Colemans Hatch lies on the north edge of the Ashdown Forest
a small collection of houses and the church which was built
in the early 1900's.
From the 1200's the Ashdown Forest was the Kings deer and wild boar hunting
park, the King would have stayed at nearby Forest Row where the King's
hunting lodges were built to accomodate the hunting parties.
King Edward III was one of those Monarchs who enjoyed the hunting,
together with his son would have passed through Coleman's Hatch into the
forest.
The area would have been a farming and shepherding area on the
edge of the forest, and was an entrance to Ashdown Forest for many
centuries.
Services
Colemans Hatch has no services to speak of apart from the church
and a nice public house.
The main shopping town is East Grinstead a few miles to the north
west. The main trains to London can also be caught here.
Views
The church is quite pretty and the views north towards Holtye
are fine.
Other good views are into the Forest, and at the bottom of the
hill is a small ford, which can be driven through.
Name Derivation
Colemans Hatch appears to be derived from the Coleman family of charcoal
makers from Hartfield together with a gate(hatch) they used to access
the Ashdown Forest to make their Charcoal. The family are recorded in
Hartfield parish from the late 1200's.
The church is quite pretty and the views north towards Holtye
are fine.
