The village was probably founded for the workers on the Buckhurst estate which
lies behind the church.
The De La Warr family have owned Buckhurst for many centuries and
are a branch of the Sackville family and also held the position
of Earl and Countess of Dorset. In 1356 at the Battle of Poitiers
a knight from Laughton Sir John Pelham together with
Sir Roger De La Warr captured Jean the King of France.
In 1660 a huge thunderbolt hit the church and the blast melted the
bells and destroyed the Dorsets monument and badly damaged the church.
By 1672 the church had been rebuilt and was back in use and a
sundial was placed over the porch commemorating the re-opening.
In 1680 the Sackville Chapel was built within the church and
contains many monuments to the family.
In 1962 Vita Sackville West, the author who rebuilt the gardens at
Sissinghurst , died and her ashes were placed in the Sackville
family crypt in Withyham church.
Services
The village has a public house and the church, and other services
can be obtained from Crowborough about 3 miles to the south.
The main shopping centre is Crowborough and also Royal Tunbridge Wells
about 8 miles to the east.
Trains run from Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells , however the Tunbridge
Wells service is more frequent.
Views
The view from the church across Buckhurst Park is very beautiful
and is very peaceful.
The village itself has a duck pond and a few houses and is quite
attractive, but very small.
The village has a public house and the church, and other services
can be obtained from 
The view from the church across Buckhurst Park is very beautiful
and is very peaceful.
