Heathfield, Punnetts Town, Broad Oak

HISTORY SOCIETY: Our county town Lewes was the subject of our first meeting of 2019, more specifically Lewes Bonfire Week. The talk by Andy Thomas set the scene and created the atmosphere of this very special week in the Lewes calendar. Lewes has a special atmosphere all its own. It is a small town hemmed in by the South Downs and the River Ouse with a reputation for radicalism and free thinking from earliest times through Thomas Paine, John Evelyn and Virginia Woolf to the citizens of Lewes who stood firm against Green Man when they removed local Harvey’s beer from the Lewes Arms. Firmly in that tradition stand the 17 Protestant Martyrs who in 1555-1557 refused to recant their faith and accept the Roman Catholicism of Mary Tudor, preferring burning at the stake to betrayal of conscience. Each November 5 the districts of Lewes parade through the town with flaming torches and 17 burning crosses as a mark of respect for their sacrifice and to ensure that it is never forgotten. In addition, by pausing at the War Memorial and burning a poppy they also remember more recent sacrifices made by the townspeople. The smugglers’ jumpers once worn by all marchers to ensure anonymity are now often replaced by elaborate costumes and superb effigies are carried described by Mr. Thomas as ‘ephemeral art’ because they are later burned on the bonfires. Bonfire is a Sussex tradition celebrated not only in Lewes but also in many of the surrounding towns and villages and soon to welcome Heathfield to that number. As Mr Thomas said at the end of his excellent presentation we should celebrate this tradition because it is only if we ignore the injustices of history that we run the risk of repeating them.

Next month we meet again on Thursday, February 21 at 7.30pm in the Community Centre when Brian Halford’s talk will be on Spa Valley Railway 1985 to Today. It promises to be an interesting and popular topic so do join us. All are welcome.

GREEN TOKENS: When you are shopping in the Heathfield Waitrose Store this month please remember to collect your green tokens and place in the Heathfield Graveyard container. We are one of the three charities profiled this month. Every time you visit Waitrose please collect your token for the All Saints’ Graveyard initiative. We are grateful to the Waitrose Store in Heathfield for once again supporting the project. A visit to the graveyard will demonstrate that good work has been ongoing over the past twelve months, and in the upcoming weeks we are repairing/relaying a new path right down through the graveyard from top to bottom. Thank you for your anticipated support.

BREAKFAST: Churches Together in Heathfield and District Breakfast at Tottingworth Farm Café, (Halley Road, Broad Oak) Saturday February 9, 8.15am. Choice of four cooked breakfasts from £5 to £8, with speaker Graham Horsnell, from the Matthew 25 Mission in Eastbourne, Bed Rolls, Bread Rolls and Loo Rolls. Please book with your CTH and District representatives by January 25 or contact Sue Mumford 01580 819415 or [email protected]. This is a new experiment which we hope will be popular. Please give it a try and bring friends.