Around and about in Brightling

Books and publications

The Messenger is a monthly magazine for the parishes of Brightling, Dallington, Mountfield and Netherfield. It is a means of communication for all matters of local interest and all aspects of village life. It also includes useful adverts from local tradespeople. Contributions from all sources are welcome.

Bus services

Brightling has a bus service that runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays: route 255. As of November 2016, this service stops at Brightling Village Hall by advance request only. To book the bus to stop at Brightling, phone 01892 771332, giving at least 24 hours notice.

Defibrillators

There is one defibrillator mounted on the wall of the Village Hall. A second defibrillator has been installed at the bottom of Cackle Street just before you get to the cross roads with the B2096 at Darwell Hole.  It is mounted on a post almost opposite to the entrance to the Forestry Commission car park.

Emergency resilience plan

There are a number of volunteers in the parish who have kindly agreed to be ready to help those in the locality in the event of an emergency, similar to the 1987 hurricane. To see the full details of the plan and all necessary contact numbers etc, please follow the above link. Maybe download or print the plan now in case you need it when you don’t have access to the internet in an actual emergency.

Local pubs

Brightling’s local pub is The Swan, Woods Corner, Dallington TN21 9LB. Telephone: 01424 838242, email: enquiries@swaninndallington.co.uk

The Pyramid

Jack Fuller’s grave is in Brightling churchyard.

Trees, forests and woodlands

Brightling’s tree warden is Mr Doug Edworthy, who is also the tree warden for our neighbouring parish of Dallington. Email: treewarden@dallington.org.uk.

Community first responders

Community First Responders are volunteer members of their community who are trained to respond to emergency calls in conjunction with the SouthEast Coast Ambulance Service. As they respond in the local areas where they live and work, they are able to attend rapidly.

Brightling in the two World Wars

War memorial

The war memorial stands in Brightling churchyard. Here is the story behind every name. Research by Jane and Geoffrey Beard, for the centenary in 2018.

World War Two

Local memorials to airmen killed in action to WW2.

Exhibition of WW1 artefacts

On 15th September 2018 to commemorate the men of Brightling who died  in WW1, we held an exhibition of WW1 artefacts lent by the people of Brightling.

General history

Notable People

Squire John Fuller (aka ‘Mad Jack Fuller’) lived at Brightling Park in the 19th century. He was outspoken, eccentric and rich, a patron of the arts and sciences, and sponsor and mentor to Michael Faraday. He endowed Eastbourne with its first lifeboat and financed the building of the Belle Tout lighthouse.

The Follies

Brightling is famous for its collection of follies that were all built by John ‘Mad Jack’ Fuller in the early 19th century. Believed to be the first of Jack’s follies, the summerhouse is situated among trees to the west of Brightling Park. It’s believed that Fuller entertained at the circular Grecian temple in Brightling Park.

History

The name Brightling is said to derive from the settlement of the ‘Britas’ people. In common with many Wealden settlements, the main village has always been very small, with scattered hamlets and farms. There are no known prehistoric finds in the parish but early man certainly was in the area, clearing the land for farming.

Old photographs of Brightling

We are lucky to have inherited a great collection of photographs of previous residents of Brightling from the early 20th century onwards. Most of these photographs can also be enjoyed in the village hall.