East Grinstead Where East Meets West

From the Vicarage carpark  we head along Church Lane to reach East Grinstead High Street which is on the High Weald Landscape Trail.

The High Street contains nineteen timber framed houses from the 14th and 15th centuries, with another thirteen from the Tudor and Stewart periods. The town reached the height of its prosperity during the 1600’s since it was an important centre within the flourishing Wealden iron industry, hosting the assizes (periodical courts, hence Judges Terrace), weekly markets and annual fairs.

We take the High Weald Landscape Trail along the High Street, passed Sackville College down College Lane to East Court. East Court, built in 1769 by London lawyer, John Cranston and at its peak the estate, comprised of around nine hundred acres. There are fine views here from the gardens over the parkland towards Ashplats Wood and Ashdown Forest beyond. The Greenwich Meridian passes through the grounds and this is where East Meets West.

 We head through Ashplats wood, pass Fairlight Farm, through Pitlands Woods, skirting Fowl Wood before reaching the A22. After walking a short distance along it, we cross it passing Luxford’s and Horseshoe Farms until we reach Buses Farm where we can see Weir Wood Reservoir in the valley below. Heading west and then down to the Reservoir , following it using the Sussex border path, which we leave just  before Stone Farm Rocks where we stop for a picnic lunch after approx. 6.5miles

After Lunch we pass through Kingscote Vineyard, High Wood, until we reach East Grinstead Rugby Club where we rejoin the High Weald Landscape  Trail. We follow this back to East Grinstead High Street, where it is a short walk from here back to the start.

Optional drink in one of the local pubs afterwards.