Bolney
Encyclopedia
Bolney is a village and civil parish
in the Mid Sussex
district of West Sussex
, England
. It lies 36 miles (58 km) south of London
, 11 miles (18 km) north of Brighton
, and 27 miles (43 km) east northeast of the county town of Chichester
, near the junction of the A23 road
with the A272 road
. The parish has a land area of 1479.41 hectares (3654 acres). In the 2001 census there were 1209 people living in 455 households of whom 576 were economically active. Nearby towns include Burgess Hill
to the southeast and Haywards Heath
to the east.
The majority of the village sits between the A23 to the east, and the A272 to the south and consists of a main north/south road call The Street and towards the top of the village by Top Street, Cherry Lane and Ryecroft cutting east/west. Outside of this area the village extends south of the A272 down Bolney Chapel Road and to the East of the A23 in Crossways. The Bolney crossroads of the A23 and A272 has always been an accident black spot, and even with the building of the A23 flyover the area still has a high level of accidents and incidents on its stretch of the A23
.
In mediaeval times the village was noted for its cherry fair and iron smelting and until the early 20th Century a windmill existed on the Common.
At the heart of the village is St Mary Magdalene's Church which partly dates from the 12th century and the tower houses the first ring of eight bells in Sussex, the oldest dating back to 1592.
At the top end of the village in Top Street there is another place of worship, the Bolney Village Chapel.
Historically the Village was in two parts the main village was clustered around the church and to the north there was the Common. House building up The Street during the 20th century joined these two parts together.
The last remaining pub in the village is called The Eight Bells in reference to the set of bells in the village church.
The village has a relatively high number of listed properties, with two main clusters at the south, around the church and to the north, in what was originally the Common.
Bolney Church of England Primary School serves 4–11 year olds. It was built in 1871 and has been expanded since, in 1996 and 2002.
(Conservative, 1997–2005) and Nick Herbert
(Conservative), the current MP who received 49.8% of votes in the 2005 general election. It has since moved into the Mid Sussex constituency
.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Mid Sussex
Mid Sussex
Mid Sussex is a local government district in the English county of West Sussex. It contains the towns of East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill....
district of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies 36 miles (58 km) south of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 11 miles (18 km) north of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, and 27 miles (43 km) east northeast of the county town of Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, near the junction of the A23 road
A23 road
The A23 road is a major road in the United Kingdom between London and Brighton, East Sussex. It became an arterial route following the construction of Westminster Bridge in 1750 and the consequent improvement of roads leading to the bridge south of the river by the Turnpike Trusts...
with the A272 road
A272 road
The A272 is a road in South-East England. It follows an approximate East-West route from near Heathfield, East Sussex to the city of Winchester, Hampshire. It has achieved somewhat unlikely fame in recent years by being the subject of a book by the Dutch author, Pieter Boogaart...
. The parish has a land area of 1479.41 hectares (3654 acres). In the 2001 census there were 1209 people living in 455 households of whom 576 were economically active. Nearby towns include Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill is a civil parish and a town primarily located in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England, close to the border with East Sussex, on the edge of the South Downs National Park...
to the southeast and Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath
-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
to the east.
The majority of the village sits between the A23 to the east, and the A272 to the south and consists of a main north/south road call The Street and towards the top of the village by Top Street, Cherry Lane and Ryecroft cutting east/west. Outside of this area the village extends south of the A272 down Bolney Chapel Road and to the East of the A23 in Crossways. The Bolney crossroads of the A23 and A272 has always been an accident black spot, and even with the building of the A23 flyover the area still has a high level of accidents and incidents on its stretch of the A23
History
It is believed the name of the village came from the Saxon word “Bolne” meaning “ a village (or high place) near marsh”, as the area is on high ground in an area that was marshy. Saxon road timbers have been excavated in The Street and there is a suggestion that this was an old route north into St Leonard's ForestSt Leonard's Forest
St. Leonard's Forest is at the western end of the Wealden Forest Ridge which runs from Horsham to Tonbridge, and is part of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It lies on the ridge to the south of the A264 between Horsham and Crawley with the villages of Colgate and Lower Beeding...
.
In mediaeval times the village was noted for its cherry fair and iron smelting and until the early 20th Century a windmill existed on the Common.
At the heart of the village is St Mary Magdalene's Church which partly dates from the 12th century and the tower houses the first ring of eight bells in Sussex, the oldest dating back to 1592.
At the top end of the village in Top Street there is another place of worship, the Bolney Village Chapel.
Historically the Village was in two parts the main village was clustered around the church and to the north there was the Common. House building up The Street during the 20th century joined these two parts together.
The last remaining pub in the village is called The Eight Bells in reference to the set of bells in the village church.
The village has a relatively high number of listed properties, with two main clusters at the south, around the church and to the north, in what was originally the Common.
Education
For pre-school education there is Bolney Under Fives Pre-School, for 2 to 5 year olds, and the Ark Nursery for 3 and 4 year olds, which follows the Early Years Curriculum.Bolney Church of England Primary School serves 4–11 year olds. It was built in 1871 and has been expanded since, in 1996 and 2002.
Governance
Bolney was in the constituency of Arundel and South Downs at the time of the last general election, a fairly new constituency, created in 1997 which has had only two MPs: Howard FlightHoward Flight
Howard Emerson Flight, Baron Flight is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom and a member of the House of Lords. He was Member of Parliament for Arundel and South Downs from 1997 to 2005...
(Conservative, 1997–2005) and Nick Herbert
Nick Herbert
Nicholas Le Quesne "Nick" Herbert is a British Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Arundel and South Downs...
(Conservative), the current MP who received 49.8% of votes in the 2005 general election. It has since moved into the Mid Sussex constituency
Mid Sussex (UK Parliament constituency)
Mid Sussex is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
.
Sport
Batchelor’s Field is the village's main recreation ground.- Bolney Cricket Club was founded in 1840. In 2003 a new pavilion was designed and built by players.
- Bolney Rovers Football Club plays in the Mid Sussex Football League, and there is also a veterans' team for the over 37s.
- Bolney Stoolball Club is a ladies' stoolball club that plays on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.