked: without habitat because many British flowering production began about 40 years ago and management, they become derelict and plants, mammals and insects thrive under is a growing industry. wildlife species that depend upon working the rotational coppice management system Why not try a bottle of our local wine? woodland as a habitat suffer. Coppice – many of the rarer species now only being You can find the details of High Weald woodland, in particular, is an important found in working coppice. (See page 17.) wine producers and their outlets on our website at www.highweald.org, along with JH all our other producers. The Bull Inn, Three Leg Cross, Ticehurst, East Sussex Serves real ales including own brand Jack Fuller’s, Oxley’s Green, East Sussex landscape of the High Weald. Eight thou- sand years ago, the High Weald was an Free house untamed wilderness: mainly wooded but Named after a famous High Weald char- The choices made by land and property with grassland and heathland clearings. acter, Squire John ‘Mad Jack’ Fuller of owners in the High Weald continue to These were kept open by large, wild graz- Brightling (1757–1834). The pub original- greatly affect the landscape today. ‘Mad © Countryside Agency/Peter Greenhalf ing animals such as aurochs – the ancestor ly opened in 1834 as the Green Man. Jack’ left behind a legacy of eccentric but of modern cattle. By the 14th Century AD, Today, it contains many details and mem- interesting local landmarks. Will modern • Special ‘Caring for the High Weald’ Edition • the High Weald had been colonized and orabilia of Jack Fuller’s life and times. planning and farming follies be looked rearing domestic cattle and sheep had ‘Mad Jack’ was a compulsive folly upon so kindly in 200 years’ time? become one of the main uses of the land. builder, decorating the landscape around This still holds true today. Brightling with a cone known as the Sugar JH The Sussex is ideally suited to the High Loaf, a rotunda, an observatory, an The Bull Inn was built between 1385 and Weald environment and was a famous obelisk known as the Brightling needle, a 1425 and is reputed to be one of the oldest plough breed on the heavy Wealden clays. tower, and, lastly, his own pyramid tomb dwelling places in the country, but only Sussex cattle are also renowned for their in Brightling churchyard – built 24 years became a pub towards the end of the 19th unfussy grazing habits. before his death. These projects provided century. The Bull Inn shows its age: it has Grazing livestock also play a key role in employment for his tenants at a time of a wealth of old beams and low ceilings. Its conservation: the rare animals and plants great poverty in the countryside – indeed, sign depicts a Sussex bull. of the High Weald’s heathlands and that may have formed part of his reason- From earliest times, grazing animals flower-rich pastures rely on grazing to ing. He also bought Bodiam Castle to save have had a hand – or hoof – in shaping the maintain their habitats. it from total destruction. JH Produced by the High Weald AONB Unit with funding from members of the High Weald Joint Advisory Committee: Countryside Agency; West Sussex County Council; East Sussex County Council; Kent County Council; Surrey County Council; Horsham District Council; Tandridge District Council; Mid Sussex District Council; Wealden District Council; Sevenoaks District Council; Tunbridge Wells Borough Council; Rother District Council; Ashford Borough Council and Hastings Borough Council. JP Photography as indicated: JH Janina Holubecki; MJ Martin Jones; JP Jacob Purches; GS Gerry Sherwin. Caring illustration by David Anstey. Front page photographs: Peter Greenhalf, Janina Holubecki and Jacob Purches. Designed and produced by Angel Design Partnership Ltd 01797 321380 [email protected] Every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this publication is accurate. However, the publishers can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Horsham • East Grinstead • Haywards Heath • Crowborough • Heathfield • Battle • Wadhurst • Royal Tunbridge Wells • Cranbrook • Tenterden • Rye 2 High Weald Anvil The High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty www.highweald.org High Weald Anvil 3 The High Weald AONB comes of age he High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Landscape of inspiration TBeauty (AONB) designation was confirmed by the Secretary of State for the Environment in October 1983. This means that the High Weald AONB will be 21 years old in 2004. Rudyard Kipling’s High Weald What was happening 21 years ago? But gnarled and writhen thorn – The Conservative party gained a landslide victory in the Bare slopes where chasing shadows skim, General Election, with Margaret Thatcher winning her And, through the gaps revealed, second term in office. Demonstrators marched in cities Belt upon belt, the wooded, dim, across Europe in the biggest anti-nuclear protests in 20 Blue goodness of the Weald.” years. Britain’s biggest-selling car was the Metro. The first commercial mobile phone call was made and com- Kipling wrote of the discovery of pact discs began to sell on the High Street. Culture Batemans’ in his autobiography Something Club’s Karma Chameleon got to Number 1. Julie Walters of Myself: starred in Educating Rita and Richard Attenborough’s “...it was the heartbreaking Locomobile Gandhi won eight Oscars. Manchester United beat that brought us to the house called JH Brighton 4-0 in the FA Cup Final replay. ‘Bateman’s’. We had seen an advertisement In Puck of Pook’s Hill, Kipling describes the special con- of her, and we reached her down an ditions to be found in a High Weald gill stream. Welcome to the fifth edition A typical High enlarged rabbit-hole of a lane. At very first Weald sunken sight the Committee of Ways and Means They were fishing, a few days later, in the bed of the of The High Weald Anvil lane leading [Mrs Kipling and himself] said ‘That’s her! brook that for centuries had cut deep into the soft valley n 2004, with a brand new to Bateman’s The only She! Make an honest woman of soil. The trees closing overhead made long tunnels Management Plan under her – quick! We entered and felt her Spirit – I JH through which the sunshine worked in blobs and patches.