Mayfield; The Old Palace

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; The Convent of the Holy Child Jesus, St Leonard's Mayfield School

In the civil parish of Mayfield.
In the historic county of Sussex (Modern Authority of East Sussex, 1974 county of East Sussex).

Remains of a medieval palace of the Archbishops of Canterbury converted into a school by E W Pugin in 1863-6. Some C13 work. But the main portion is the C14 hall, now the school chapel. Stone. Tiled roof. Three tall pointed windows of 2 tiers of trefoil-headed lights with triangles above, each trefoil-shaped. Buttresses flanking the windows. Vaulted entrance to south-west. Adjoining this is a C14 tower and C15 well-house. Additions of 1863-6 by E W Pugin to north-east.

This site has been described as a;
Palace.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.

This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 296533)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TQ587271

Modern Map from

Good for landscape form and features

Modern Map from

Good for general location

Air Photo from

1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 408943

Books

Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p320-25, 373-6
Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p171
James, T.B., 1990, The Palaces of Medieval England (London; Seaby) p22
Bell-Irving, E.M., 1903, Mayfield: The Story of an Old Wealden Village
Grose, Francis, 1787, The Antiquities of England and Wales (London) Vol2 [supplement] p53-7
Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1853, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol2 p290-3

Journal Articles

Roberts, E., 1867, 'On Mayfield in Sussex' Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol23 p33-59

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations.

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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This record last updated on Friday, April 6, 2007

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