Mayfield, East Sussex, England
St. Dunstan's Church
The Middle House Hotel
The Middle House is a Grade 1 listed building. The Hotel website describes it as "a wonderful specimen of Elizabethan architecture, with wattle and daub infill which dates back to 1575".
The house was originally built for the financier, Sir Thomas Gresham, Keeper of the Privy Purse to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 1st. A private residence until the late 1920’s, The Middle House is now "the home of an old world pub, impressive restaurant and small but cosy hotel".
According to Coxe, it is reputed to be haunted but he provides no further details.
Pictured above is the Middle House Hotel courtesy of Oast House Archive.
High Street,
Mayfield,
East Sussex,
TN20 6AB.
For further information, please read Haunted Britain by Antony D. Hippisley Coxe.
St. Dunstan and the Devil
The village is said to have been founded by the Archbishop of Canterbury, St. Dunstan, in 960 CE. According to legend, Dunstan was shoeing a horse when he was confronted by the Devil. Versions state that the Devil was either making offensive remarks, disguised as a young woman or had cloven feet visible. Consequently, St. Dunstan pinched the Devil's nose with the red-hot tongs. The devil then fled to Tunbridge Wells and doused his burnt nose with the spring water.
For further information, please read Haunted Britain by Antony D. Hippisley Coxe.
Location
Visitor Information
Mayfield is a village in East Sussex, England.
It is situated 10 miles south of Royal Tunbridge Wells.
Pictured left is St. Dunstan's Church courtesy of Julian P Guffogg. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
