If you're going to run a May Fair, then run it in Mayfield. Not only can you close the High Street, you have the backdrop of timbered medieaval houses, the glorious St Dunstan's church and a selection of brilliant primary schools whose pupils like nothing better than to dance around a maypole in the spring sunshine.
Saturday's May Fair was no exception. There was even a blacksmith, echoing the legend of the blacksmith St Dunstan whose tongs clipped the devil's nose! This blacksmith was more involved in creating wrought iron weather vanes than defeating the prince of darkness.
The sun shone, children danced while there was a classical trio, Ashdown Forest Morris Men and the Mayfield Silver Band to add to the carnival atmosphere. Among the stalls I noted several from local organisations including pre and primary schools, Mayfield Post Office, a lovely ceramics display, Robin Hood and Friar Tuck looking suitably portly, Brenda Taylor (the jam lady,) Mayfield Wines, tombolas and lucky dips.
There was a sizeable queue at the barbecue stand organised by butchers Leppards, ice cream and cold drinks. Historian Tim Cornish was there to promote his excellent and fascinating book Mediaeval Mayfield and drop a few mysterious hints about his new publication which will trace the local iron industry. It was a beautiful day in a beautiful village and if the crowds were anything to go by, all the stallholders should have enjoyed a rare bit of prosperity too. Go Mayfield!
A267 ROAD SAFETY GROUP
A267/A272 Hadlow Down Junction ESCC update on the status of the A267 Speed Sign issue. The following request has been made by the Traffic and Safety Team: on Cutting Back Overgrown Vegetation. The area includes thin tree branches and larger branches, requiring the services of a tree surgeon. To uncover obscured directional signs: The work will be carried out adjacent to Spring Banks, approximately halfway between Spring Banks and the A272 junction. The cut back dimensions will be Width: 1.5m Height: 5m Length: Traffic control: 3-way traffic lights will be in operation The completion of these works is subject to an ecological report being finalised,
MAYFIELD LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
And that's a wrap for this year. Thank you to all our members and visitors who joined us to hear about Pevensey Castle, Folk Songs in Sussex, The Founder of Mayfield, Ivan Margary and (hopefully) Inn Signs of Sussex. As some of you are aware we had a few technical issues at our March talk, but we are pleased to say that we are the proud owners of a new projector so no more issues!
MAYFIELD BONFIRE SOCIETY
May is a busy month for your Bonfire Society with three events as well as the behind-the-scenes preparations for the Carnival. Do you have any leftover foreign currency? We can convert coins and notes into cash to support our fundraising, even if they’re obsolete or phased out. Please donate in the Post Office or bring it with you to our stand at the Mayfair. Every penny counts towards our £13,000 target!
Tickets and more information are available online now for our June fundraising event, Snail Racing, on Friday, June 20 at Crowborough Social Club. Join us for a hilarious evening for all ages, a race night with a twist, with virtual on-screen races using cartoon snails – no snails will be harmed in the process! Have fun betting on your favourite snail characters, or sponsor a race, and help raise funds for Carnival 2025. Catherine Hawley bonfire@gawain.online
MAYFIELD EVENING W.I.
We had a visit from Jo Eates, our village Postmaster, who gave us an update on how the new Post Office is running. Our Post Office is a unique institution, as it is owned and run by Mayfield Community Benefit Society, which is, in its turn, owned and run by our community. The Society earns commission on each transaction so the more we use the Post Office the more money it makes.
We were all encouraged to continue to use the services as much as possible, in order to keep this valuable asset on our High Street. We meet every second Tuesday of the month (apart from August) at 7.15pm for 7.30pm at Colkins Mill Church, just at the end of the High Street. Please feel free to pop in at one of our evenings and meet us. For any further information, please contact Chrissie Robinson: 01435 862825
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION MAYFIELD and FIVE ASHES and HADLOW DOWN CENTENARY - Victory in Japan (VJ) Day 80th Anniversary on August 15, 2025 - we will be displaying some interesting material in front of the Mayfield War Memorial early in the month. This will concentrate on how the various anniversaries have been celebrated over the years, featuring local residents, wherever possible.
At our last branch meeting on Wednesday, April 2 we were entertained by Delia Taylor’s wonderful, informative, humorous and very nostalgic look back at ‘The 1960s A Decade of Change’. Nearly 40 members and guests attended and all agreed they had enjoyed the occasion immensely. Our Next Branch Meeting - Wednesday, June 25, Mayfield Cricket Club.
The bar opens at 6.30pm and the meeting commences at 7.00pm with a brief session of branch business, followed by a fish and chip supper (or chicken or scampi) at a cost of £8.00. All guests and non-members are very welcome. There is no fee for attendance and we would dearly love to see new faces at this branch meeting.
I think you would enjoy the evening in convivial surroundings with bar, speaker and pre-ordered supper. If you are interested or would like more information, please telephone/e-mail me. Our supper will be followed with a talk by Wing Commander Ian Woodhouse MBE 11 BSc MRAeS with “Bomber Command in the 1980s”. Kevin Swaine 07970 787465 kevinswaine@btinternet.com
NATIONAL GARDENS SCHEME
Hoopers Farm (TN20 6BD) will be open for the National Garden Scheme (NGS) on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th June between 11am and 5pm. Tickets cost £6 and can be bought at the gate or booked online at ngs.org.uk. This is a large south-facing garden with wide ranging views. It is tucked away at the bottom of Vale Road.
The garden features many roses, including a rose arbour and an abundance of island beds packed with early summer flowering herbaceous plants, annuals and shrubs. There is a productive vegetable plot, a rock garden and a lawn area which has been repurposed to create a wildflower meadow with meandering grass paths.
There is also a long meadow walk to a wild-life pond and, as always, two friendly donkeys! Homemade teas will be provided by the very efficient Pre-School team and lovely plants from Rapkyn’s Nursery will be on sale. There will be live music on the afternoon of Sunday 15th. Also open in June, after a long break, is the superb garden at Tidebrook Manor, Sunday, June 1, 11am – 4.30pm.
See more details of this garden and many 13 others in the Sussex County booklet available at local shops, cafes and garden centres. Sarah Ratcliffe: 01435 873310
EVENTS IN ST. DUNSTAN’S IN MAY: VIVALDI’S FOUR SEASONS COMES TO MAYFIELD:
Saturday, May 24, 7pm at St. Dunstan's Church - St. Dunstan’s Choir is delighted to be one of the international co-commissioning choirs for a new choral work – 'A Season to Sing' - a fun new vocal version, composed this year by Joanna Forbes L'Estrange, ex-Director of the Swingle Singers and professional vocalist, as well as composer.
This work has been commissioned by the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) and is taking the world by storm, with first performances around the UK, South Africa, Vietnam, the US, most recently at The Sydney Opera House - and Mayfield! We are lucky to have the composer herself conducting our concert. This work will be performed on Saturday, May 24 at 7pm and we are delighted to be joined by the Mayfield Youth Choir (and this will be the first public performance given by our choristers), Mayfield Consort and St. Ronan’s Chapel Choir.
The work will be played by Lucy Piercy on the organ and we are very lucky that Joanna herself will be conducting – a privilege for our choir. Tickets are on sale now at £15 (25s and under are free) and are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stdunstansmayfield. Joanna was recently a guest on Radio 3's ‘In Tune’ for an episode on 'Four Seasons in One Day' and you can listen to extracts here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/
The concert programme will include a first half which will whistle stop the centuries from ancient to jazz and involving two local youth choirs. The evening is very much suited to old and young alike, so do bring the whole Composer and conductor, Joanna Forbes L’Estrange with Lucy Piercy and the choir, after performing the opening work “A Time To Dance” for the first time.