Religion

A number of important religious sites are located in East Grinstead.

L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, lived at Saint Hill, to the south of the town, and the manor is the British headquarters of the Church of Scientology.

To the north of the town is the Mormon London England Temple.

Opus Dei and the Rosicrucians both own property in the town.

The strange co-incidence of such a number of religious organisations being headquartered in the town prompted a documentary in 1994, Why East Grinstead?, which was produced for Channel 4 by Zed Productions and directed by Ian Sellar. The documentary didn't come to any definite conclusions: the explanations ranging from the fact that East Grinstead sat on the convergence of ley lines to the more prosaic idea that the various reglious inquirers had settled there because they liked the views.

One of the most impressive buildings in the town is St. Swithun's church which has been on its present site since the 11th century. The building was struck by lightning in 1772 and rebuilt to designs by Wyatt. It was opened in 1789. There are also three other Anglican churches (St Barnabas, St Luke and St Mary); West Street Baptist chapel; Our Lady and St Peter Roman Catholic church; Trinity Methodist church; and a United Reformed Church in the town.