medieval church was added to during the
16th century with a Lady Chapel, now
known as the Parham Chapel, where
daily prayers and midweek services are
still held.
Nathaniel Woodard, founder of the
Woodard schools, which include, among
many others, Lancing College, where
his tomb is in the chapel, Hurstpierpoint
College and Ardingly College. He lived
at Martyn Lodge in Church Street from
1862 until his death in 1891 and a
blue plaque is clear for all to see. His
architects also extensively rebuilt St
Peter’s Church in 1871.
Henfield has one of the oldest cricket
clubs in the world. Although the club’s
inception is quoted as being 1771, it is
likely that the real story begins much
earlier than that, most likely in the late
17th or early 18th century. Although there
are numerous clubs who might claim
a more ancient provenance, Henfield
CC considers its inception to be taken
upon its foundation as a club playing
regular cricket, not according to the
first recorded date of the game being
played in the village which was in any
case at least half a century earlier. There
is no doubt that Henfield, mainly due
to the most prized asset of its ground,
the Common, played a prominent part
in the rise and development of cricket
in Sussex. However it was not merely
a convenient patch of ground; Henfield
Common was a genuine cricketing arena
from the very earliest times. As such, the
Common is likely to be the second oldest
ground still in use anywhere in the world
although no-one truly knows for sure.
In those early days, the lack of media
reporting means that is not possible to
state with absolute certainty when cricket
was first played at Henfield. There is,
however, evidence from contemporary
papers and diaries that have allowed
the club to pinpoint certain early dates.
One of the most important of these is
Marchant’s Diary, which among others
offers the following references:
“Henfield has one of
the oldest cricket clubs
in the world. Although
the club’s inception is
quoted as being 1771,
it is likely that the real
story begins much
earlier than that, most
likely in the late 17th or
early 18th century. “
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