Cooksbridge is a long thin village lying on both sides of the busy A275
Lewes to East Grinstead road.
It is believed that the village got its name from the cooks who fed the
soldiers of Simon de Montfort from the bridge on their way to the
Battle of Lewes in 1264 . The troops came from nearby Fletching where they
spent the night in prayer on their way to the defeat of Henry III .
The village is mostly of modern housing and shows the influence of commuters
on the area.
Services
Cooksbridge has a few local shops and services, and the Lewes to London
railway line runs through the village.
The nearest main shops are in Lewes which lies about 3 miles to the south east.
Views
Cooksbridge is a long thin village lying on the Lewes to Haywards Heath road,
the village hall, an old malthouse is quite attractive.
The South Downs can be seen from anywhere in the village and provide a nice
backdrop to the surroundings.
Name Derivation
Cooksbridge is a fairly modern settlement, settled next to Cooke's bridge
over a tributary of the river Ouse. The bridge was named from the Hamsey
family of Coke who it is believed built the bridge in the early 1500's.
