East Grinstead Parish

"EAST GRINSTEAD, a parish and market town in the hundred of East Grinstead, county Sussex, and also partly in the county of Surrey, 8 miles to the E. of the Three Bridges station on the South Coast railway, 30 from London by the Lewes road, or 36 by the Brighton and South Coast line. It is a borough by prescription, and formerly returned two members to parliament, but was disfranchised at the passing of the Reform Bill. The town consists principally of one main street, and is lighted with gas and well supplied with water. There is a literary association with a good library, two branch banks, a savings-bank at the post-office, and a penny savings-bank, two breweries, brick and tile making works, and a parchment manufactory, which give employment to many of the townspeople. It is the head of a Poor-law Union comprising six parishes in Sussex and one in Surrey, a superintendent registry, and a new County Court district, which is held every fourth Wednesday.

The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Chichester, value £320. The church, dedicated to St. Swithin, is a stone structure with tower containing a peal of eight bells. Besides the parish church, there is a district church at Forest Row, the living of which is a perpetual curacy, value £150, in the gift of the vicar. In 1608 Sackvill College was founded for the maintenance of 21 poor men, and 10 poor women, all unmarried, there "to pray, serve, honour, and praise Almighty God." It is under the patronage of the Countess Amherst and the Countess De la Warr, descendants of the founder, Robert Earl of Dorset; but the number was reduced to 24 some years back in consequence of a loss of property. St. Margaret's Home and Orphanage is a sisterhood for attending the sick, with a school attached. Here is a Congregational chapel, and one of Lady Huntingdon's Connexion; a free grammar school with an endowment, and a National school for boys and girls. Earl Gage, Lord Amherst, Earl De la Warr, A. G. Biddulph, A. F. Meyrick and William Pearless, Esqs., are lords of the several manors comprised within this parish. Thursday is market day for corn, and the last Thursday in each month for cattle. Fairs are held on the 21st April and 11th December for cattle.

"ST. PIERRE GREEN, a hamlet in the parish of East Grinstead, county Surrey, 4 miles N.E. of East Grinstead. It is situated on the river Medway.