the Hurst
Editor: Francesca Wooldridge. thehurst.hg@gmail.com 07875
411876
Welcome to the Summer edition of The Hurst – an edition that covers a multitude of topics from ongoing roadworks to plans for the centenary of our Village Hall, interspersed with our community coming together to protect our lovely new orchard.
The population of Hurst Green is roughly 1,180 to 1,500, depending on how the boundaries are defined. But despite our relatively small size, we are nothing if not active in our community. Look at the community orchard. Locals turned out along with members of the Parish Council and even our MP, Kieran Mullen, to protect our fruit trees. And plans are already underway to celebration our Village Hall’s 100th birthday – a cream tea in the afternoon and, for those with more stamina, a party in the evening. Full details are within the pages of this issue.
Of course, we’ve all ‘suffered’ through the roadworks since March. Passing through them every day, I dread to think how many wasted hours have been spent queuing on either the A21 or the A265. I am assured that once the works are complete, the situation will be far better. I wait to be convinced.
But whilst the actual roadworks have been difficult, it is very sad that Highways haven’t recognised the historic value off our village and designed the road furniture accordingly. We have so many listed and landmark buildings – and we are the only village bisected by the A21. As we go to press, discussions are taking place in the hope that a resolution can be found to at least recognise the historic value of our village and retain design elements in keeping with this. We’ll keep you posted.
We do hope everybody has a wonderful summer in the sunshine (and South East Water resist calling a hosepipe ban!).
Advertising: Allan Cheek. cheekallan@gmail.com
USEFUL CONTACTS
Allotment Association 01580 860251
Breakfast Club (75+) 01580 860760/860358
Brownies 01580 860742
Comedy Capers 01580 860221
Cricket Club 07796 976809
Holy Trinity Church 01580 880282
Hurst Green C of E School 01580 860375
Nursery School 01580 860375 x211
Parish Clerk 01580 860111
Rother District Council 01424 787000
Short Mat Bowling 01580 752348
Twinning Association 01580 860977
Village Hall Booking Agent 01580 860425
Walking Football 01435 882444
HELPFUL LOCAL SERVICES
Cars Mobile Car Mechanic: Cliff Mercer 07909 911869
Dogs Holiday and day care: Lorely Watson 01580
880061/07796 392653
Pippin’s Pet Sitting and walking: 07717 681972
Sarah.janeheasman@hotmail.co.uk
Eco-friendly products Joanna Girling 07443 411677 girling.joanna@gmail.com
Electricians Gareth Skinner 07929 839309
Tim Russell 07771 687636 trussell.5@btinternet.com
House Portraits Christine Masters Art 07833 342020
www.christinemastersart.wordpress.com
Leather repairs Kay Lloyd,Wealden Saddlery 01580 860860
Maths tuition Alec Whiteman 01580 861304
Plastering and tiling Edd Ripley, 07875 494493
Plumbers Aaron Plumbing & Heating LtdAaron Rowsell 01580 230330
Steve Walker 07564 405702
Private car hire and taxi service Hugo, 01435 883803 Mob. 07931 605057
If you would like to be included in this list please email thehurst.hg@gmail.com This is a free listing.
A Welcome from our new Vicar
Hurst Green’s new vicar, the Rev. Hugh Reid, has taken up his new parish role and is looking forward to becoming an important part of our community. He’s also looking forward to meeting as many as possible at a meet and greet on 6th June.
The boxes are (mostly) unpacked; the curtains are (mostly) hung; the Wifi is working; instruction manuals are all over the floor; and the cat still can’t figure out where he is…
A couple of months ago I introduced myself in the pages of this magazine, and since then my wife and I have moved into our new home and taken up our new parish roles. And so it is my great joy to be among you now!
The strapline on the Church of England’s website is ‘A Christian presence in every community’, and first and foremost I do hope to be a presence in Hurst Green, as I work with those in the church and community to make God’s love known in this place. My opening words may chime with anyone who has recently moved house, and I’ve just been reminded how chaotic a process this can sometimes be!
Through all of this my wife and I have treasured the many acts of kindness and words of encouragement that we have received, all of which have helped us
VILLAGE HALL
Reg Charity no. 229672
MONDAY 5pm Children’s gymnastics
7.30pm Short Mat Bowls
TUESDAY 8.45am Pilates (07798 663820)
7pm Jive & Lindy Hop (07766 881045)
8pm Parish Council Meeting (last Tuesday of each month)
WEDNESDAY 5.30pm Brownies (termtime only)
THURSDAY 8.45am Pilates
1.30pm Short Mat Bowls
8pm Zumba
FRIDAY 10am Breakfast Club
(2nd & 4th Friday each month)
4pm Children’s gymnastics
For more information, contact: Sue Endean, 07718 282605, 01580 860425
Rev. Hugh Reid,
to feel more settled in our new home and our new roles: my sincere thanks for these.
The Easter story that we’ve been marking in church over the past couple of months is itself a story of transition and upheaval, as Jesus’ disciples move from despair and disarray at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, to the joy of the Resurrection, and their new-found sense of purpose as they receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; and it’s a story punctuated throughout by those words Jesus says again and again: ‘Peace be with you’.
And in a world that may feel very unsettling at the moment, I hope we can all receive the comfort of these words, and know the peace of Jesus in our hearts. And I hope that I can live out these words, and offer the church’s welcome to you all just as I have been welcomed so far.
If you see me out and about, do please feel free to say hello! And please do be assured that you are all in my thoughts and my prayers as I begin my ministry here.
To contact Rev. Hugh Reid, tel: 07563655495 revhughreid@gmail.com
Hurst Green has a new Vicar
Allan Cheek continues his regular feature in The Hurst describing different walks of varying difficulty.
Allan is happy to discuss this, and other Hurst Green walks, in more detail, including the possibility of leading small groups.
For information, contact Allan by text/WhatsApp 07803 502972
Starting at our usual spot opposite the Clockhouse, head down Station Road then down Burgh Hill to Etchingham, taking a left turn off the main road just after the church to the driveway and public footpath beside the first cottage.
Pass through the gate crossing the little river Dudwell. Bear left across the first field then head uphill crossing Lundsford farm drive through both gates and continue keeping between the buildings and the pond. This path heads downhill to another two gates leading slightly right then following the stream on your left (often squidgy here). Keep going uphill through Gigmore Wood then levelling out into the open keeping to the right-hand side before finding the cottages at Squibs Farm.
Continue straight through the farmyard through an open gate and hedge on your right. At the bottom of the hill cross the bridge then head uphill diagonally to the top corner which then descends steeply to cross a stream then uphill to gates crossing a farm track into open pastures overlooking the railway.
Ignore the first footpath, keeping the trees on your right to find a gap and continue the other side with a fence to reach a downhill wide path which leads under the railway then divides. Keep to the left-hand path over a footbridge towards the soon to be restored Rother Valley Railway.
Turn left beside the track and cricket ground to pop out onto High Street Robertsbridge. Turn left, then left again before the roundabout onto Northbridge Street (the old A21). This leads to the crossing of the actual A21.
Cross and turn left on the footpath leading to the houses on Rother View. Head towards the end and turn left at No28 to pass some garages
Hurst Green to Northbridge St. (Robertsbridge) 7 miles anticlockwise circular
then straight ahead into a small wood then uphill into open pasture and a stile at Beech House Lane. Turn left and walk for approx. 1000yds to the end then right along Bodiam Road for 150yds reaching Mill Cottage on your left and a five bar gate and footpath sign.
Go up here to the end where you’ll find Stage Field on the right with its beacon and view.
However, we go left and round the strange green circular building atop a reservoir. Follow the path to a metal gate and downhill to another where it enters open pasture.
The path leads down then crosses at right angles towards a hedged gap beside Little Iridge cottages. Turn right on the track to the T-junction then left to nearly the end and cottage where you’ll find a metal gate on the left. Bear right to another metal gate where the path leads eventually downhill to a gate entrance to a wood with a steep and often slippery down and up over a stream.
The path meanders through several old gates to a new wooded plantation, two stiles before reaching the final stile which pops you out directly onto the A21. Take care crossing and head right back to the start.
At just under 7 miles this walk should be comfortably completed in about two and a half hours.
Hurst Green Village Hall Celebrates 100!
Hurst Green Village Hall will mark a remarkable milestone this year as it celebrates its 100th anniversary on 10 October 2026.
For a century, the hall has been at the heart of village life — hosting everything from community events, meetings and performances to children’s groups, celebrations and social gatherings.
As we prepare to celebrate this very special occasion, we would love to hear from anyone who has fond memories of the hall over the years.
Whether you attended dances, clubs, Brownies, parties or any other activities, your stories are an important part of our shared history.
We are also keen to collect any photographs that capture life at the hall through the decades.
To help make the anniversary celebrations a
success, we are inviting local businesses and individuals to support us.
We are currently looking for sponsorship to help fund our events and would also warmly welcome donations of cakes for our traditional cream tea, which will be a highlight of the celebrations.
This centenary is a chance for the whole community to come together, reflect on the past and look forward to the future of this muchloved space.
If you would like to share memories, provide photographs, offer sponsorship or donate cakes, please get in touch — we would be delighted to hear from you.
For information and more, contact bookings@hurstgreenvillagehall.org.uk
Let’s make this a celebration to remember!
The end of the roadworks?
Assurance has been given that the longawaited completion of the last phase of the National Highways A21 Safety Package is to be Friday 26 June with four to five final night closures expected before then. Hopefully, unlike the previous occasion, residents will be given plenty of warning.
Yes, as we go to press the dust clouds are beginning to clear at the A21/A265 junction. We have tolerated the 30+ minute delaysThe sad outcome in many ways is that the many voices and reams of documentation and communications from affected parties are likely to gather dust unanswered in some distant archive or is it under a carpet?
Whilst those employees and contractors toiling with us in their high-vis overalls have been a great example of respect and tolerance in often difficult circumstances, their masters in grey suits sitting behind screens, avoiding face-to-face engagement, are forging on regardless with the Hurst Green ‘solution’, seemingly blinkered to our concerns.
trunk road rather than an historic village despite there being a landmark listed building directly affected by new positioning of crossing and lights – the Clock House - and 18 other listed buildings in the close vicinity and more within the village at large.
To date, no satisfactory response from Highways has been forthcoming to address these concerns.
Project Manager, Alice Alexander is quoted as saying, “The works have included route safety improvements, speed limit changes and other, targeted improvements. These are now substantially completed, although there may be partial or overnight closures to finalise any remedial works. I would like to thank road users in general, and all the stakeholders and local communities in particular, for their patience and understanding while we carried out these improvements.”
In the meantime we wait and see if Hurst Green’s continuing relationship with the A21 juggernaut reaches sympathetic ears further afield.
For those residents and businesses in proximity to the junction there is understandable concern over some or all of the above.
Here’s just one example regarding unsympathetic design....
They seem to be treating the area (solely) like
View from The Boundary
Our practice net has started to pay back the investment in time to get it set up. With regular practice, many of the players are becoming more confident when batting and we’re seeing good contributions to the score throughout the order in our games.
With our practice net complete, thoughts turn towards the next big project. Hurst Green’s Neighbourhood Plan was adopted last year and within it are some proposed improvements to the Drewett Cricket Field.
These include a trim trail with outdoor gym equipment, a multi-use games area, tennis courts and car parking, along with a new pavilion. The Cricket Club are looking forward to contributing as part of a working party or group, led by the Parish Council, to start to bring some of these ambitions to life. More information about the proposals can be found at hurstgreen2030.uk
Our season is well and truly underway now and though we’re waiting for our first win, we’ve had good games against local team Mountfield, Crowhurst and a wandering team, the Yellow
Stump. Games in June are against Robertsbridge (home and away) and vs our old Landlord’s XI.
We practice every Tuesday evening from 6.30pm and welcome all abilities, male and female, to join us for friendly social cricket.
Contact us on hurstgreencc@gmail.com for more information.
Wild About Etchingham and Hurst Green
The Hurst caught up with Fiona Mordaunt to find out more about the Wild About Etchingham and Hurst Green Group.
WHAT
ARE THE AIMS OF OUR GROUP?
Our group welcomes anyone who wants to enjoy our local wildlife together.
EDUCATION HAPPENS NATURALLYthrough our foraging walks, bat talks and other events.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE WE FOCUSING ON AT THE MOMENT?
We have two main focuses this year:
• DARK SKY CERTIFICATION and
• RIVER MONITORING.
Nine of our local parishes are applying for Dark Sky Certification.
As a Londoner born and bred, I wondered why there weren’t many streetlights around here! With a little prior education, such as signage in our villages, people would get an instant sense that we are a conservation area and what that means.
In one fell swoop, Dark sky policy would give blanket protection to moths, owls, birds, frogs, badgers and human health.
THE UPPER ROTHER RIVER MONITORING PROJECT
We are very grateful for the support and grants from Etchingham Parish Council and Hurst Green Parish Council, which will enable us to run our own river monitoring project locally as an extension of the already successful Dudwell River Monitoring Project, run by Simon Forster and Julian Kenny of Wild About Burwash. We plan to have between four and six monitoring sites and to address, as well as we
can, the issues with the sewage works locally. We have beautiful rivers in excellent health. Lamprey eels were recently spotted, which are one of the indicators of that, so we are very keen to keep them that way.
WHAT HAVE WE DONE SO FAR?
We do monthly river monitoring on the first Sunday of every month. We also attend many of the Parish Council meetings.
We have also offered our help to Hurst Green Parish council to get their community orchard established, along with the guidance of “Kev the ranger” at Batemans National Trust property.
We had a very productive morning last Saturday (24th May) fencing the trees to prevent further deer damage. Many of the Hurst Green Parish councilors arrived early, fully equipped with fencing, hammers and other tools to toil in the heat!
We were joined by Dr Kieran Mullan MP, who was a delight to chat to, extremely handy with a set of pliers, and as always supportive of our local concerns and issues.
MERCHANDISE
We will be thinking about our own products to sell in order to be self-supporting, but at the moment we are selling moth tea towels and apple juice, produced by Wild About Burwash. All the moths on the Tea Towel are local, and the photos are taken by the wildlife members of Wild About Burwash. The tea towels are £8.50 each and £16 for 2 and at the recent community
efforts, our MP, Kieran Mullan bought one, as did former counsellor Eleanor Kirby Green and Mary Barnes! More to follow!
HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR WILDLIFE MEMBERS?
We have a lively whatsApp group, which is very social. We also have Email for those who prefer, and a community Facebook page.
HOW CAN YOU JOIN?
By e-mailing wildaboutetchingham@gmail. com to go on our whatsApp group, email list, Facebook page; or all three!
“The month of June is the gateway to summer” Jean Hersey
Throughout the Autumn/Winter, a stalwart group of members of the Wadhurst Bowls Club have been braving the elements diligently maintaining the green in readiness for the grand opening of the season which started in mid-April. However, before any bowls could be rolled, it was all hands on deck to get the green and club house ready for action. The club is run entirely by volunteers, thus keeping costs to a minimum. It is a great way to share co-operation and responsibility, and, judging by the number of members that turned up on a blustery showery Sunday to get the club ready for the season, it drove home how much people had missed being there for companionship and friendly competition.
I have included a photo or two of willing helpers all getting stuck in.
Saturday 18 April was the grand opening competition for all members to take part in, (affectionately known as the Drive). There was a very good turnout, and it was commented on that the weather was the best it had been for the start of the season since anyone could remember. So good in fact that some members were wearing shorts and T shirts instead of warm weather proof attire! So, having reacquainted ourselves with the bowling green and each other, we can sign up to the fixtures with opposing villages, and also get involved in the club competitions. And on that note, please see how we have been doing so far:
Horam League Report
Wadhurst got their 2026 league season under way with an emphatic 105 shots to 45 shots win over Rotherfield. The match was played in glorious sunshine and everyone said how good it was to be bowling outdoors again.
However, our undefeated run in the league which went back to July 2024 and consisted of 26 wins and 1 draw came to an abrupt halt in our next game against old rivals Cross in Hand. The visitors running out winners by 72 shots to 59.
Here are the home games for June: Sunday 14 - Ringmer (Horam League) 2pm Tuesday 16 – Pembury 2pm
If anyone wants to come along to watch the matches and enjoy a cup of tea or something stronger, then please pop along, no need to call, just turn up.
And lastly, Wadhurst had another indoor game against The Royals in Tunbridge Wells. Six teams of players took part in a game of triples, (3 players per team), with Wadhurst winning four of the matches and achieving an overall accumulative score to beat the Royals by seven points. So, both sides won a match (The Royals won the previous game in February), which fits in very nicely with calling these types of games friendlies.
www.wadhurstbc.com
Washwell Lane, Wadhurst TN5 6BN
THE FLORAL BOUTIQUE LTD
20, HIGH STREET, ROBERTSBRIDGE
Tel 01580 880977
thefloralboutiqueltd@gmail.com
Open Monday – Saturday
Telephone
Over 50s Walking Football
In a tiny backwater of East Sussex a famous body-builder has just decided to semi-retire and eight of the Walking Footballers decided to stroll over and have a chat with him as he worked-out in his Vines Cross ‘den’.
Now most of you will be expecting a weight-lifting, muscle-bound He-Man of mammoth proportions but Rod isn’t that sort of body builder. Instead, we met a very humble self -deprecating septegenian who has a passion - for building motorcar bodies. Rod established a business as a coach-builder from a young age starting an apprenticeship as an auto-electrician. He was always ‘fixing’ cars and did a two year bodywork course at Brooklands College and bought his first Bentley aged 19. He saw a gap in the market and decided to specialise in making bodies for Austin 7’s and in particular the ‘Ulster’ bodied Sevens. The ‘Ulsters’ were primarily a sporting version of the Austin 7 with an option of a supercharger giving the streamlined lightweight aluminium bodied roadster a fair old turn of speed.
The Ulster body was much sought after by renovators and for those building replicas so Rod carved himself out a career reproducing brand new complete bodies in his tiny workshop. Over the years he has produced over 330 complete body shells along with specials and commissions – more than twice the original Ulsters the Austin factory ever produced! Failing eyesight forced him to retire very recently as he could no longer manage to gas weld the aluminium panels together. He sold all the jigs and specialist formers for a small amount which included back-orders for four vehicles.
Although Rod may have given up the business-side at 78 he hasn’t stopped working and is now setting about re-building his own Rolls Royce - all on the original chassis and with the original engine. How much does a complete Rod Yates replacement non-rust aluminium body for an Austin Seven cost? - I thought you may ask that - £3900…..
League Cup semi-final vs Hurstpierpoint….
To keep it brief, we lost…. But that wasn’t the whole story. On a sunny but cold evening Burwash bossed the early exchanges and had several chances but were unable to get shots on target. The ref helped us out with a penalty but we squirmed that wide of the post. 0-0 at half time. Second half and we couldn’t get to grips with a resurgent HPP. They were in the ascendency for the first five minutes and worked a very good opening which their striker took superbly and buried it in the far corner. In walking football the team that takes the lead is very hard to beat but we kept plugging away and gradually took control before winning another penalty – which was duly saved! Hurstpierpoint were able to manage the game out. Burwash had 17 shots and 2 penalties against HPP’s 6 shots. But it’s goals that win games!
For information ontact Steve Mintram on 01435 882444. www.burwashwalkingfootballers.co.uk
Community Orchard Update
During May, several Parish Councillors and volunteers gathered at the Community Orchard to install deer guards around the trees - something we have been wanting to do for some time, but which ground conditions and the availability of helping hands had prevented until now.
Dr Kieran Mullan, our local MP, turned out to help and proved very useful with a pair of pliers! Ahead of that, the ranger from Batemans National Trust came to assess and advise on the trees.
Sadly, some of the trees planted last year have been lost or sustained significant damage, likely from deer and possibly some vandalism. Thankfully around half of the trees have survived - a testament to the resilience of the orchard and the community behind it.
The Parish Council will be carrying out some watering visits over the summer months, but we would love to see local individuals and families get involved too. If you would like to adopt a tree, simply pop along every now and again and give your chosen tree a drink - every visit makes a difference during the drier months.
You may also have noticed a new bench has been installed, funded through the original DEFRA grant. A few residents have asked why it sits at the far end of the park. The answer is twofold - it replaces an existing bench that had deteriorated beyond repair, and its location at roughly the halfway point around the loop was a deliberate choice. Feedback from residents who are less mobile, had told the Council that the lack of anywhere to rest midway was putting them off completing the circuit.
As always, thank you to everyone who continues to support the orchard - it belongs to the whole community.
