The snippets that follow merely scratch the surface of this history, but hopefully will help you build up a picture of its inhabitants.

William de Staines
In 1294 William de Staines, Vicar of Cuckfield, was sentenced for poaching deer in Cuckfield Park.

Henry Kingsley
Henry Kingsley was born Jan 2, 1830 in Barnack, Northamptonshire and died May 24, 1876, Cuckfield, Sussex. He is the brother of Charles Kinglsey and is buried in the churchyard. He moved to the village in 1875 and took up residence at a property called "Attree". Henry was an English novelist whose books were popular for half a century and who is best known for Ravenshoe (1861) and The Hillyars and the Burtons (1865). He wrote of Cuckfield:

Cuckfield is supposed to be the healthiest town in England. The church is one of the most beautiful in England - cared for like a jewel, and the wondrous old houses abutting it would be highly remarkable elsewhere.

Robert Esterffylde
On 6 Aug 1554 Robert Esterffylde, aged about 10, was riding a mare was pulling a little cart from his fathers house to 'the westgate' of Cuckfield Park. The mare threw him and he hung from her back by one foot on one of her ropes. The mare 'feloniously murdered' him; he suffered three mortal wounds on his head, 3 inches long, and to the brain. His father Richard Esterffylde was summoned to King's Bench to answer for the mare.

John Clarke and John Griffiths
The two Johns were tramps who were charged, on 9 January 1883, with tearing up their clothes in the workhouse that morning, and were sentenced to 14 days hard labour.

Andrew Payne
On 22 July 1612 a gelding, belonging to John Brooker of Hurstpierpoint, gave Andrew Payne a severe wound in the brain. He immediately sickened and died in Cuckfield on 26 July. Brooker was summoned to King's Bench to answer for the mare. Andrew Payne was buried in Cuckfield on 30 July 1612.

Daniel Walter
Daniel Walter was Vicar of Cuckfield for nearly half a century and one of the first trustees of the Middleton and Burrell Charity. He died at the age of 81 in 1761.

William Smith, James Comber, Charles Joice, William Clarke and John Harrison
These tramps were charged on 16 January 1883 with tearing up their clothes in the union-workhouse that morning and the first four were sentenced to 14 days hard labour and John Harrison to 7 days hard labour.

Sarah Tulet
Sarah died at Cuckfield Place on 9 March 1840, aged 78 years. Her brother James died in the same year aged 81 years. Sarah's employer, Mrs Sergison, placed a wood rail over her grave near the north door of the church. On the rail were inscribed "Having served with the strictest fidelity, honesty and sobriety for upwards of 50 years - be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life".

Sundial
Miss Payne of Winchester Lodge, presented Cuckfield with a sundial in the recreation ground. The sundial originally formed part of the balustrade of the Old London Bridge.

The White Hart
Parts of the White Hart have been dated at the beginning of the 13th Century. It is believed to be the oldest building now used as a public house.

Easter Day in 1879 had weather more like Christmas than Easter - snow lay about 6 inches deep.

September 14th, 1815:- The opening of a new peal of bells, cast by Mr Thos. Mears of Whitechapel, London. Ringers met together to ring, amongst others, Oxford Treble Bob: a complete peal of 5,088 changes in three hours, one minute and a half.

Thomas Bashford is mentioned in the BMJ and the WHO on payment by results. Links are here and here at page 38}.