The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Cross [a.k.a. Red Cross] Inn  Beacon Road  Crowborough Cross  Crowborough  

Books and other documents
PublishedTitle, author and references
1985Crowborough - The Growth of a Wealden Town by Malcolm Payne ⇒ p. 73

Historical records

26th Feb 1839Crowborough Cross, Sussex - 1839James Collins (occupier) and William Verrall (owner)James Collins, publicanCrowborough Cross Public House and Garden, Public House Stable Garden etc. (0 acres 1 roods 20 perches) plot 2636Rotherfield Tithe Map

6th Jun 1841CensusJames Collins, M, Head, age 60 to 64, born Sussex, occupation: publicanJames Collins, publicanCrowborough Cross1841 Census
Rotherfield, Sussex
George Camfield, M, age 70 to 74, born Sussex, occupation: servantGeorge Camfield
William Camfield, M, age 36, born Sussex, occupation: farm labourerWilliam Camfield
Jane Catt, F, age 18, born Sussex; occupation: servantJane Catt

1851Homewood, William; occupation: innkeeperWilliam Holmwood, farmer and innkeeperRed CrossPost Office Directory

30th Mar 1851CensusHead; occupation: farmer and innkeeperWilliam Holmwood, farmer and innkeeperCross Inn1851 Census
Rotherfield, Sussex
WifeElizabeth Homewood
DaughterJimmima Homewood
DaughterLucy Relf [Holmewood]
SonGeorge Homewood
SonWalter Homewood
SonHenry Homewood
Servant; occupation: ostlerSamuel Hobbs, ostler

7th Apr 1861CensusWilliam Homewood, M, Head, married, age 52, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: public house keeperWilliam Holmwood, farmer and innkeeperCrowboro Cross1861 Census
Rotherfield and Crowborough, Sussex
Elizabeth Homewood, F, Wife, married, age 48, born Buxted, SussexElizabeth Homewood
Lucy Homewood, F, Daughter, single, age 19, born Maresfield, SussexLucy Relf [Holmewood]
George Homewood, M, Son, single, age 16, born Maresfield, Sussex; occupation: plumberGeorge Homewood
Henry Homewood, M, Son, age 9, born Rotherfield, SussexHenry Homewood
Thomas Homewood, M, Son, age 7, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: scholarThomas Holmwood, bricklayer
John Homewood, M, Son, age 5, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: scholarJonathan Homewood, labourer
Oliver Porter, M, Lodger, married, age 44[?], born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: farm labourerOliver Porter
David Parker, M, Lodger, single, age 58, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: farm labourerDavid Parker
David Diplock, M, Lodger, single, age 40, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: farm labourerDavid Diplock

1867Directory entryWheeler William, Red Cross, Crowboro'Red Cross, Crowboro'Post Office Directory

2nd Apr 1871CensusJohn Spearpoint, M, Head, married, age 47, born Stapel, Kent; occupation: innkeeperJohn Spearpoint, innkeeperCrowborough [Red Cross Inn]1871 Census
Rotherfield and Crowborough, Sussex
Caroline Spearpoint, F, Wife, married, age 50, born Stourmouth, KentCaroline Spearpoint
Jane Spearpoint, F, Niece, age 12, born Woodnesborough, Kent; occupation: scholarJane Spearpoint
Dennis Holland, M, Servant, single, age 17, born Waldron, Sussex; occupation: general domestic servantDennis Holland

1874Directory entryBrooker Thomas, farmer, Cross innCross innPost Office Directory

1874Directory entrySpearpoint John, Red CrossRed CrossPost Office Directory

c 1875Crowborough Cross, Sussex - c 1875Part of the 6 inch to 1 mile map of Sussex produced in 1875 by Ordnance SurveyRed Cross Inn

3rd Apr 1881CensusJohn Spearpoint, M, Head, married, age 57, born Rotherfield; occupation InnkeeperJohn SpearpointCrowborough Cross1881 Census
Rotherfield, Sussex
Caroline Spearpoint, F, Wife, married, age 62Caroline Spearpoint
Jane Spearpoint, F, Niece, single, age 22; occupation BarmaidJane Spearpoint
Ruth Taylor, F, Serv, single, age 15, born Rotherfield; occupation: domestic servantRuth Goldsmith [Taylor]
Alfred Coomber, M, Serv, single, age 15, born Frant, occupation: ostlerAlfred Coomber

1882Directory entrySpearpoint John, Red CrossRed CrossKelly's Directory

1890HistoryRed Cross InnFirmin's Guide

On the Beacon Road, near what is now the entrance to the Warren, stood a small house called Beacon House, containing about six rooms. It belonged to Sir J. Shelley, Bart., and was occupied by a small farmer. There was also the old Mill House, near the mill, on the road to the Cross; and where Prospect House now stands formerly stood a farmhouse. Between this and the Cross was a small wood and a cottage. On the other side, standing back from the road, was a small inn, which has now developed into the larger building of the Red Cross Inn. There were two small shops at the Cross, the larger of the two occupying the site of the present Post Office; the other, on the opposite side, where now the London House stands, was a very small shop, at which were sold herrings, snuff, candles, tobacco, bread, and sweets. Upon these sweets the good dame who kept the shop invariably impressed her snuffy thumb, thus imparting to them a flavour alien to that with which those sugary temptations usually delight the palate. But this, though not thoroughly relished, was not sufficient to restrain the longing child from investing its mite in the purchase of the luscious confection.

A blacksmith's forge existed near the site of the present one, but without a cottage or house attached to it.

Between the present Post Office and Pilmer Lane was a small plantation of trees called a "shaw."

There were no buildings or cottages in this lane, but at the further end of it stood a cottage called Pilmer House, and here the Pilmer Wood commenced.

Going back to the Cross, on the spot where the villa called Fern Bank has been erected stood a small house or cottage, and from this up to the mill on the Beacon Road the ground was covered by a wood called Mill Wood.

The road leading from the Cross towards White Hill was and is still known as the Roundabout Road. The only building by the side of this road was a cottage, which stood on the site of the one now occupied by Mr. Sands, and called Postern Cottage.


5th Apr 1891CensusFredrick William Reed, M, Head, married, age 33, born Upper Dicker, Chiddingly, Sussex; occupation InnkeeperFredrick William ReedRed Cross Inn1891 Census
Rotherfield, Sussex
Fanny Reed, F, Wife, married, age 33, born Tonbridge, KentFanny Reed
Fredrich A Reed, M, Son, age 2, born Rotherfield, SussexFredrich A Reed
Kate Wickens, F, Servant, single, age 19, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation General Domestic ServantKate Wickens
Alfred Latter, M, Servant, single, age 23, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: general domestic servantAlfred Latter
George F Humphery, M, Boarder, single, age 17, born Brighton, Sussex; occupation StudentGeorge F Humphery
Laurence Humphery, M, Boarder, single, age 15, born Brighton, Sussex; occupation StudentLaurence Humphery

c 1899Crowborough Cross, Sussex - c 1899Part of the 6 inch to 1 mile map of Sussex produced in 1899 by Ordnance SurveyHotel

1900The Red Cross HotelThe Red Cross Hotel, Crowborough photographed by Francis FrithCross [a.k.a. Red Cross] Inn
The Francis Frith Web Site The Frith archive was founded by Francis Frith, the pioneer Victorian photographer, in 1860 and today contains over 365,000 photographs of some 7,000 towns and villages throughout Britain. Taken between 1860 and 1970 these form a topographical record of Britain without equal and is recognised as probably the only photographic collection of national importance in private hands in Britain today.

The importance of the Frith archive is as a topographical and social record. It provides an amazingly detailed visual record of over 7,000 towns and villages, as well as illustrating the enormous social and structural changes which have taken place in Britain since 1860. Whilst some of the photographs are undoubtedly artistically outstanding, the real value of the archive lies in its scale. There is no other archive which can illustrate this period of British history so extensively or to such a high quality.

1907Crowborough CrossCrowborough Cross, CrowboroughPrivate collection

2nd Apr 1911CensusCharles Deverell, M, Head, married 14 years, age 39, born London, Middlesex; occupation: licensed victuallerCharles Deverell, licensed victuallerRed Cross Hotel1911 Census
Crowborough, Sussex
Ellen Kate Deverell, F, Wife, married, age 36, born Lewes, SussexEllen Kate Deverell
Dorothy H. Deverell, F, Daughter, single, age 13, born Lewes, SussexDorothy H. Deverell
Vera W. Deverell, F, Daughter, single, age 9, born Lewes, SussexVera W. Deverell
Harold J. Deverell, M, Son, single, age 7, born Crowborough, SussexHarold J. Deverell
Louisa Brittan, F, Servant, single, age 20, born Bradford, Yorkshire; occupation: general servantLouisa Brittan
Annie Head, F, Servant, single, age 18, born Lewes, Sussex; occupation: general servantAnnie Head

2001TodayThe Crowborough Cross

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