WADHURST is situated on the Kent-Sussex
border seven miles east of Crowborough and about seven miles south of
Tunbridge Wells. Other nearby settlements include Ticehurst, Burwash,
Mayfield and Heathfield in East Sussex, and Lamberhurst, Hawkhurst and
Cranbrook in Kent.
A book about "WADHURST : Town of the High
Weald" was published in 1988 by Meresborough Books. Also see
Genuki Wadhurst website
The Parish Register commenced in 1604, microfilmed by LDS (#1894333/4/5) but is
not included in the IGI.
Surnames of interest to me:
STAPLEY 1657+,
LANGRIDGE 1676+,
DUNK 1770+,
BONES 1785+,
NECKLEN 1900.
The STAPLEYs were in Framfield & Buxted from 1500 or earlier. The first
STAPLEY recorded in Wadhurst was Elizabeth the daughter of Cornelius
(possibly my GGGGGGGGGG grandfather) , who married Edward STEPHENS there in 1657
(SFHG). Anthony
STAPLEIGH of Twineham married Jane ALLEN at Wadhurst in 1675
(SFHG)Some
BONES families came from
Mayfield &
Ticehurst about 1780s, including 4XG-GF John who married Jane
DUNK there in 1788, though they moved on to Whatlington and Westfield.
Cousin Thomas
BONES farmed 20 acres at
Swatlands 1841-1871+.
By coincidence, my GG Uncle George
NECKLEN
was a night watchman in 1901, living at "Old Lodge" at Wadhurst, and he
died in 1920 at Beals Oak cottage at Wadhurst Hall, and was buried at
Tidebrook cemetery.
compiled by Neville Thomas in Auckland New Zealand
