Penhurst

Penhurst is a village and civil parish, sharing a parish council with neighbouring Ashburnham, in the Rother district of East Sussex, England. It is located on the Weald, 4 miles (7km) west of Battle. The parish touches Ashburnham, Battle, Brightling and Catsfield.^[1] Penhurst shares a parish council with Ashburnham.

Penhurst
Penhurst Location within East Sussex
Area	5.89 km^2 (2.27 sq mi)
Population	52 (2001 Census)
• Density	9/km^2 (23/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TQ867120
Civil parish	Penhurst
District	Rother
Shire county	East Sussex
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Postcode district	TN33
Dialling code	01424
Police	Sussex
Fire	East Sussex
Ambulance	South East Coast
Website	https://ashburnham-penhurst.net/parish-council/
List of places UK England East Sussex 50°55′N 0°25′E / 50.92°N 0.41°E / 50.92; 0.41

The parish has few residents, according to the 2001 census Penhurst has just 52 inhabitants.^[2]

History

The name "Penhurst" means 'Pena's wooded hill'.^[3] Penhurst was recorded in the Domesday Book as Penehest.^[4] In 1086, Penhurst was in the hundred of Hailesaltede; the Abbey of Battle was its tenant-in-chief.^[5] The two parishes, neither of which has many dwellings, were originally united in 1810.

Landmarks

There are 14 listed buildings in Penhurst.^[6]

Penhurst Manor is now a Christian retreat centre and is used much in the support of missionaries from overseas.

The 14th century parish church is dedicated to St Michael the Archangel. The actor Harry H Corbett (1925-1982) lies buried in the churchyard.^[7]

Governance

At a local level, Penhurst and neighbouring Ashburnham have been governed by a joint parish council, The Parish Council of Ashburnham with Penhurst, since a Grouping Order was made in 1954.^[8] The parish council is made up of seven councillors, split into two wards: five councillors from Ashburnham ward and two from Penhurst ward.^[9] At the May 2019 election the Penhurst ward was uncontested. Since then two councillors were been co-opted to the Penhurst ward's two vacancies.

Rother District Council provides the next level of government. Ashburnham and Penhurst are within the Crowhurst ward, along with the parishes of Catsfield, Crowhurst, and part of Battle. In the May 2007 election Crowhurst ward was won by the Conservative candidate.^[10]

East Sussex County Council is the top tier of local government. Ashburnham with Penhurst falls within the Battle and Crowhurst ward. Kathryn Margaret Field, Liberal Democrat, was elected in the May 2005 election with 48.8% of the vote.^[11]

The UK Parliament constituency for Ashburnham and Penhurst is Bexhill and Battle.

Prior to Brexit in 2020, the villages were part of the South East England constituency in the European Parliament.

References

1. "Penhurst". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
2. Census 2001
3. "Penhurst Key to English Place-names". The University of Nottingham. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
4. "Sussex F-P". The Domesday Book Online. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
5. Open Domesday: Penhurst. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
6. "Listed buildings in Penhurst, Rother, East Sussex". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
7. "Penhurst". Sussex Online Parish Clerks. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
8. "Your Parish Council". Parish Council of Ashburnham with Penhurst. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
9. (PDF). Rother District Council. 5 May 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 25, 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
10. "Declaration of Result of Poll—Crowhurst". Rother District Council. 5 May 2005. Retrieved 24 November 2008.
11. "County Council election". Rother District Council. 5 May 2005. from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2008.

• "Penhurst". City Population. Retrieved 23 February 2021.

External links

• Parish Council and community website
• Notes on the parish