Fletching Sussex - (Simon de Montfort and Jack Cade)

The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book , but without a church.

It is likely that Fletching was an Anglo Saxon settlement which was founded about a century after Roman Britain . The name is probably derived from the village of Flecci ( see our Anglo Saxon page ).

The village was a major producer of Bows and Arrows from the 13th Century and these were used in the battle of Agincourt in 1415. (many thanks to Graham Vincent for providing the above details)
The village lies at one of the entrances to the current Sheffield Park , and it seems likely the main reason the church was constructed was for spiritual guidance of the Lords of the Manor. The present church was started in the late 1100's and was completed in 1230, and is one of the largest in the area.

In 1264 Simon de Montfort stopped at Fletching for the Bishop of Worcester to celebrate mass and bless the troops before the Battle of Lewes, in which Simon defeated King Henry III's troops, who arrived from the east via Flimwell , Hurst Green and Battle .

In 1450 the great rebellion of Jack Cade effected the village, Peter Denot a glover and others from the village took part in the uprising, but were subsequently pardoned.

The church has had its share of famous people associated with it:- There is a fine brass of Sir Walter Dalyngrigge and his wife in the church from about 1380 , one of Sir Walters sons Sir Edwards was responsible for building the last great medieval castle at Bodiam .

The High Sheriff of Sussex and Surrey, Richard Leche who died in 1596 is remembered by the full size alabaster figures of himself and his wife Charitye.

The Neville Family who owned Eridge Park left their mark on the church by leaving some of their armour in the church, this dates from about 1720.

The author Edward Gibbons was buried in the mausoleum in 1794, it was he who wrote "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire".

During the late 1800's hop growing came to the area, and the crops were carried to the large towns by the railway from nearby Isfield .