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) wasn't included in the
IGI,
though the new
FamilySearch has
LUCKE &
STAPLEY entries from 1667.
Surnames of interest to me:
LUCKE c.1530+,
KNIDGEWOOD c.1595+,
STAPLEY 1657+,
LANGRIDGE 1676+,
BONES 1716+,
DUNK 1770+,
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).
There were 32 STAPLEY births in Wadhurst.
BONES families came from
Mayfield about 1700, with 61 births at Wadhurst. including 4XG-GF John who married Jane
DUNK at Wadhurst 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, last updated December 2012
