History

East Grinstead Town Council is proud to be the current custodian of East Court Mansion. The beautiful 18th Century building now complimented by the Meridian Hall, serves as our offices and Council Chamber and also offers a host of top-class facilities for hire for functions as varied as boardroom meetings to weddings.

The mansion House started life as a family home, built in 1769 by London lawyer, John Cranston. John had married Catherine Green of Estcots Farm in 1759 and was assistant warden of Sackville College 1767-1769. The East Court Estate, which at its peak, comprised of around 900 acres, remained in the Cranston family until 1906.

East Court remained as a family home until the 1940s when it was put up for sale and requisitioned by the army for use as barracks and a training centre for demobilised soldiers. In 1945 the mansion and 5 acres of the land was bought by the East Grinstead Urban District Council, later to become East Grinstead Town Council.

In 2019 the Town Council celebrated the sestercentennial of East Court and held an exhibition outlining 250 years of its history. This can be viewed here.

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