Withyham is a small village lying to the north of Crowborough and between Groombridge and Hartfield . The village was probably founded for the workers on the Buckhurst estate which lies behind the church. The De La Warr family have owned Buckhurst for many centuries and are a branch of the Sackville family and also held the position of Earl and Countess of Dorset. In 1356 at the battle of Poitiers a knight from Laughton Sir John Pelham together with Sir Roger De La Warr captured Jean the King of France. In 1660 a huge thunderbolt hit the church and the blast melted the bells and destroyed the Dorsets monument and badly damaged the church. By 1672 the church had been rebuilt and was back in use and a sundial was placed over the porch commemorating the re-opening. In 1680 the Sackville Chapel was built within the church and contains many monuments to the family. In 1962 Vita Sackville West, the author who rebuilt the gardens at Sissinghurst , died and her ashes were placed in the Sackville family crypt in Withyham church.

Services

The village has a public house and the church, and other services can be obtained from Crowborough about 3 miles to the south. The main shopping centre is Crowborough and also Royal Tunbridge Wells about 8 miles to the east. Trains run from Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells , however the Tunbridge Wells service is more frequent.

Views

The view from the church across Buckhurst Park is very beautiful and is very peaceful. The village itself has a duck pond and a few houses and is quite attractive, but very small.