Mark Cross - (Policeman arrests eccentric landowner)

General Details

Mark Cross in East Sussex is a small village sitting on the junction of the Tunbridge Wells to Mayfield and Wadhurst to Crowborough main roads.

The area was settled in the Iron-Age when Saxonbury Camp was built with its defensive ditch , to the north of the village.

In 1375 a number of men from Frant were reported to have broken into the Archbishop of Canterbury's Estate of Frankham, where they took deer wounded others with arrows and badly injured the park keeper and his men.

A somewhat eccentric local yeoman called Bridger used to live here. He was very tall, with fiery red hair plaited into a pigtail, which he kept tied halfway down his back with a white satin ribbon. He took little trouble with his appearance, but he was generous and kindly man. He owned a large estate with a lodge that he allowed tramps to sleep in.

Once a local policeman(who must have been a newcomer to the district), saw a ragged man crouched over a fire of sticks near the lodge, he took him into custody, and marched him off to Mark Cross , where the magistrates were sitting. To their great surprise, the offender was found to be none other than Bridger himself.

Rearing himself up to his full height, he told the policeman, 'I'll trouble you not to come interfering on MY land in future'

Views

Mark Cross in East Sussex has some spectacular views across the Sussex countryside, the best can be seen from the steps of the village church facing west towards Crowborough .

There are some pretty views to the South East, from the crossroads.

Services

Mark Cross in East Sussex has limited services.

The nearest major town is Tunbridge Wells about 6 miles to the north. The nearest small town is Crowborough about 6 miles west.

The nearest train services run from Wadhurst about 3 miles east.

Map

Mark Cross is shown as the red symbol on the map.

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