Nutley, East Sussex

Nutley is a village in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. It lies about 5mi north-west of Uckfield, the main road being the A22. Nutley, Fairwarp and Maresfield together form the Maresfield civil parish.The village is on the southern edge of Ashdown Forest which was a deer hunting reserve from the time of King Edward II. Iron has also played an important role in the history of the area.HistoryThe Romans operated nearby in Duddleswell and Maresfield, working on the iron ore to be found in the local weald clay in bloomeries. Roman coins and waste from furnaces has been found at these locations. When the Romans left Britain in the 5th century AD Saxon settlers lived on the site of Nutley. "Hnut's leagh" means "Hnut's Clearing", and is the most likely origin of the village's modern-day name.Following the Norman Invasion of 1066, Nutley became part of the Rape of Pevensey. In 1176 a chapel was built by Richard de Aquila, one of William the Conqueror's men. It was built in an area known as Chapelwood, along the Chelwood Gate road, just outside Nutley's borders. 60acre of land near Wych Cross on Ashdown Forest was granted to the chapel. It was attached to the church at Maresfield. The chapel went out of use after the English Reformation.