Classic Cuckfield

Standing 400ft (122m) above sea level, in the shadow of Haywards Heath, Cuckfield is one of those fortunate places that has largely escaped the threat of urban development, retaining its charm and character. It is generally thought of as a village, and yet it has the feel of a classic country town that has stayed small and compact – something of a rarity in Sussex these days.

It was the determination of the Sergison family back in the 19th century not to allow a railway to run across their land that saved Cuckfield from becoming yet another commuter town. The line was diverted to the east and provided the impetus for Haywards Heath instead.

Following the Norman Conquest, Cuckfield was held by the Earls Warenne, and was granted a charter in 1254. The pronunciation, ‘Cookfield’, unusual in southern England, stems from its meaning, the delightful ‘cuckoo-field’.

There are many notable buildings on the High Street and South Street, distinguished by a variety of architectural styles, but it is the famous tower and tall spire of the 15th-century Church of the Holy Trinity that stands above the rooftops of Cuckfield. From here you can look towards the Clayton Windmills, known as Jack and Jill, high up on the South Downs. The church, which has an unusually large churchyard, evolved from a chapel in the 13th and 14th centuries and was restored in the mid-1850s. There are various memorials and brasses inside; but the one feature which never fails to impress is the unique ceiling, which boasts a 15th-century framework with moulded bosses. It is thought to have been the gift of the grandson of John of Gaunt, who lived in Cuckfield in 1464. It was adorned with painted panels by a local artist in 1865.

Outside in the churchyard, by the Church Street lychgate, is a memorial ‘in proud and grateful memory of those men of the 2nd Battalion Post Office Rifles who were billeted and trained in Cuckfield between November 1914 and May 1915 before joining the battalion in France and who never returned’. A stone’s throw from the church lies Ockenden Manor, now a hotel. The name is Old English, meaning ‘Occa’s woodland pasture’, and for several centuries it was owned by the Burrell family who improved and extended the building.

The walk begins right in the centre of Cuckfield, and after passing through the churchyard, with its views of the South Downs, heads southeast, then west across country to the little village of Ansty. A narrow lane leads north to Cuckfield Park, its open parkland enhancing this particularly attractive walk.

First leave the car park by turning left into Broad Street. Bear left again at the mini-roundabout and walk down to turn left into Church Street. Make for the lychgate by the parish church and enter the churchyard. Head for a kissing gate on the far side of the church, turn left and follow the track.

Pass Newbury Pond and keep ahead along the field boundary on the left before entering woodland. Carry on ahead to reach a signposted junction in front of some houses, and turn right. Follow the path on down to the busy A272, cross over to a stile and then follow the path through the trees. Turn right on reaching Copyhold Lane, later ignoring a left fork going to Copyhold House.

Pass Lodge Farm and, when the lane swings round to the left, carry straight on at the public bridleway sign, ignoring the path on the right by Copyhold Cottage. Follow the woodland path down to a lane. Continue straight on, cross over a stream and then immediately turn right to join a footpath, soon after crossing a footbridge. Once in the field, keep to the right field-edge.

At the field corner turn left by a signpost following the field boundary, and enter the next field via a gap in the hedge. At the end of this large field reach a footpath sign on the bend of a track. Keep ahead, passing a house on the right, and soon reach the A272 at Ansty.

Cross over and follow Bolney Road, turning right into Deaks Lane. Pass Ansty Farm and head out of the village. Keep to the lane for over a mile (1.6km) and, just after Cuckfield Cattery and a pond on the right, turn right opposite a house called The Wylies. Pass through a gap in the hedge and follow the High Weald Landscape Trail down the field.

Cross a stile and footbridge and climb steeply through the woodland, soon proceeding between fences. Leave the woodland by a kissing gate: this is the edge of Cuckfield Park. Cross a stile and follow the fenced path as it leads between trees and carpets of bracken, dropping down to a footbridge. Ascend a steep bank to reach a stile and keep the fence on your right. Continue to a kissing gate and then head towards Cuckfield’s prominent church spire. On reaching South Street, turn left and return to the village centre.