Framfield

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Framfield
Sussex
St Thomas a Becket's Church, Framfield.JPG
St Thomas a Becket's Church
Location
Grid reference: TQ494203
Location: 50°57’36"N, 0°7’48"E
Data
Population: 1,983  (2011)
Post town: Uckfield
Postcode: TN22
Dialling code: 01825
Local Government
Council: Wealden
Parliamentary
constituency:
Wealden

Framfield is a village in Sussex, two miles east of Uckfield. The wider parish includes such hamlets as Blackboys, Palehouse and Halland.

The parish spreads itself over slopes in the southern part of the Weald. An ancient trackway passes to the north of the village.

Like many other such places, it was involved in the Wealden iron industry: there are many small streams (including Framfield Stream) which are tributaries of the River Ouse (Sussex) on which the mills stood.

The village pub is the Hare and Hounds.

History

The village named in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Framelle. Part of the church has Norman stonework.

John Levett died holding the manor of Framfield in 1552.[1] He was succeeded by his son Laurence. By 1590 the manor of Framfield, which had been in the Levett family for centuries, came to Bromley and Branthwaite by letters patent in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Within several years it was in the hands of Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst and through marriage ultimately came to John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet. Richard Sackville, 5th Earl of Dorset subsequently purchased the manor of Framfield from the Earls Thanet.[2]

The Framfield and Blackboys Summer Show

Each year in the village, a fête is held at the Framfield Recreation Ground and Memorial Hall. It is a big event for Framfield. The Summer Show is held on the second Saturday of August.

The Summer Show includes the traditional vegetable, fruit and flower exhibits along with flower arranging, children's and adult handicrafts, cookery and photographic sections. It is overseen by the Framfield and Blackboys Horticultural Society.

Churches

The Church of England parish church is a 13th-century church, dedicated to Thomas Becket,[3] It is thought to have superseded a wooden Saxon one.[4] In the 9th century it passed from the crown to the Archbishop of Canterbury, assuming its nomination as a peculiar. In 1509 a fire burned all the wooden parts of the church. The tower collapsed in the 17th century. In 1891 the church, including the tower, was restored and the bells were rehung.[4]

There is also a Baptist chapel, and there was a Methodist church at Blackboys. However, this has now been converted into houses.

The church maintains two Church of England primary schools: Framfield; Framfield CE Primary School and Blackboys CE Primary School.

Leisure and sport

  • Cricket: Blackboys Cricket Club, based at the Blackboys Recreation Ground.
  • Football:
    • Framfield and Blackboys Football Club, based at Framfield Recreation Ground.
    • AFC Uckfield's Youth Team is based at Framfield Recreation Ground
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References

  1. Dunkin, E. Hadlow W. (1875). "Contributions towards the Ecclesiastical History of the Deanery of South Malling in the County of Sussex". Sussex Archaeological Collections 26: 38. doi:10.5284/1085488. 
  2. Historical Notes About Framfield, thesussexweald.org
  3. Framfield Church
  4. 4.0 4.1 Framfield Church, History, accessed 31 March 2022