East Grinstead

Hammerwood is a small hamlet, four miles to the east of East Grinstead in Sussex, UK.

The name Hammerwood comes from the old Sussex iron industry and relates to the numerous hammer-ponds found in the area. Streams in the locality can still run red with the colour of iron in the water.

Aside from a number of houses, the most notable buildings are St. Stephen’s Church and Hammerwood House.

The church was completed in 1880 funded by local landowner Oswald Augustus Smith and built to a design of E.P Loftus Brock. Smith also funded the rebuilding of St Peter’s Church in Holtye within the same parish. The church can be found on the main road. Inside the church, there is a pipe organ built by T.C Lewis of Brixton in 1884. Both churches are regularly used and form the Parish of Hammerwood and Holtye, which itself forms a United Benefice with St Mary Magdalene in Cowden.

Hammerwood House was designed by the architect Benjamin Latrobe, also responsible for the Capitol in Washington. Hammerwood House is open to the public at certain times of the year.

Also at Hammerwood there is a Scout campsite which is used by the Lewisham North District Scouts. There are numerous camps and competitions for example the Stag trophy and ‘Operation Nighthawk’ are based at the camp site. Many of the clearings throughout the woodland are used for camping for various troops. Also there are several huts at the top of the campsite adjacent to the car park. Toilet blocks, and electricity are available at the main area around the huts.