The High Weald village of Ticehurst enjoyed a special celebration last week, as local residents and officials gathered to celebrate a historic restoration project funded by the Sussex Lund grant programme.
Last year, Sussex Lund awarded Ticehurst Parish Council £10,000 towards the refurbishment of the Victorian well at the heart of the village. The community event marked the project’s successful conclusion, complete with a ribbon-cutting by the High Sheriff of East Sussex, Major General J D Moore-Bick (below).
The hand-dug well is 20m deep and was originally built in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The extensive restoration works – all carried out by local tradespeople – have replaced crumbling brickwork, installed a glass cover, planted new trees to replace those whose roots had undermined the well’s structural integrity, installed a new bench and also levelled the surface around the well, making it safer and easier to navigate.
Sussex Lund is the grants programme created by Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin. It supports a wide range of small-scale projects that make tangible improvements to the High Weald landscape, from hedge laying and creating new ponds or wildflower meadows to supporting groups managing community woodlands. The High Weald AONB Partnership administers the fund in collaboration with Lund Trust.
Jason Lavender, High Weald AONB Director, said: “It’s great to see Ticehurst Parish Council taking so much pride in their completed project. In times of increasingly limited resources, Sussex Lund provides a rare opportunity to turn good ideas into practical projects to improve our environment and inspire others.”
Liz Young of Ticehurst Parish Council, who led the project, said: “The project has awakened local interest in the history of Ticehurst and of the well, and is an attractive focal point for the historical centre of the village. We’re very grateful to Sussex Lund for the generous grant, and to the High Weald AONB Partnership for their continuing support.”
SUSSEX LUND WILL RE-OPEN FOR NEW APPLICATIONS IN FEBRUARY 2019. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their proposal at an early stage with the High Weald team on 01424 723014 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Photo captions:
1. (L-R) Jason Lavender, High Weald AONB Partnership Director; Major General J D Moore-Bick, High Sheriff of East Sussex; Stephen Burley, Chair of Ticehurst Parish Council; Diane Russell, Rother District Council; Liz Young, Ticehurst Parish Council.
2. High Sheriff of East Sussex,Major General J D Moore-Bick, cuts the ribbon
3. A plaque commemorating hte restoration of the Ticehurst Well.