Thakeham is a village in the District of Horsham, West Sussex, with fine views of the South Downs. It takes its name from the old meaning of ‘Thatched Homestead’ and was mentioned in the Domesday Book.
‘The Street’, is the villages oldest street, and what the village centres on. Consequently, the pub and church are situated here.
First of all, the village holds a ‘village day’ on the third Saturday of June each year. Due to this, there are various displays and activites that represent the village, and it attracts quite a crowd. Furthermore, the Gillian’s Morris dancing team is another village activity. Also, there is a bi-annual flower show and a gardener’s club.
The White Lion pub is the main eatery and drinking spot, with locally sourced produce and Sussex ales on tap.
St Mary’s is the village church and dates from Norman times.
The hamlet of Abingworth forms part of the village. Here, the famed mushroom farm and factory (now known as Sussex Mushrooms) grows produce to supply many of Sussex’s food outlets. Jomo Kenyatta, the founding father of Kenya, worked on the mushroom farm in the early 1940s.
Actress Anna Massey is another famous resident, who was born in the village in 1937. She starred alongside Colin Firth and Rupert Everett in the 2002 adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest.
Thakeham is just one of the places covered by the free Sussex Local magazine delivered by hand, by local people, every month.
Sussex Local publishes eight editions per month across West Sussex together with our website and podcast.
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