St Swithuns church East Grinstead High Street, designed by James Wyatt in 1785
Tudor Bookshop on historic East Grinstead High Street
Specialist shopping along East Grinstead High Street
Historic East Grinstead Town Tour map at St Swithun Church
Character East Grinstead pubs & inns along the High Street
Cromwell House on East Grinstead High Street dating from around 1599East Grinstead is ideally situated on the western edge of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is also located at a central meeting point of four English Counties. This prime location makes ancient market town East Grinstead a perfect base for exploring a number of stunning attractions in the area such as nearby Ashdown Forest. The town centre's historic High Street contains a wealth of heritage buildings, many of them medieval timber structures.
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Fine independent shops, character historic pubs and restaurants are also here aplenty alongside a central museum, theatre, and entertainment centre with cinema and restaurants. On the first and third Thursdays of each month the East Grinstead Farmers Market comes to the High Street offering a fine range of local produce with everything from meats, vegetables and dairy products to crafts, plants and savoury pastries.
Widely considered as one of the best centres from which to explore the Sussex High Weald, ancient market town East Grinstead retains many heritage buildings and is surrounded by beautiful countryside. Here at East Grinstead is where the four counties - East & West Sussex, Kent and Surrey meet, making this historic town a popular base for visitors wanting to explore attractions in all four counties. The Greenwich Meridian also runs right through the town! East Grinstead's stunning High Street is lined with historic buildings including medieval timber framed buildings. In and around East Grinstead High Street discover a host of arts and crafts shops, bookshops, character historic pubs, coffee shops and bars and fine restaurants. East Grinstead is the perfect historic base from which to explore the countryside of the High Weald and nearby Ashdown Forest. On the first and third Thursdays of the month East Grinstead's Farmers Market takes place between 9am and 2pm in the heart of the centre on High Street. This is your chance to purchase the finest local produce including farm fresh eggs, dairy products, meats, game, fish, pickles and chutneys, seafood, plants and flowers and various crafts.
A number of historic stately homes and sites sit in and around East Grinstead including arts and crafts mecca Standen, owned by the National Trust, and Sackville College, Saint Hill Manor and Georgian Hammerwood Park. East Grinstead is also well served by arts centres including Chequer Mead which boasts a large theatre, art gallery and function rooms and The Atrium, home to a cinema, bar, restaurants and a nightclub. East Grinstead sits within easy reach of a choice of top Sussex attractions including the Bluebell Railway and Sheffield Park and across into West Kent to Hever Castle, Penshurst Place, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Churchill's home Chartwell and historic home of the Sackvilles Knole at Sevenoaks. East Grinstead is also highly accessible situated a mere 7 miles from Gatwick Airport and within easy reach of the M23 and M25 main motorway links. East Grinstead station is part of the main Southern Railway network affording easy access both to central London and the South Coast whilst Metro buses offer a comprehensive local East Grinstead bus service.
First port of call for exploring the history of East Grinstead and the High Weald is the East Grinstead Museum situated just off the High Street on the site of the old castle market. The museum is perfect for children offering plenty of hands-on interactive displays which also include numerous artefacts, images and memorabilia. Changing exhibitions have included topics such as the history of the Bluebell Railway. Exciting plans are afoot to extend the popular Bluebell Railway from Kingscote station to East Grinstead. Read more via the Bluebell Railway's website.
East Grinstead Museum, Old Market Yard, Cantelupe Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3BJ. Tel. 01342 302233. Open Wed & Sat 10am to 4pm, Sun & Bank Holidays 2pm to 5pm. Close over Christmas. Admission is Free.
Start your East Grinstead historic town trail at St Swithuns church designed by the famous architect James Wyatt and dating from 1785. A helpful town trail plaque is displayed at the church's entrance off the High Street or pick up a guide from the TIC. The High Street was originally laid out in the early 13th century and served as a major road linking the South to London. This main market street was deliberately wide to accommodate markets and fairs which would sell to the passing traffic.
Historic highlights along East Grinstead High Street include the striking Wealden house - Clarendon House dating from around 1470 with additional extensions including the Old Stone House dating from around 1630 with further extensions again built in the 1880s. Dorset House dates from 1705 and is a Queen Ann Town House restored recently in 1989. East Court along the High Street dates from the latter half of the 1700s. Once a country gentleman's house, today East Court is home to the Town Council and sits within a public park just off the High Street down College Lane. Note too Cromwell House dating from around 1599 and built as a town house for the head of an important local family.
One of the most striking of East Grinstead's High Street historic buildings is the famous Sackville College founded by Robert Sackville, Earl of Dorset in 1609 as an almshouse. The building is still in use today serving as a home for elderly people. Open to the public for guided tours at certain times of the year, Sackville College is a splendid example of Jacobean architecture and of particular interest are the chapel with original carved door and the Great Hall with Minstrels Gallery and hammer beam roof. For more details on visiting Sackville College see their webguide.
For information on the Jacobean treasure Sackville College contact The Warden's Lodge, Sackville College, High Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3BX. Telephone. 44 (0) 1342 326561. Open to the public between mid-June to Mid-Sept for guided tours from 2pm to 5pm, last admission 4.15pm.
An outstanding programme of theatre and arts await at East Grinstead's Chequer Mead. The theatre is centrally placed in East Grinstead, accommodating upto 340 theatre goers and with ample parking opposite. Jazz music is a regular feature too in the theare's cafe - The Cuisine Studio. Chequer Mead Theatre plays host to a mix of music events, musicals, concerts, ballet and comedy and of course a regular Christmas pantomime. See the Chequer Mead Theatre's webguide for forthcoming programme.
Chequer Mead Community Arts Centre, De La Warr Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3BS. Box Office Tel. 01342 302000.
Also centrally placed in East Grinstead town centre is The Atrium incorporating a number of entertainment and leisure outlets under one roof including the two screen (soon to be three) Scotts Cinema, Restaurants including a Weatherspoons and Domino's Pizza and the Crow's Nest, a popular live music bar venue and a nightclub.
The Atrium, Little King Street, East Grinstead, West Sussex. Browse the Atrium's weblink right for more details.
