Rudgwick

History

Historically Ridgewick was an alternative form of the toponym. Riccherwyk may be another, seen in 1377.

The Church of England parish church of the Holy Trinity has a 12th-century Norman font of Sussex Marble. The belltower is early 13th century. The church was largely rebuilt in the 14th century, when the north aisle was added and probably the present chancel was built.

The parish has two 17th century farmhouses. Garlands, 1.5 mi south of the village, is early 17th century and Redhouse Farm 1 mi north of the village is late 17th century. Naldrett House, 1 mi south of the village, is an 18th-century Georgian farmhouse of three bays and two storeys, built of brick with stone quoins.

Rudgwick had a Dissenters' chapel by 1848.

During World War 2, two RAF B-25s collided in the air over Rudgwick, resulting in the deaths of 8 airmen. The crash sites, now in the grounds of Rikkyo School, were excavated in the 1990s.

Rudgwick railway station on the Cranleigh Line was opened in 1865 and closed in 1965, as part of the Beeching cuts.

In 1985, excavations in Rudgwick Brick Yard resulted in the discovery of a new species of the Polacanthus genus, which became known as the Rudgwickosaurus.

Education

Pennthorpe School is on in Church Street. Rudgwick Primary School is located in the village, as is Rikkyo School in England, a Japanese boarding school.

Notable people

• Bertram Prance (1889-1958), artist and illustrator, lived in the village.
• Eric Thompson (1929–1982), creator of The Magic Roundabout grew up in Rudgwick.

References

Sources

References

1. "2001 Census: West Sussex – Population by Parish". [[West Sussex County Council]].
2. "Area selected: Horsham (Non-Metropolitan District)". [[Office for National Statistics]].
3. "Civil Parish population 2011". Office for National Statistics.
4. Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; National Archives; CP 40/466, in 1377, (Edward III); http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT4/E3/CP40no466/aCP40no466fronts/IMG_0025.htm; first entry
5. "Crash of two RAF B-25’s at “Pallinghurst” Rudgwick 7th Jan. 1944".
6. "Rudgwick: The tiny Horsham village in West Sussex that gave its name to a dinosaur".
7. "[http://www.rudgwickprimaryschool.org.uk/page/?title=Contact+Us&pid=2 Contact Us]." ([https://archive.today/20140108144426/http://www.rudgwickprimaryschool.org.uk/page/?title=Contact+Us&pid=2 Archive]) Rudgwick Primary School. Retrieved on 8 January 2014. "Address Rudgwick Primary School Tates Way Rudgwick West Sussex RH12 3HW"
8. "[http://www.rikkyo.co.uk/special/information-in-english.html INFORMATION IN ENGLISH]." ([https://archive.today/20140108135545/http://www.rikkyo.co.uk/special/information-in-english.html Archive]) [[Rikkyo School in England]]. Retrieved on 8 January 2014. "Guildford Road, Rudgwick, W-Sussex RH12 3BE ENGLAND"
9. [http://www.prancefamily.co.uk/pages/Bertram%20Prance.shtml Bertram Prance (1889-1958) - The Prance Family website]