Sussex Towns Guide


Tourist Guide for Ardingly West Sussex

History of Ardingly


The Saxon word leah, used to denote a cleared area of woodland, has given us -ley or -ly, one of Sussex's most common place-name endings.

The clearing at Ardingly was settled by a tribe known as the Eardingas, or Earda's people, and they probably chose the site because it made a strong defensive position above the narrow valley formed by one of the headwaters of the Ouse. In 1107 the name appears as Ardingelega. By 1521, it had become Ardinglie.

The village is famous for its public school, Ardingly College, which was opened there in 1870.