Herstmonceux

Herstmonceux is a village in the county of East Sussex in the South East of England, near Hailsham. The Village (former name: Gardner Street) is part of the commune Herstmonceux, which also includes the Herstmonceux Castle, the village Cowbeech and a number of smaller hamlets foul Mile, Trolliloes, Cowbeech Hill, Stunts Green, Ginger's Green Flowers Green and part of the Windmill Hill belong.

Herstmonceux Castle ( about two miles south-east ) was from 1958 to 1990 home of the Royal Greenwich Observatory. It now houses the International Study Centre of Queen's University, Kingston, Canada, which gives the region an influx of Canadian and international students. On the grounds are also home to the Observatory Science Centre with the telescopes of the former Observatory and Herstmonceux Medieval Festival.

The castle is dominated by All Saints with its tower dating from the 12th century and the nave from the 13th/14th. Century. The Herstmonceux Congrational Church is located just outside the village in the direction of the castle and was built in 1811 and is now a listed building.

The area of Herstmonceux was known for its wings ( en: trugs ), flat- woven baskets in an ash or chestnut wood frame. This tradition is also carried on today by a few residents.

The name Herstmonceux is derived from the Anglo-Saxon hyrst, which means a wooded hill, and the name of Monceux family, who were the local lords in the 12th century.