Uckfield - (Traction Engine destroys bridge)

General Details

Holy Cross church (Uckfield East Sussex)

Uckfield in East Sussex is a small town lying on the A22 Lewes to London main road. The name is derived from the river Uck which flows through the village i.e. the field on the river Uck . It was a small village until the advent of the railways in the 1850's since when it quickly grew into the small town it has now become. The village was originally located at the top of the high street near to the church, but the railway which was layed alongside the river attracted businesses, and the houses and shops now spread from one to the other.

The village was famous for its wool and agricultural trade for many years, lying on a river crossing. A proportion of the produce produced in the area was transported by barge down the Uck to the Ouse then to Lewes and finally the coast at Seaford and Newhaven .

On October 11th 1858 Uckfield station was opened with a connection to the county town of Lewes. The Lewes and Uckfield Railway Company ran the line for a further 6 years with no significant changes to the village. In 1864 the line was bought out by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Company, who then opened a line via Eridge to Tunbridge Wells in 1868. This gave access to London, and Uckfield then expanded much quicker than expected, to the detriment of villages in the surrounding area. In 1969 the railway to Lewes was finally closed, and Uckfield was left with road access and the railway to Croydon . However part of the old Lewes line can still be seen run by Lavender Line Preservation Society at nearby Isfield .

On July 4th 1903 the Sussex Express reported that 'The old cast-iron bridge which spans the Ouse as it flows through the town of Uckfield is no more'. One of the East Sussex County Council traction engines drove onto the bridge, and the cast iron span failed, the engine dropped into the river in an upright position, luckily no-one was killed. The damage cut Uckfield's link to Lewes, and traffic was redirected via Isfield . The railway brought in a steam crane, and a temporary bridge was constructed, which was in use the following day.

The A22 used to run through Uckfield, which made the town centre difficult to pass through, but a bypass has reduced the traffic, and it is now a much nicer place to walk around.

The River Uck has always flooded the land on either side, and in October 2000 the town had a major flood, which caused damage to many of the low lying houses and businesses.

This village is associated with the Sussex Bonfire Societies , who provide noisy processions, unbelievable outfits and fantastic firework displays throughout the month of November - a spectacle not to be missed.

Views

Uckfield in East Sussex has an old part of the town by the church, which contains the older buildings and is quite attractive.

The wide range of shops spreads from the church to the river and is nice to walk down.

The river also has some nice walks alongside.

Services

Uckfield in East Sussex has a wide range of services and is the local shopping centre for the villages surrounding.

It has a train link via Crowborough to Croydon and then London . Uckfield is a main route for busses which pass through the town both north to south and east to west.

Map

Uckfield is shown as the red symbol on the map.

Nearby Villages
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