Penhurst

The name "Penhurst" means 'Pena's wooded hill'.{{cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Sussex/Penhurst|title=Penhurst Key to English Place-names|publisher=The University of Nottingham|accessdate=23 February 2021}} Penhurst was recorded in the Domesday Book as Penehest.{{cite web|url=http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/sussex2.html#penhurst|title=Sussex F-P|publisher=The Domesday Book Online|accessdate=23 February 2021}} In 1086, Penhurst was in the hundred of Hailesaltede; the Abbey of Battle was its tenant-in-chief.[https://opendomesday.org/place/TQ6916/penhurst/ Open Domesday: Penhurst.] Retrieved 11 June 2022. The two parishes, neither of which has many dwellings, were originally united in 1810.

Penhurst is in the High Weald National Landscape (formerly High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty){{Cite web |title=High Weald Boundary Map |url=https://highweald.org/~documents/publications/maps-including-lidar-images/high-weald-aonb-boundary-map/?layout=default |access-date=18 December 2024 |website=High Weald National Landscape}} and more specifically within the South Slopes of the High Weald Landscape Character Area.{{Cite web |date=2015 |title=South Slopes of the High Weald |url=https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/media/v04nua3e/area-5-south-slopes.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218050840/https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/media/v04nua3e/area-5-south-slopes.pdf |archive-date=18 December 2024 |url-status=live|access-date=18 December 2024 |website=East Sussex County Council}} The parish is undulating and a significant area is woodland including Creep Wood{{Cite web |title=Creep Wood |url=https://epns.nottingham.ac.uk/browse/Sussex/Penhurst/5328722fb47fc40c36000758-Creep+Wood |access-date=20 December 2024 |website=Survey of English Place-Names}} by the Ash Bourne stream, Peens Wood, Allfrees Wood, Foxearth Wood and Link Wood.{{Cite web |title=Ordnance Survey, TQ61 - D (includes: Ashburnham; Dallington; Herstmonceux; Warbleton; Wartling) - Ordnance Survey 1:2... - Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps of Great Britain, 1945-1969 |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/95750297 |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=maps.nls.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/?x=569995&y=116939&z=8&bnd1=CPC&bnd2=CTY+GLA&labels=on |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk}}

An Ordnance Survey benchmark in the village gives a height above ordnance datum of {{Convert|63.386|m|ft|abbr=off|sigfig=3}}.{{Cite web |title=OS Benchmark Archive |url=https://interactivemaps.uk/os-benchmark-archive/#16.33/50.923679/0.408465 |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=interactivemaps.uk}}

There are 14 listed buildings in Penhurst,{{cite web|url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/penhurst-rother-east-sussex|title=Listed buildings in Penhurst, Rother, East Sussex|publisher=British Listed Buildings|access-date=23 February 2021}} including a large 18th century barn,{{National Heritage List for England|num=1217575 |desc=Barn at Church Farm to the north of the church|grade=II|access-date=18 December 2024}} a granary constructed in 1776{{National Heritage List for England|num=1217348 |desc=Granary at Church Farm to the west of the church|grade=II|access-date=18 December 2024}} and Penhurst Manor, (listed as Church Farmhouse){{National Heritage List for England|num=1217564 |desc=Church Farmhouse |grade=II* |access-date=18 December 2024}} and now a Christian retreat centre used much in the support of missionaries from overseas.{{Cite web |title=Past, Present & Future @ Penhurst Retreat Centre |url=https://www.penhurst.org.uk/past-present-and-future |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=www.penhurst.org.uk}}

The 14th century parish church, dedicated to St Michael the Archangel is Grade I listed.{{National Heritage List for England|num=1217346 |desc=The parish church of St Michael|grade=I|access-date=18 December 2024}}{{Cite web |date=2015-10-02 |title=St. Michael’s Penhurst |url=https://ashburnham-penhurst.net/venues/penhurst-church/ |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Ashburnham with Penhurst |language=en-GB}}

The actor Harry H Corbett (1925-1982) famous for his role in the 1960s and 70s comedy, Steptoe and Son lies buried in St Michael's churchyard.{{cite web|url=http://www.sussex-opc.org/index.php?k=1&t=Parish|title=Penhurst|publisher=Sussex Online Parish Clerks|access-date=24 February 2021}}

[[File:St Michael ^ All Angels, Penhurst - geograph.org.uk - 3130758.jpg|thumb|left|

St Michael the Archangel Church]]

File:Manor House, Penhurst - geograph.org.uk - 3130763.jpg

At a local level, Penhurst and neighbouring Ashburnham have been governed by a joint parish council, The Parish Council of Ashburnham with Penhurst, since a Grouping Order was made in 1954.{{cite web|url=https://ashburnham-penhurst.net/parish-council/ |title=Your Parish Council |access-date=11 June 2022 |publisher=Parish Council of Ashburnham with Penhurst }} The parish council is made up of seven councillors, split into two wards: five councillors from Ashburnham ward and two from Penhurst ward.{{cite web|url=http://www.rother.gov.uk/media/pdf/l/l/NOTICE_OF_ELECTION_2007_Town___Parish_Councils.pdf |format=PDF |title=Notice of Election |access-date=27 November 2008 |date=5 May 2005 |publisher=Rother District Council |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225212151/http://www.rother.gov.uk/media/pdf/l/l/NOTICE_OF_ELECTION_2007_Town___Parish_Councils.pdf |archive-date=February 25, 2009 }} At the May 2019 election the Penhurst ward was uncontested. Since then two councillors have been co-opted to the Penhurst ward's two vacancies.

Rother District Council provides the next level of government. Ashburnham and Penhurst are within the Catsfield & Crowhurst ward.{{Cite web |title=Catsfield & Crowhurst |url=https://www.planning.data.gov.uk/entity/802786#50.886378652095914,0.3852383444566385,10.87905847092314z |access-date=18 December 2024 |website=planning.data.gov.uk}} In the May 2023 election the ward was won by the Liberal Democrat candidate, who defeated the incumbent Conservative councillor.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-04 |title=Election results for Catsfield & Crowhurst, 4 May 2023 |url=https://rother.moderngov.co.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=110&V=2&RPID=10999743 |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=rother.moderngov.co.uk}}

East Sussex County Council is the top tier of local government. Ashburnham with Penhurst falls within the Battle and Crowhurst ward. The Liberal Democrat candidate was elected at the May 2021 election.{{Cite news |title=Rother divisions |url=https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/your-council/local-elections/elections/rother-elections |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240415092947/https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/your-council/local-elections/elections/rother-elections |archive-date=2024-04-15 |access-date=2024-12-18 |publisher=East Sussex County Council |language=en}}

The UK Parliament constituency for Ashburnham and Penhurst is Bexhill and Battle.

Prior to Brexit in 2020, the villages were part of the South East England constituency in the European Parliament.

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/southeastengland/admin/rother/E04003817__penhurst/|title=Penhurst|publisher=City Population|access-date=23 February 2021}}

• [http://ashburnham-penhurst.net Parish Council and community website]

Category:Villages in East Sussex

Category:Civil parishes in East Sussex

Category:Rother District