The designation “the Heart of Mid Sussex” came about in the early 1990’s as Haywards Heath is the centre of the Mid Sussex District. The District has three towns, Burgess Hill to the south and East Grinstead to the north. Where better to have the heart than right at the centre of the District.

Guides have been an integral part of all the various administrations that have served Haywards Heath over the last century. Looking back on the past guide of 1911 for the town it quotes that Haywards Heath was the brightest and prettiest of Sussex residential districts and was the most populous town on the main train line once it left Surrey. Part of its charm was its large open spaces around which the town grew. A century on efforts have been made to retain many of these open spaces which have now become the towns parks and recreation grounds. These are now needed more than ever with the large influx of small homes without any gardens, part of a somewhat diffident approach has been made to modernising the town. Over the years there have been a number of large housing estates added but little has changed in the town centre. In the last two guides, mention has been made about changes as the District Council is planning a revitalisation programme for the town, which was to have involved additions to the Town Centre with new shops, accommodation units and possibly a Town Square. Unfortunately the plans have been scaled down due to the 2008/09 recession and the developers have now gone into administration. So everything is once again at a standstill.

The town is considered to be a rural one as it is still surrounded by beautiful countryside, with the South Downs (now a National Park) acting as a dramatic backdrop. The view of the Downs from St. Wilfrid’s Church across Victoria Park is held in high esteem by residents and one that they feel must be protected at all costs, as was sensibly agreed by our forebears back in the late 1800’s. They obviously knew an asset when they saw it!

Haywards Heath once a popular Market town, home to one of the biggest livestock markets in the South East, it continues to strive for an identity above and beyond being just a commuter town. Clearly the fast main line to Gatwick, Crawley, Croydon and London attracts many of its residents who wish to live in the country with easy access to their work place. Certainly the rejection of the railway line by Cuckfield, the main town on the London to Brighton coach run, in 1840, was instrumental in the birth and prosperity of Haywards Heath. One could say that Haywards Heath has always been a Commuter Town. The big Victorian and Edwardian houses were built by businessmen who wished to have a country home far from the dirt and smoke of London or the hustle and bustle of Brighton. Little has changed, except now there are many more houses to the acre than there were in those far gone days. But who could deny anyone from wanting to live in a prosperous yet rural setting. Unfortunately many of the lovely old houses have either been demolished or have been turned into flats or businesses. A concentrated effort by the Town Council and the local Society has been made to retain what history the town has and many of these older buildings now reside in Conservation Areas. There are also 55 listed buildings ranging from the 15th Century to 1930’s These include old farmhouses, public houses and a tomb in St.Wilfrid’s Churchyard and more recently added to the list, a memorial to the dead of the first world war, which was discovered in the town’s cemetery. A full register of all the Listed Buildings can be obtained from the Town Hall or from English Heritage.

Haywards Heath is well placed in Mid Sussex with its immediate access to many of the lovely Sussex villages such as Balcombe, Cuckfield, Lindfield, Staplefield and Slaugham, each having their own old world country public houses, full of rustic charm and warm Sussex hospitality. Only slightly further away are even more villages, like Fulking, nestling in the folds of the South Downs, all of which are well worth a visit. These and numerous other places of interest are within a short drive from the town, including the famous Bluebell Railway, Wakehurst Place - “Kew in the Country” and home to the Millennium Seed Bank-, Ardingly Reservoir, Borde Hill, Leonardslee and Nymans Gardens and the South of England Showground, where a variety of events from animals to antiques, steam rallies to Jamborees take place throughout the year. The South of England Agricultural Show held here every June draws people from all over the country. There are also two Race Courses one on the Downs above Brighton and one at Plumpton both just short drives from the town. Haywards Heath is therefore an ideal base for the visitor who wishes to explore this lovely part of England.