Robertsbridge was granted village status by charter 800 years ago.

The charter was granted to Robertsbridge Abbey - a Cistercian community that had itself been founded in 1176.

The Abbey was surrendered to King Henry VIII in 1538 and was sold in 1539 to the Sydney family.

1176 - Founding of Robertsbridge Abbey - this is the date the Cistercian Abbey was founded by Robert de St Martin which gave Robertsbridge its name with the construction of St Catherine's Chapel on the sloping ground where the war memorial is now located in front of the George. The London road at this time ran from the end of Bishops Lane across to Salehurst. It was soon after this in about 1210 that the abbey was moved to its present location next to the Rother and the first building plots set out to the west side of the present day High Street. It is likely that this new village street would have provided supplies and trades for the Abbey. At this time Fair Lane would have been constructed to provide access across the London road to the new abbey.

1225 - Granting of the Royal Market Charter - this is the date when the Abbot was granted a weekly market on Fridays and a fair on 14th-16th August by Henry III. Only a month later this was repealed on complaints of damage caused to neighbouring markets which probably included Salehurst. It was not until 1253 that the market was regranted to the Abbot.

1300 - Royal Visits to Robertsbridge - during the 13th century the Abbey was visited several times by the Kings of England notably Henry III, Edward I and possibly Edward II. A considerable amount of food and large barrels of wine had to be provided by the Abbey for each visit.

1400 - Construction of Wealden Houses - a significant feature and character of Robertsbridge are the twelve Wealden Hall Houses built between about 1350 and 1450, a greater proportion than any other village. Although many have now been substantially altered the the houses, which are oak framed, originally had large open halls with a central fire on the floor and with two storey living accommodation to both ends.

1550 - The Iron Industry in Robertsbridge - the Abbey was closed down by Henry VIII in 1538 and transferred a year later to William Sydney, Lord De L'Isle of Penshurst who saw the opportunity to manufacture iron due to the abundance of iron ore beneath the Wadhurst Clay in the weald. He built a forge next to the abbey and subsequently his son Henry found a good source of iron ore at Panningridge near Ashburnham where it was smelted into iron and moved the six miles to Robertsbridge by oxen each day. The expertise for the iron works was provided by workers from Flanders who greatly upset the people of Robertsbridge with some graffiti and insults directed at them.

1749 - Horace Walpole and Smugglers in the High Street - Horace Walpole, Earl of Oxford, on one of his travels in Sussex found himself trying to get down Silverhill where the road was so bad and the night so dark he didn't know if he was going up or down and his coachman frightened beyond all frightfulness until he reached a wretched village called Robertsbridge. Every Inn on the High Street was full of smugglers and so he had to make his way onto Battle.

1851 - The Railway arrives in Robertsbridge - the railway line from London via Tunbridge Wells finally arrived in Robertsbridge on 1st September 1851. The line to Hastings was completed the following year reaching Battle on 1st January 1852 and Hastings on 1st February. The branch line to Tenterden opened on 2nd April 1900 initially to Rolvenden.

1909 - Robertsbridge Scout Group formed - The Robertsbridge Scout Group is one of the oldest in the country and is believed to have the oldest Scout Flag in the world. Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of The Boy Scouts Association moved to the neighbouring village of Ewhurst Green in 1913.

1989 - The Robertsbridge By-Pass - the main A21 originally passed through the centre of Robertsbridge with all traffic including lorries and buses going in both directions down the High Street. When the details of the bypass were discussed a public meeting considered if there should be a bridge or a roundabout at the end of North Bridge Street where it crosses Church Lane to Salehurst. It was decided by the chairman of the Parish Council that it should be a roundabout and so at the the time it was known as de Quincey's Roundabout. The first day the bypass opened people in the High Street were nervous about stepping off the kerb into the road which on the previous day had lorries thundering down it.

2025 - Robertsbridge - a vibrant village. The same High Street that we all enjoy today - but so many different events have taken place over the years and the atmosphere would have been completely different during its evolution through the ages.