Etchingham
Etchingham (population 806) is a village and civil church in the Rother district of East Sussex in southerly England. The village lies around 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent and also 13 miles (21 km) northwest of Hastings, on the A265, half a mile west of its junction with the A21. Etchingham train station is on the Hastings Line to London Charing Cross and Cannon Street. Etchingham was a mansion a very long time before the Norman occupation of 1066; hereafter time the mansion was taken over by the Normans. In 1166 it was entrusted to the de Achyngham (Etchingham) family, who were well-known landowners of the moment. The Etchingham family documents record that William was so delighted with his right-hand man that he offered him the land currently referred to as Etchingham. The moated manor house, time out of mind destroyed, stood at the point currently occupied by the London to Hastings train line. A few of the rock from the chateau was probably used in the construction of the terminal buildings. There is one legend that a wonderful bell lay at the end of the moat surrounding the church and manor, which it would never ever be seen until 6 yoke of white oxen were brought to drag it up. Centuries have gone by, the moat is long gone as well as no bell has appeared. The 14th-century church was originally built within the grounds of the manor; evidence of the moat can still be seen.
