Flimwell - (300 local people beheaded)

General Details

St Augustines church (Flimwell East Sussex)

Flimwell in East Sussex lies right on the Kent and Sussex borders, where the A268 crosses the A21 London to Hastings road.

In 1264, King Henry III and his army stopped at Flimwell on their way to the Battle of Lewes. During an argument, he learnt that some local men, who were siding with the Barons, had killed his cook.

In retribution, the Royal army gathered 300 local people together in a field in the village, and cut their heads off. This area is now know as Yellowcoat wood, 300 people would have been most of the population for a few miles. More recently in 1944 a V1 doodlebug exploded near the school, which was destroyed, the children being sent to Ticehurst for their schooling. The old school laid derelict until 1980, when it was converted into a house.

From Flimwell crossroads, take the Hawkhurst road, and just over the brow of the hill, on the right hand side stands an outstanding group of houses, which were part of a Victorian farm estate. They have steep gables, Gothic windows, half timbering, and tile hanging in the much older Sussex tradition.

Rising behind the cottages, on the brow of a hill, is in contrast a sign of modern times - the lattice tower and round receivers of a television relay and transmitting tower.

The National Pinetum collection of pine trees, is located on the Goudhurst road. It provides woodland walks for many miles, as the forest spreads from Flimwell to Hawkhurst in the east and towards Goudhurst in the north.

Also a tributary of the Bewl Bridge resevoir, can be seen if looking south west from the Dual Carriageway.

Views

There are some nice views in the area. From the A21 cross roads, take the Hawkhurst road to the top of the hill, and look East towards Hawkhurst . From the same vantage point look north west towards Bewl Bridge resevoir.

If you drive up the dual carriageway towards London, there is a picnic site to the left with views across the resevoir.

However the scenery of the Bedgebury Pinetum area is spectacular, this can be located about 2 miles from the village, on the Goudhurst road, which is found in the center of the dual carriageway. A few hours walking in this area is very theraputic.

Services

Most of the original village services at Flimwell in East Sussex, have now left, with the exception of the church.

The small town of Hawkhurst 3 miles East provides much of the simple requirements, with Tunbridge Wells about 12 miles North West providing the remaining goods.

The frequent Hawkhurst to Tunbridge Wells bus service passes through the village East to West.

The nearest trains can be caught at the stations in Etchingham about 4 miles south, or Stonegate , about 4 mile south west.

Map

Flimwell is shown as the red symbol on the map.

Nearby Villages
(click on symbol to see the village page)