Alfriston Old Clery House RP type c.1910

Postcard

 

• Picture / Image:  The Old Clery House (or Clergy House), real photo type - East Sussex
• Publisher:  none given
• Postally used:  no
• Stamp:  n/a
• Postmark(s):  n/a
• Sent to:  n/a
• Notes & Key words: 

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information:

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Alfriston (pronounced All-friston) is a village and civil parish in the East Sussex district of Wealden, England. The village lies in the valley of the River Cuckmere, about four miles north-east of Seaford and south of the main A27 trunk road and part of the large area of Polegate. The parish has a population of 769 (2001 census).

Most of these notes have been adapted from the Village Reference website^[2]

There is strong evidence of ancient occupation of the area, since several Neolithic long barrows have been discovered on the surrounding Downs; among them, to the west is the fairly well-preserved Long Burgh. In Saxon times the village was recorded as Aelfrictun (the town of Alfric), from which the Domesday Book records the town as 'Elfricesh-tun'.^[3]

One building of historical importance is the Star Inn. Originally a religious hostel built in 1345 and used to accommodate monks and pilgrims en route from Battle Abbey to the shrine of St Richard, patron saint of Sussex, at Chichester Cathedral, it became an inn in the 16th century.^[4] Wooden figures grace the upper part of the building, whilst in the front is a one-time ship's figurehead representing a red lion. The latter is connected with the Alfriston smuggling gang who used the inn as a base; their leader was transported to Australia in 1830.

The Alfriston parish church, dedicated to St Andrew, has Saxon origins, although most of the building dates from the 14th century: it is known, because of its size, as The Cathedral of the South Downs. It sits on a small, flint-walled mound in the middle of "the Tye" (the local village green), overlooking the River Cuckmere, and is surrounded by the flowered graveyard. It is built in the form of a cross. Today it is part of the united benefice which includes Litlington St Michael; West Dean All Saints; the United Reformed Church at Alfriston is included in that grouping.^[5] The Alfriston Clergy House, once the vicarage, is now maintained by the National Trust.

The Chairman of the Parish Council is Ray Savage and the council has a monthly meeting. ^[6]

The village today attracts many tourists, because it represents a perfect example of its kind, although the shops also tend to cater for the tourist: gift shops proliferate^[7]. The east side of the village liess peacefully by the River Cuckmere and is famously home to the village green, which is called the Tye. In the centre of the Tye is St. Andrew's Church which lies on a raised mount surrounded by a flint wall. Next to it is the Alfriston Clergy House, a National Trust property. Also, at the top-left side of the Tye is the Georgian Unitarian Chapel.

The centre of the village is the Market Square which boasts a rather weatherbeaten market cross. This is often mistakenly referred to as "Waterloo Square", although Waterloo Square is actually a small enclosed residential area nearby. There are also a number of inns and other places for accommodation and food, all in quite close proximity.^[8]. The inns in the village are:

• The Star Inn - On the corner of the road that leads to the more residential area of Alfriston, it has a large carving of a red lion outside.
• The Smugglers' Inn - Once the Market Cross House and often referred to as Ye Olde Smugglers' Inne, several years ago its façade was hit by a red car which after the crash drove off without anyone noting its number plate. For some time while the building's front was being mended a large cover was put over it with a painting of the anonymous vehicle lodged into the pub. There is a conservatory room and a patio garden previously home to a large cage full of parakeets.
• The George Inn - The oldest inn with a wide front onto the street, just over the road from the Star Inn.