Westfield is a village and

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...

in the Rother district of

East Sussex East Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Kent to the north-east, West Sussex to the west, Surrey to the north-west, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement ...

. It is one of the largest villages in the area with a population of 2,819. The village lies five miles (8 km) north of

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

. It was known as Westewelle in the Domesday survey. It is located on the A28 road which runs from Hastings to Ashford and beyond. The parish includes the linear hamlet of Kent Street along the A21 road. This spans 800 yards from Carpenter's Barn Farm at the southern end past Claverton Country House Hotel up to Sedlescombe Golf Club at the northern end. A prominent sight when entering the village from the south is the church dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Its many features include extensive buttressing, a 12th-century porch and a 14th-century font with an elaborate 17th-century cover. Above the door to the tower there is carved a Royal

Coat of Arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

with the list of vicars since 1250 set below. Looking towards the nave there is a Norman arch with squint windows to the side, cut through the 32 inches of stone. Another feature at the road entrance is the

lychgate A lychgate (from Old English ''līc'', corpse) or resurrection gate is a covered gateway found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard. Examples also exist outside the British Isles in places such as Newfoundland, the ...

, with its four carved angels; this was added in 1887. The history of Westfield has been extensively researched by a resident of Westfield descended from a family who appear in the records from 1552. Westfield Football Club play in the Sussex County League Division Two.

Christmas festivities

Around the Christmas period, the residents of Westfield band together to raise money for the charity St Michael’s Hospice using the village’s popular Christmas lights display. Every year, the locals will go around with buckets collecting money from spectators viewing the lights to donate to the charity. As of Christmas 2017, the village have amassed a total of over £75,000 in donations to St Michael’s Hospice.

Amenities

Carr-Taylor Vineyards is situated nearby. There is still a village shop with Post Office, butchers and hairdressers. Also a pet grooming parlour, and a Beauty Parlour. There is one pub currently ''The New Inn''(previously called "The Old Courthouse". The village's second pub "The Plough" closed down in 2018. Westfield School opened in 1877 and is a popular choice with parents within the surrounding areas. There is also a small industrial estate with several businesses operating, including one that renovates classic aircraft. The owner of the industrial estate flies his own Tiger Moth from a field in the Village,

Landmarks

The parish contains a

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle ...

— Maplehurst Wood. This is a ancient woodland containing a range of flora and avian fauna. The village has significant areas of verge, which is purposely left wild in order to preserve nature - this is most notable on approach to the village on the A28, alongside Hole Farm. The woods mentioned is the only

site for Herb Paris ( Paris quadrifolia).

Sport and leisure

Westfield has a

Non-League football Non-League football describes association football, football leagues played outside the top leagues of a country. Usually, it describes leagues which are not fully professional. The term is primarily used for football in England, where it is ...

club Westfield (Sussex) F.C. who play at The Parish Field. There is now a new football field and clubhouse plus houses on a new area East of Mill Lane. There is a small recreation area with swings, etc. in the field opposite the church for the children of the

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

. The countryside surrounding Westfield offers a good number of walking routes. The village has one public house, notably The New Inn. The local

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...

has a hall attached to it, which can be used by the community. Many years ago Westfield was known for its witches and it is lost in antiquity about the East Sussex witch burnings. There are two village halls, one attached to the Church, and one, the newest, attached to the school. Many activities take place there, including two horticultural shows every year, put on by Westfield Horticultural Society, that has existed since around 1890. It is well supported and popular.

References

External links

Sussex OPC page for Westfield
{{authority control Villages in East Sussex Civil parishes in East Sussex Rother District