Editing Robertsbridge

{{short description |Village in East Sussex, England}}
{{use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name            = Robertsbridge
| country                  = England
| region                   = South East England
| civil_parish             = [[Salehurst and Robertsbridge]]
| static_image_name        = Robertsbridge High Street.jpg
| static_image_caption     = View of High Street
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="sussexfigures">[http://www.eastsussexinfigures.org.uk/webview/ East Sussex in Figures, East Sussex County Council] Retrieved 27 October 2010</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 18.15
| population               = 2,641
| population_ref           = (Parish-2010)<ref name="sussexfigures" /><br>2,624 ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]])
| os_grid_reference        = TQ737235
| coordinates              = {{coord|50.99|0.47|display=inline,title}}
| post_town                = ROBERTSBRIDGE
| postcode_area            = TN
| postcode_district        = TN32
| dial_code                = 01580
| constituency_westminster = [[Bexhill and Battle (UK Parliament constituency)|Bexhill and Battle]]
| london_distance          = {{convert|44|mi}} [[Boxing the compass|NW]]
| shire_district           = [[Rother District|Rother]]
| shire_county             = [[East Sussex]]
| website                  = [http://www.salehurst-pc.org.uk/ Salehurst and Robertsbridge Parish Council]
}}

'''Robertsbridge''' is a village in the [[civil parish]] of [[Salehurst and Robertsbridge]], and the [[Rother District|Rother]] district of [[East Sussex]], England. It is approximately 10 miles (16&nbsp;km) north of [[Hastings]] and 13 miles (21&nbsp;km) south-east of [[Royal Tunbridge Wells]]. The [[River Rother (Eastern)|River Rother]] passes through the village.

==History==
The village is thought{{by whom|date=February 2019}} to date back to 1176 when a [[Cistercian]] [[abbey]] was founded there by the Abbot, Robert de St Martin. When a [[Royal Charter|market charter]] was granted in 1198 by [[Richard I of England|Richard I]] to Robertsbridge (''Pons Roberti'' in Latin) it was the first recorded use of the name.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} The abbey was [[Dissolution of the Monasteries, England and Wales|dissolved in 1538]];{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}  however, the town flourished, and many of the oldest existing houses in the village date from the 14th and 15th centuries,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aboutrobertsbridge.org.uk|title=Robertsbridge Medieval Village|work=aboutrobertsbridge.org.uk}}</ref> including [[The Seven Stars Inn]] in the High Street.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} From the village was discovered the [[Robertsbridge Codex|Robertsbridge Codex (1360)]], a music manuscript from the 14th century. It contains the earliest surviving music written specifically for keyboard.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

== Transport ==
[[Robertsbridge railway station|Robertsbridge Railway Station]] is on the main railway line from [[Hastings]] to London, and the [[A21 road (England)|A21]] [[trunk road]]. The Robertsbridge [[bypass (road)|bypass]] opened in 1989.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

== Education ==
[[Robertsbridge Community College]], a specialist mathematics and computer college, is the smallest such in the county of East Sussex.<ref>[http://www.robertsbridge.org.uk/ Robertsbridge Community College]</ref>{{failed verification|date=February 2019}} Salehurst Church of England Primary School is also located in the village.

== Community facilities ==
Robertsbridge cultural organizations include Robertsbridge Arts Partnership (RAP], a Jazz Club and Robertsbridge Wine Club  (RWC) which is affiliated to the [http://eurekanaturistclub.co.uk/ Eureka natural wine society]{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} Sports clubs include Robertsbridge Cricket Club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://robertsbridge.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp|title=Robertsbridge CC|work=play-cricket.com}}</ref> and formerly Robertsbridge Rugby Football Club, which disbanded in the 2008-2009 season.  Robertsbridge has a [[bonfire society]].<ref>[http://www.robertsbridgebonfiresociety.com/ Bonfire society website]</ref>

== Economy ==
Robertsbridge is the home to several notable sporting equipment brands. Parent company Grays International have been based in Robertsbridge since moving from Cambridgeshire in the 1990s. The company makes [[cricket]] equipment under the [[Gray-Nicolls]] brand, [[netball]] and [[Rugby football|rugby]] equipment as [[Gilbert Rugby|Gilbert]], and [[Field hockey|hockey]] equipment as Grays.

== Religion ==
[[Robertsbridge United Reformed Church]], a [[Listed building|Grade II-listed]] chapel built in 1881, stands on the High Street.<ref name="NHLE-1221451">{{NHLE|num=1221451|desc=The former United Reformed Church, High Street (east side), Robertsbridge, Salehurst, Rother, East Sussex|year=2011|access-date=5 July 2011}}</ref> The former [[Bethel Strict Baptist Chapel, Robertsbridge|Bethel Strict Baptist Chapel]], built in 1842 and also listed Grade II, is nearby.{{where|date=February 2019}} <ref name="NHLE-1221399">{{NHLE|num=1221399|desc=Bethel Strict Baptist Chapel, High Street (east side), Robertsbridge, Salehurst, Rother, East Sussex|year=2011|access-date=11 September 2011}}</ref> A residential [[Bruderhof Communities|Bruderhof]] community, known as Darvell, is located on the outskirts of the village.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/spectrum-an-exclusive-look-inside-the-bruderhof-communes-in-kent-and-east-sussex-3b0db5hts|title=Spectrum: an exclusive look inside the Bruderhof communes in Kent and East Sussex|last=Times|first=The Sunday|date=2019-07-21|access-date=2019-08-20|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.diggersanddreamers.org.uk/communities/existing/darvell-bruderhof|title=Darvell Bruderhof {{!}} Diggers and Dreamers|website=www.diggersanddreamers.org.uk|access-date=2017-05-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jamesclarke.me/blog/a-day-with-the-bruderhof|title=A Day With The Bruderhof|work=james clarke photography|access-date=2018-06-28|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Notable people==
<!--Any non-notable people in this list will be removed (red-linked or not) - if an editor considers someone is notable, write a Wikipedia article on them first, or provide multiple reputable independent sources here to show they deserve an article and are associated with Robertsbridge to avoid removal. Those here with Wikipedia articles need added citations to prove a link with Robertsbridge to avoid removal... unreferenced mention of Robertsbridge in their articles is not enough... Wikipedia does not self-reference.-->People who have lived in Robertsbridge include educationalist and women's rights activist [[Barbara Bodichon]],<ref>{{Cite ODNB|id=2755|last = Hirsch|first = Pam|title=Bodichon, Barbara Leigh Smith}}</ref> journalist [[Malcolm Muggeridge]],{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}, model [[Heather Mills]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Heather Mills treated all her staff badly, nanny claims|url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/5546990.heather-mills-treated-all-her-staff-badly-nanny-claims/|access-date=2021-07-26|website=The Argus|language=en}}</ref> and footballer [[Sam Jennings]] who died there in 1944.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Baggaley|first1=Michael|title=Tribute to Port Vale players who gave their lives in the World Wars|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/tribute-port-vale-players-who-762312|access-date=12 November 2017|work=Stoke Sentinel|date=12 November 2017}}</ref>

==Demography==
{| class="wikitable" id="toc" style="float: centre; margin-left: 2em; width: 40%; font-size: 90%;" cellspacing="3"
!colspan="4"|'''Population Salehurst and Robertsbridge Parish CP'''
|-
|'''2001 UK Census'''||'''Count'''
|-
|All people||2624
|-
|All males||1271
|-
|All females||1353
|-
|People aged 0–4||169
|-
|People aged 5–15||415
|-
|People aged 16–24||229
|-
|People aged 25–44||684
|-
|People aged 45–64||675
|-
|People aged 65–74||251
|-
|People aged 75 and over||201
|}

The demographics above are drawn from the National Statistics Office, 2001 Census. As data is not available for Robertsbridge in isolation, the table includes the entire parish of Salehurst and Robertsbridge.<ref name=StatAgeDem>{{cite web  | title = Neighbourhood Statistics  | publisher = Statistics.gov.uk | url = http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=794368&c=TN32+5DS&d=16&e=15&g=442384&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1277510392031&enc=1&dsFamilyId=781  | access-date = 26 June 2010}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" id="toc" style="float: centre; margin-left: 2em; width: 40%; font-size: 90%;" cellspacing="3"
!colspan="5"|'''Ethnic and Religious Breakdown for Salehurst Ward, compared by percentage'''
|-
|'''2001 UK Census'''||'''Salehurst Ward'''||'''Rother District'''||'''South East England'''||'''England'''
|-
|White||98.48||98.11||95.1||90.92
|-
|Mixed||0.75||0.62||1.07||1.31
|-
|Asian||0.11||0.44||2.33||4.57
|-
|Black||0.25||0.19||0.71||2.3
|-
|Chinese||0.41||1.73||0.78||0.89
|-
|Christian||77.55||76.5||72.78||71.74
|-
|Buddhist||0.18||0.18||0.28||0.28
|-
|Hindu||0.07||0.14||0.56||1.11
|-
|Jewish||0.11||0.15||0.24||0.52
|-
|Muslim||0.11||0.64||1.36||3.1
|-
|Sikh||0.09||0.03||0.47||0.67
|-
|Other religions||0.33||0.35||0.36||0.29
|-
|No religion||13.89||13.91||16.5||14.59
|-
|Religion not stated||7.67||8.1||7.46||7.69
|}

As data for the table above is not available for Robertsbridge in isolation, it is drawn from the Salehurst Ward which covers a larger area including Salehurst, Robertsbridge and Bodiam.<ref name=StatEthDem>{{cite web|title=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Statistics.gov.uk|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6159955&c=salehurst&d=14&e=15&g=442371&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1277510428750&enc=1&dsFamilyId=47|access-date=26 June 2010}}</ref><ref name=StatReligDem>{{cite web|title=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Statistics.gov.uk|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6159955&c=salehurst&d=14&e=15&g=442371&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1277510428765&enc=1&dsFamilyId=17|access-date=26 June 2010}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Robertsbridge Abbey f.58 by Samuel Hieronymus Grimm 1783.jpg|Ruins of the Robertsbridge Abbey, 1783
File:Robertsbridge station and level crossing - geograph.org.uk - 123753.jpg|Robertsbridge station and level crossing
File:High Street - geograph.org.uk - 1285266.jpg|The High Street
File:The Ostrich public house, Robertsbridge - geograph.org.uk - 1508830.jpg|The Ostrich public house
File:Half timbered cottages, High St - geograph.org.uk - 1731108.jpg|Half timbered cottages in the High Street
File:Fair Lane - geograph.org.uk - 1285224.jpg|Cottages in Fair Lane
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Robertsbridge}}
{{wikivoyage|Robertsbridge}}
* [http://www.salehurst-pc.org.uk/ Salehurst and Robertsbridge Parish Council]
* [http://www.robertsbridge.org.uk/ Robertsbridge Community College]

{{Rother}}
{{East Sussex1}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Robertsbridge| ]]
[[Category:Villages in East Sussex]]
[[Category:Market towns in East Sussex]]
[[Category:Rother District]]