Five Ashes - (Vast collection of rock plants)

General Details

Five Ashes in East Sussex lies about 5 miles south west of Mayfield on the A267. The local pub, called the Five Ashes, what else, stands opposite the five ash trees from which the village takes its name. The old building was once a farmhouse, and the great-grandson of the owner, Alfred Berwick, was the licensee from 1914 until 1959 when he retired. His daughter Rosie then took over.

The long family association ended in 1977 when she and her husband retired to Crowborough .

The Eastwood family were key figures in giving Five Ashes its communal buildings. Boaz Eastwood helped erect an old army hut from Eastbourne which served as the village church, and his son Roy, was a leading-light in the fund raising to build the village-hall in 1976.

'Twitts Gill' was once the home of Sir Austen Chamberlain, son of the great Joseph Chamberlain, who in 1903 was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Foreign Secretary in the 1920's. He came to Five Ashes to escape the cares of Parliament, and to expand his vast collection of rock plants from all over the world. He was said to have had 'green fingers' but lazy feet, as he was only once seen walking the half mile to Five Ashes and back.

Views

The nicest views in the area are coming into the village from Heathfield, looking right towards Mayfield. A second viewpoint is on the corner just as you leave the village on the way to Mayfield, again to the right.

Services

Five Ashes in East Sussex has limited services within the village.

The nearest town is Heathfield about 4 miles South East, for further larger shopping centres, Eastbourne lies about 14 miles south, and Tunbridge Wells about 10 miles north.

Busses pass through the village, however the nearest trains run from Wadhurst about 10 miles north east, or Tunbridge Wells.

Map

Five Ashes is shown as the red symbol on the map.

Nearby Villages
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