Celebrating Haywards Heath

As the M25 skirts the North Downs south of London and the A27 skirts the South Downs and Brighton the A272 traverses the ancient home of Haywards Heath, the High Weald of Mid-Sussex. Heather Warnes 2009 history observes that ‘it was common in this part of Mid Sussex for early estates to be laid out across a ridge top, the north-facing slopes often being reserved to the lord for wood and timber’. The heath was open land facing south benefitting both from the sun and drainage of water from the rock underlay of the High Weald down to the southern claylands. The River Ouse north of the Weald provides a second natural boundary for our heath. Haywards Heath is a town with population 33,845 (2011 census) that grew up to the north and east of the ancient ‘Hayworth’ estate after the arrival of the railway in 1841. Its name derives from ‘Hayworth’ south of Muster Green on the A272 formerly a prehistoric ridgeway track. In her ‘Assessment of the early history of Hayworth and Trubwick in...

We live in Haywards Heath. Originally because I worked across the whole of Sussex and we needed a house right in the centre chosen for us in Gatesmead off Birchen Lane. After a spell working in Horsted Keynes we needed to find our own house without moving too far from friends. So it was through Anne’s intrepid searching that we landed in the Bentswood suburb of Haywards Heath on the other side of town from where we lived 2001-9. It's great to be near shops, to have moved from two spells on the periphery to live close to the hub of our vibrant town. Haywards Heath is a Mid Sussex town with population 39,079 (2020) 36 miles south of London and 14 miles north of Brighton. I first saw it flashing by over 60 years ago on that remarkable speeded up London to Brighton train journey. Its primarily a commuter town - there are relatively few jobs in the town - and many of our residents commute daily via road or rail to London, Brighton, Crawley or Gatwick for work. Anne and I have l...