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You will find here what we hope is a rich resource of material reflecting the history of Ringmer.
Ringmer is a village of some 6000 residents, situated 3 miles to the west of Lewes, East Sussex, and just to the north of the South Downs.
Ringmer has had several famous visitors and residents. Visitors include the 18th century naturalist Gilbert White, whose aunt lived in the village. White's tortoise, Timothy, who proudly takes centre place in the village sign, was a resident of the village, living with White's aunt, until White adopted him. John Sadler was the vicar of Ringmer between 1620 and 1640. His daughter married John Harvard, the founder of the university in America. Another American connection comes through the Springett family. In 1672 Gulielma Maria Posthuma Springett married William Penn, the Quaker who founded Pennsylvania. Gulielma's father, Sir William Springett, was born in Ringmer, and is buried at Ringmer, although he spent little of his life in the village. There is a memorial to him in the Springett Chapel in the village church, St Mary the Virgin.
More recently, in 1967, James Callaghan, the British Prime Minister and Labour Leader, bought Upper Clayhill Farm This was his country home while he served as Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer as well as when he was Prime Minister and later in his 'retirement' in the House of Lords. Like most MPs he had a London home and a constituency home in Cardiff while he was an MP, but Upper Clayhill Farm was his main family home, and was so up to his death in 2005. He was the only person to serve in all the four great offices of state in the 20th century.
But our site focuses much more on the stories of the ordinary people who lived, worked, and died in Ringmer, and the places and monuments that they left behind.
Do contact the administrator, Andrew Edgar (andrewRedgar@gmail.com), if you have any suggestions or material for this site.
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The last updated date refers to this front page, not the website as a whole.