You can get to know Plaistow through its architectural history, village landmarks and individual features of the landscape. Plaistow Place and the barn near Todhurst offer two distinct architectural points of interest; Nell Ball Hill, Cox’s Pond and Holy Trinity add geographical context and practical visitor information. When choosing a destination, you can therefore start with different interests: historic architectural styles, the village’s location, or a visit to the church and pond.
Timber-framed buildings and barn
Plaistow Place is a 16th-century timber-framed house with a roof made of Horsham stone slabs. To the southwest, beside Todhurst, stands a tall 18th-century barn clad in tarred timber boards. The two buildings can be distinguished by their age and materials: the house is notable for its timber frame and roof, while the barn stands out for its height and boarded cladding. The time gap between the 16th and 18th centuries adds another point of comparison. Those interested in historic architecture will find two distinct buildings with different features, rather than a single, general village history.
Nell Ball and the village layout
Nell Ball Hill lies immediately west of Plaistow, above Holy Trinity Church, the pond and the meeting point of the old village roads. Nell Ball, with its trigonometrical point, is an important historic landmark for the village of Plaistow and the parish. The hill thus provides a specific link to the landscape as well as being significant to the village and parish. Its position relative to other local landmarks also helps with orientation: the church, pond and old roads lie below, while Nell Ball marks the western landscape. As well as its buildings, Plaistow can therefore be understood through its location and a historic landmark.
Cox’s Pond: history and places to sit
A wall at Cox’s Pond points to a specific use in the past. It stands at the end of the pond near Winterton Hall and was built as a platform from which farmers could lead their horses into the pond without having to get in themselves. This feature links the wall to a particular agricultural activity. Wooden benches are located near a wooden viewing platform. At Cox’s Pond, the wall’s historic function sits alongside a present-day place to sit and look around; the wall, platform and benches each have their own connection to the pond.
Holy Trinity in the village centre
Holy Trinity is in the centre of Plaistow village and is open during the day to visitors and for private prayer. Please check local information before you travel. There is ample parking on the roads around the church. If you plan to visit the church, its daytime opening and the parking information can help you plan your visit; its central location also places it within the village. Sightseeing and private prayer are two different reasons to visit.
The Wey & Arun Canal in the surrounding area
The Wey & Arun Canal is near Plaistow and adds a connection to the surrounding area alongside the local buildings, hill and pond. This brings two scales together: the house, barn, church and village landmarks ground these points of interest in Plaistow, while the canal extends the regional context. When comparing different destinations, you can consider whether the village’s architectural history is your main interest, or whether the surrounding area is also important to your travel plans.
Discover more destinations: Hurstpierpoint, Ardingly, Rudgwick, Ford, Wiston, Ansty, Lower Beeding, Billingshurst
For the regional travel overview: West Sussex.
