Heathfield Park

Heathfield Park is an English country house and walled park in the village of Old Heathfield in East Sussex. It is privately owned.

Originally called Bayley Park, the mansion was begun by James Plummer in 1677 and continued by Raymond Blackmore in the early eighteenth century. George Augustus Eliott (created Lord Heathfield in 1787) purchased the property after gaining a substantial amount of prize money following his successful leadership during the siege of Havana in 1762. It was altered and enlarged in 1766 by Robert (later Sir Robert) Taylor. Elliot owned the house until his death in 1790. It was renamed Heathfield Park after him in 1791 by his successor Francis Newbery, son of the publisher John Newbery; Newbery hired Humphrey Repton to landscape the park. From 1819 to 1890, Heathfield Park was the seat of the baronets of the Blunt family. In 1895 it was remodelled in Georgian Revival style, brick facing being substituted for stucco, and the south-east wing being added, by Sir Reginald Blomfield for the art patron William Cleverley Alexander.[1] Alexander, who owned Aubrey House in London, died when he fell down the basement stairs of the house in 1916. Heathfield House is a Grade II* listed building.[2]

The Gibraltar Tower

In one corner of the park stands the Gibraltar Tower, built by Newbery to commemorate Lord Heathfield's successful defence of Gibraltar from 1779 to 1782. The ground floor is octagonal and the upper part round, accessed by an internal circular staircase. It is also a Grade II* listed building.[3]

Site of Special Scientific Interest

Part of the grounds is Heathfield Park SSSI, a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, due to the habitats provided by the ghyll woodland. The lichen population is important on a county level.[4]

Heathfield Park Cricket Club

Part of the grounds of Heathfield Park is a beautiful cricket club. Founded in 1878 this club has served the local community for over 140 years. Currently still in operation, it hosts regular league and friendly cricket in East Sussex for both Adults and Children.

References
  1. Heathfield Park: A private estate and a Wealden town (1996) Roy Pryce
  2. Historic England. "Heathfield Park (1194135)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  3. Historic England. "THE GIBRALTAR TOWER HEATHFIELD PARK (1194199)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  4. "Heathfield Park citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 24 February 2019.

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