Cuckfield Historical Circular walk, 10.7 miles.

 In defining this walk, I was inspired by "A Chronicle of Cuckfield" by Maisie Wright, available from Cuckfield Museum (details at www.cuckfield.org).
The earliest known reference to Cuckfield Grammar School is the will of Edmund Flower dated 1521.  The Old Grammar School building above bears the date 1632.

Cuckfield High Street.  Some buildings in Cuckfield date from the 14th century.
If you are interested in a lead walk in and around Cuckfield or in the wider Sussex area please click  www.peterlovettwalks.eu  Postcards of Cuckfield are available in the Post Office in the High Street.

 The beautiful 16th century Manor house, Marshalls.

 

The High Weald Landscape Trail towards Lower Spark's Farm.

It was a joy to spot this bee fly feeding on the primroses.  Click on this and any other picture to expand it.

Bee-fly, Bombylius major

You pass Collins Farm.

 Sidnye Farm.

 The view towards the White House, zoomed below.

 The view to Pilstye Farm, dating from the late 15th century.  A rick was burnt there by Swing rioters in 1840.

Pheasants are now actively mating.  Our pheasants are thought to derive from birds from the Caucasus who were brought by the Greeks to Rome, and by the Romans to Britain.  Since then many Chinese pheasants with white collars have been brought here and the two forms have interbred, so most -- but not all -- of our pheasants sport the collar.  Ref. Derwent May, The Times, 23 April 2010.

Leaving the track to Sidnye Farm, turn left down Cherry Lane.

Cherry Lane was once part of the London to Brighton stage coach route.

The river Ouse.

Lady's smock growing by the footpath.

Primroses on Cherry Lane.

Wild Cherry flowers.

Greater Stitchwort on the verge approaching Spicer's Farm.

 Spicer's Farm, built by the Rev.William Spicer, Rector of Balcombe, the second founder of Cuckfield Grammar School in 1529.

The White House.

The Victory Inn at Staplefield.

There is always a fabulous range of real ales to sample at The Jolly Tanners, and I sank one on this day.

The cricket pitch.

After leaving Staplefield, ignore the footpath on the map, which goes East at a footpath T-junction.  A permissive path along the side of the river Ouse is much more interesting.

There used to be a forge downstream from here, the bay (dam) for which was destroyed in 1928.  

Cellandines, Lady's Smock, nettles and wild garlic, Ramsons, on the banks of the Ouse.  In Covent Garden, I have seen wild garlic leaves on sale at £20/Kg!

View towards Holmsted Manor.

The view northwards from Hammerhill Copse.  The history of the High Weald can be read from such evocative place names.

Bigges Farm is from the first half of the 15th century.

Views of Cuckfield on the ridge in the distance with Mizbrook's Farm in the middle distance.

The scene in panoramic view.  Click on any picture to expand it.

Looking back westwards towards Toll Shaw....

...and southwards towards the golf course behind the woods.

The footpath crosses the golf course...

...with fine views of the Balcombe viaduct.

If you have enjoyed these pictures and enjoy walking, this is an easy walk to navigate yourself -- assuming map reading skills.  Please be aware that there are 300 meters of ascent and descent.  You need a good level of fitness to enjoy this walk, which may be too taxing for an unfit walker. 

For a shorter, five miles walk from Cuckfield in year 2017 passing through newly planted vineyards, please see https://sussexrambler.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/cuckfield-vineyards-walk.html

If you prefer to be lead by an experienced walk leader, please see www.peterlovettwalks.eu

Cuckfield itself has a wealth of history.  You might enjoy a shorter two miles walk lasting two hours including one hour of explanations around the center of Cuckfield, the Dinosaur memorial and  workhouse.  Pictures from this walk are available as an illustrated talk.  Please see www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk