The Dorset Arms Angling Club has affordable angling subscriptions with no joining fee. It is perfect if you like fishing in this club waters or Claygate Lakes.

Children under 13 can fish for free and don’t need a Rod Licence from the Environment Agency. Anyone can catch many types of fish in rivers, streams, and still waters.

This fantastic fishing club is welcoming. It allows fishing in rivers and calm areas in East Sussex and West Kent. The site is in a great place with many animals and exciting sports options.

The Club used to be at the Dorset Arms Hotel in Withyham. Now, it is at the Crown Inn near the lakes at Burrswood in Groombridge.

Burrswood, Groombridge – Bottom Lake

The water is in the Burrswood Estate. It has 26 pegs for club matches. The lake holds Skimmers, Bream, Roach, Perch, Crucian, Common, and Mirror Carp.

The authority has reintroduced some Tench. The lake is home to many animals like Kingfishers, Herons, and Grey Wagtails. Buzzards and Sparrow Hawks often fly overhead.

There are water features in most fishing spots. People use poles and wagglers to fish near lilies, shrubs, or open water. You can find the dates and results of regular club matches at this venue.

Burrswood, Groombridge – Top Lake

This lake is smaller than the other one. It has carp, tench, skimmers, rudd, perch, and roach. It is peaceful and has beautiful views.

Ticehurst House, Ticehurst – Main Pond

Ticehurst House has the Main Pond located near its back. It contains Roach, Rudd, Perch, Tench, Carp up to 20lb+, and Pike. It is perfect for a peaceful day of fishing.

Ticehurst House, Ticehurst – Small Pond

The Small Pond is in a forested area at Ticehurst House. It has many of the species from the Main Pond.

Claygate Lakes, Marden

Members can fish on lakes Eva and Sophie from Monday to Friday. They can also catch fish on Saturdays and Sundays on no-match days.

The fishery limits fishing on these lakes to one rod, but if you want to use two rods, you must pay a £2.00 fee. Members can also fish on specimen Lake Amy at preferential rates.

History of Dorset Arms Angling Club

Around 1955, people established this Club in Withyham. In the 1956 accounts, there was a balance of £20.6s.8d carried over from the previous year.

There is no information available for that year or any previous years. The main goal was to secure fishing rights in local waters for local anglers.

It was important because big fishing clubs from outside controlled many local waters. Croydon is the base of the Duke of Gloucester Angling Club.

The new club chose the Dorset Arms Hotel in Withyham as its headquarters. The 9th Earl De La Warr and his son, Lord Buckhurst, supported the club’s goals.

They offered the club the fishing rights to three lakes at Buckhurst Park in Withyham. Bernard Venables listed the lakes in his 1954 guidebook on fishing spots in the South East.

Earl De La Warr also allowed fishing on a stream. It’s named the Paygate Stream. It ran through his estate. Earl De La Warr and Lord Buckurst supported the club’s ideals by suggesting a specific area.

They made the rule members must live within 4.5 miles of the Dorset Arms Hotel. At first, there were no junior members. The accounts didn’t show junior subscriptions until 1958/59.

The authority decided to limit membership to 100 seniors and 25 juniors, and they added this to the rules. Lord Gibson, a landowner and club supporter, owned the Penns in the Rocks Estate.

Sherlocks Farm and Hendal Farm on the estate allowed the club to fish in the stream. The stream didn’t have a name then, but it’s now called the Eridge Stream.

However, Google Earth mistakenly calls it the Mottsmill Stream. Billy Swift and Rob Medhurst, local farmers, allowed the club to fish in their parts of the Upper Medway.

Billy Swift let the club fish the Eridge Stream near Penns in the Rocks Estate at Ham Bridge. This stream flows through his land.

We can remember a few names of the members who founded the DAAC. Frank Manktelow, a builder and undertaker in Groombridge, was one.

Cecil Wells, John Osborne, and George Howell were early members. Cyril Dann, and brother-in-law of Cecil Wells, was another.

Lord Gibson had three staff members. There was George Bosworth, his butler. George’s wife also worked at Penns in the Rocks. She worked as a cook or housekeeper.

And finally, Ted Bryant was there, the gamekeeper. They were also among the early members. Hartfield had three officers: Des Burfield, Frank Stapley, and J Hodge.

In the past, financial records said retired military members were Vice Presidents. Admiral Brind from Lye Green, Major Williams, and Colonel N A Keith were there.

Brigadier A G Nunn, Major Morgan, and Major Paynter were also present. Colonel White and Major Ellis completed the group. The club used to have dances to raise money.

The King held them at the King’s Hall in Withyham. They also had a yearly dinner at the Dorset Arms Hotel. They presented cups and trophies at the dinner.

Conclusion

This organization offers excellent fishing spots for anglers to enjoy. Some good times are possible at the venues of this organization.

Anglers can explore nature at the fantastic fishing venues on this site. They can have a great time without a doubt.

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