Our History
Our History
The Burwash Weald and Common Memorial Fund Playing Field Trust was established in 1957 in order to acquire land for use as a Playing Field for the benefit of the village residents and to provide a new home for Burwash Weald Cricket Club, which had played in various locations in the village since the Cricket Club had been formed in 1879. An additional parcel of land was transferred by St Philip’s School to the charity when the school closed in 1968. These two pieces of land form the Playing Field as we know it today. The rules by which the Burwash Weald and Common Memorial Fund Playing Field Charity is operated was set out in the 1957 Conveyance. This stipulates that the land is to be held as a public ground for the purposes of the Recreation Grounds Act 1859. The grounds were initially held in trust by the Parish Council until a registered charity was formed in the 1980s to take over respsonsibility (and to protect it from central government development pressures), with the original Conveyance as its founding document. The Conveyance established a Management Committee responsible for the on-going upkeep and administration of the Playing Field. The original Management Committee was made up of elected members and the holders of the following posts – Vicar of St Philip’s, Burwash Common; Head Teacher of St Philip’s School, Burwash Common; the Parish Clerk and two members of the Burwash Parish Council; representatives of the Burwash Weald Cricket Club, Scout Troup, Stool Ball Club and Secretary and Treasurer to the Burwash Memorial Fund. Some of the roles no longer exist, but the Playing Field continues to be run by a dedicated committee of hardworking, elected officers and committee members all of whom act in a voluntary capacity to manage the running of the playing field on behalf of the Charity. The new Pavilion building was funded by the profit made from the purchase, and sale, of the old Conservative Club site at the A265 end of the playing field – the profit was achieved by key members of the committee working tirelessly to obtain planning consent for new houses on the site. The Pavilion formally opened in 2009. The pavilion has a fully licenced bar and the premises is licensed as a venue for wedding, funeral and christening receptions, and private parties and the playing of live and recorded music.
The current management committee is very active in maintaining the Playing Field and Pavilion for the benefit of the community and has a strong group of supporters who help on occasions such as the Annual Fete in September which is the main fund raising event of the year.
Home matches of the Burwash Weald Cricket Club are held at the playing field, as are snooker and billiard matches throughout the year. Monthly quiz and music nights are held in the pavilion as well as meetings of the After Eight ladies group, the Burwash Weald and Common Resident’s Association and quarterly Burwash Parish Council meetings.
Halina Keep (Former Secretary to the Committee)