A New History of Mayfield

MEDIEVAL MAYFIELDArchbishops and Peasants By Tim Cornish A new history of medieval Mayfield has been published by Tim Cornish, a village resident for 35 years. This 330 page colour illustrated hardback offers radical new perspectives based on a decade of research, with newly discovered material from Lambeth Palace Library, the British Library as well as…

Read More

The Day a Telephone Exchange died – Part One

It was ten minutes to eight on a normal Monday morning when an enormous explosion rocked the area and the Telephone Exchange was completely destroyed spreading over 200 yards of the surrounding area. It was later discovered that there had been a gas leak in the footpath running past and it had leaked into the exchange. The first…

Read More

The Mayfield and Five Ashes Fallen from WWI

“Their Name Shall Liveth for Evermore”   Name Served With Date of Death Age Akehurst F.C. Boy 2 Cl HMS Vivid 8th March 1915 17 Akehurst S. L/Cpl 6 Bn Lnst. Rgt. 9th April 1918 27 Ashdown A. Pte 11 Bn R. Sx Rgt 28th April 1916 23 Axell F.O. Pte 11 Bn R.W. Kent…

Read More

MAYFIELD AND THE GREAT WAR – NO. 42 – SEPTEMBER 2017

After the unseasonal heavy rainfall during much of August, a drier period into September witnessed some success around the Ypres salient. However, the coastal landings further along the Belgian coast had been abandoned as there was little prospect of breaking through the German defences from Ypres to secure the Belgian coastline. The Germans use mustard…

Read More

David Gray’s Reminiscences of Mayfield and Five Ashes – Part 4

We’re moving slowly up the High Street to Oak Cottage, which was Pound Fold many years ago when it was two cottages. In my day, the smaller east part was called Inglenook. That was the home and office of Barrows, the builders, run by George Barrow, the son of the well-known master craftsman of yesteryear, Tom Barrow.…

Read More

David Gray’s Reminiscences of Mayfield and Five Ashes – Part 3

Above Oak Croft there were a wool shop, a coal merchant’s office and a cycle shop; I think all of them were probably run by Bachelors or the Bachelor family; of course, a lot of Bachelors lived in Mayfield about the time I’m talking about.  The next house, which is called Ferndale and West View –…

Read More

David Gray’s Reminiscences of Mayfield and Five Ashes – Part 2

Directly opposite the Baptist Chapel front door is the Corner House which, in the 1800s, was a beer house called The Plough; then, later, our telephone exchange; and then I remember Parkers Electrical business moved in there. But a short walk along the raised pavement in West Street is a private house called Little Shirley which, up…

Read More