Come and explore
EGMEL has made the Estate (Park) available for public enjoyment for more than 70 years.
With our local partners, Mid Sussex District Council, who provide open recreational space, playground, football fields and woodland walking areas and maintain Ashplats Wood, which is open for all to enjoy.
The Estate is also home to East Grinstead Football Club and the East Grinstead Target Shooting Club.
Walking in the Estate and woodland
There are a number of paths through the woodland some are partly surfaced but many can be uneven and muddy in wet weather so good footwear is advised. There are information boards at Stirling Way and on the Playing field.
There is a waymarked circular route that can be walked see here for more information or a map showing a circular route can be downloaded as a pdf or image file
We are only minutes from the town centre, surrounded by the countryside of Sussex with wonderful views overlooking Ashdown Forest. The positioning of East Court is unique in that the Meridian Line passes through the house and the gardens.
East Grinstead Memorial Estate Ltd
East Court
College Lane,
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 3LT
Trefoil Guild Centenary Nature Trail
The Trefoil Guild Centenary Nature Trail is a permanent reminder of the Girl-guiding Centenary celebrations (1910 – 2010), Guides in East Grinstead, with the support of many local organizations including Ashplats Conservation Group, have installed a nature trail in the gardens of East Court Mansion and Ashplats Wood.
The circular route trail is free for anyone to use. It’s about 1 mile long and will take the average adult about 30 minutes to walk. There is an information sign on the terrace of East Court Mansion. There are 16 posts in total and where possible these are sited near to paths to enable pushchairs, wheelchairs and those who are less steady on their feet to reach them.
The trail map can be obtained from the Town Council offices at East Court or online
Ashplats Conservation Group, a volunteer membership group, help look after this beautiful woodland in protecting the flora and fauna of the Estate as well as aiding MSDC in the maintenance of paths, steps and walkways, which can be a particular challenge during the variable winter weather period.
Visiting with your Pets
East Court Estate welcomes all well behaved dogs. Dogs must be kept on a lead in the following areas.
- The car park– We value your dog’s safety so please put your dog on a lead before letting it out of your car.
- The terraced gardens and the Garden of Remembrance– Please respect the war memorial and our flowerbeds by keeping your dog on a short lead throughout the gardens.
Please note: Dogs are not permitted in the playpark.
Dogs are welcome to be let off the lead for exercise on the playing fields and in the woodland. Please refer to the dog code.
Ways we can be responsible owners
- Dog walkers, as regular park users, help look after our open spaces by reporting any problems or damage in the park, collecting litter and help improve safety
- If you find a dog bin which has not been emptied then please note the number painted on it before contacting Mid Sussex District Council using the online report a missing dog bin form
Different parts of the East Court Estate are subject to different designations.
Ashplats Wood circular route is 28 ha and the majority of the wood is designated as Ancient Woodland as well as a West Sussex Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI).
SITE OF NATURE CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE (SNCI)
Ashplats Wood is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI)
AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY (AONB)
Part of the Estate lies within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
CONSERVATION AREA
East Court is part of a Conservation Area (a planning designation most recently re-iterated in the draft East Grinstead Neighbourhood Plan 2015)
SUITABLE ALTERNATIVE NATURAL GREENSPACE (SANG)
Most recently the East Court Estate has been identified as a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) Supporting a rich and diverse wildlife – within a 1km radius of the Estate birds, bats, dormice, snakes and newts are profuse
What are SANGS?
Suitable alternative natural greenspaces are part of a wider project to help preserve the important habitats and animals which live on Special Protection Areas, such as Ashdown Forest. SANGs are usually designed with dog walking in mind, so often have good paths, poo bins and are well fenced. Some sites are also great for activities which are not suitable in the protected areas such as ball games and children’s bikes. They offer a safe and pleasant experience for all the family including our four-legged friends.
More details about those associated with Ashdown forest can be found here and a map of local SANGS
ANCIENT WOODLAND INVENTORY FOR MID SUSSEX
Most of Ashplats Wood and fragments of woodland in East Court have been identified as ancient semi-natural woodland (i.e. sites that have been continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD) and appear on the provisional Ancient Woodland Inventory for Mid Sussex .
Park Events
