West Grinstead

Human settlement in England
  • West Grinstead
District
  • Horsham
Shire county
  • West Sussex
Region
  • South East
CountryEnglandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townHORSHAMPostcode districtRH13Dialling code01403PoliceSussexFireWest SussexAmbulanceSouth East Coast UK Parliament
  • Arundel and South Downs
List of places
UK
England
West Sussex
50°58′27″N 0°19′59″W / 50.9741°N 0.33309°W / 50.9741; -0.33309

West Grinstead is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It lies just off the B2135 road four miles (6.3 km) northwest from Henfield. It is within the ancient division of the Rape of Bramber. The western River Adur flows through the village.

The parish of West Grinstead covers an area of 2584 hectares (6382 acres)and consists of the villages of West Grinstead, Littleworth, Partridge Green and Dial Post. In the 2001 census 2934 people lived in 1099 households, of whom 1547 were economically active. At the 2011 Census the population was 3,054[2]

The village should not be confused with the much larger town of East Grinstead which lies 17.5 miles (28 km) to the north-east.

Churches

Belloc family grave

The Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation dates from 1876 and is the Roman Catholic parish church. It is an important centre of Catholic pilgrimage in England. Two notable figures are buried in its grounds: Anglo-French writer and poet Hilaire Belloc (friend of fellow Catholic, G. K. Chesterton)[3] and English writer Antonia White.[4]

St George's Church is the Church of England parish church. Its mission is shared with St Michael and All Angels Church, Partridge Green.

History

The modern Knepp Castle

Knepp Castle is located to the west of the village near the A24. It was a motte castle and founded in the 12th century by William de Braose. Some remains of the keep still stand.

The modern Knepp Castle nearby is a castellated mansion by John Nash.[5]

Leisure

The Downs Link long-distance path runs through the parish and can be used for walking or cycling.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to West Grinstead.
  1. ^ a b "2001 Census: West Sussex – Population by Parish" (PDF). West Sussex County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  3. ^ Catholic Shrine
  4. ^ Vail, Anne (2004). Shrines of Our Lady in England. Leominster: Gracewing. p. 207. ISBN 0852446039. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Knepp Castle". Pastscape. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
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Settlements in Horsham District
TownsVillages and hamlets
Civil parishes