East Sussex
A Visitor Guide to East Sussex

Eastbourne

• Location
  Down the A22 til you can go no further!

Eastbourne is a large resort mainly built about a century ago. Its mild climate has encourage many people to chose this town to retire to after years of toil in larger conurbations.

 However, all in not 'new'.  The discovery of a Roman boat a few decades ago seem to indicate that this was a centre of population long before the Norman Conquest.  The old town  lies inland and to the east of the modern town.

The flint and stone St. Mary's Church dates back to about 1200 and is particularly impressive inside. The Lambe Inn in the High Street is thought to be about 700 years old.

The major development of the town in the 19th century was due to a desire on the part of the major landowners, particularly the Duke of Devonshire, to create a resort of splendour. Eastbourne was however already a fashionable resort even before this development.  The desire to outshine other resorts is obvious from the array of impressive buildings especially along the seafront. The pier and town hall are particularly grand. Devonshire Park plays host to the pre-Wimbledon Ladies Tennis Tournament each year.

The care taken by the Town Fathers with regard to the development of the town has paid great dividends. Unlike many southern resorts, Eastbourne has retained an aura of splendour and shows little signs of the decay obvious in other lesser resorts. The pier is over one thousand feet long and full of life throughout the year.

One of the most delightful features of the sea front is the esplanade which is on three levels and runs for over three miles. The floral arrangements and gardens are particularly fine and a source of great local pride.  The bandstand plays host to many concerts throughout the summer.  Pick a deckchair and enjoy! The views over the sea from here are wonderful.  You are unlikely to find a grander promenade in the whole of southern England.

At the west end of the promenade is another Martello tower, now in use as a Coastal Defence Museum.  Just beneath this is a Lifeboat Musem, the first of its type in the country and well worth a visit. The shop is also a great chance to buy your Christmas cards and presents!

The Redoubt
(a Martello tower built to help repulse any Napoleonic invasion) is now a museum for the Sussex Combined Services. It is situated on the front.

There is a Butterfly Centre is just back from the sea front. It is an enclosed climate-controlled area with exotic plants, gardens and waterfalls where the many different species of butterflies fly around the visitors.

For children Treasure Island, once again on the front, is an ideal opportunity to play to their heart's delight. A wide range of playground activities and much else besides will keep them amused for hours.

The modern aspects of Eastbourne should not be ignored either. The shopping is good and there is an antiques market every day. It is now a popular conference venue too.

Around Eastbourne

Beachy Head

Just around the corner from Eastbourne lies the magnificent Beachy Head. One of the finest headlands in the land, it rises over 500 feet and the views on a clear day are simply superb. It has been said that the cliffs  Open topped buses go from the centre of Eastbourne to enable visitors without cars to experience the splendour. Don't go too near the edge of the cliffs as they are crumbling. Further along the coast is Birling Gap where a number of houses have already fallen into the sea and last year a lighthouse, converted into a private home, was moved several hundred feet back from the cliffs to protect it from danger (hopefully - a magnificent engineering feat!)

This is also where the South Downs Way begins, it ends 130 miles away in Winchester. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty , prolific in wildlife (in fact too prolific where rabbits are concerned!) and with spectacular views over sea and rolling downland for miles around. On no account miss this if at all possible!

The Long Man of Wilmington

Going towards Brighton on the A27, the Long Man of Wilmington, a huge man with a stave in each hand, can be seen on your left, carved into the chalk downs on Windover Hill. When this 70m chalk giant arrived no-one knows but there has been speculation galore.  Was it the Romans, Saxons, Vikings... who knows.   Why not park up and go and have a look?

In the village itself, the 13^th century Wilmington Priory has undergone many losses over its lifetime but much remains to be seen including a tudor kitchen and very deep well. The Church of St. Mary and St. Peter was once part of the Priory building.  The giant yew is reputed to be pre-12^th century.

Alfriston

Seven Sisters Country Park

This covers a large area to the west of Eastbourne and includes the Cuckmere Basin where the river Cuckmere weaves its way through the Sussex downland, marsh and chalk cliffs.  There is a visitor centre to enable you to discover what you might otherewise miss!

Charleston Farmhouse

Just off the A27, west of Selmeston, lies Charleston Farmhouse home of Vanessa Bell, sister of Virginia Woolf, and other members of the Bloomsbury Set, Duncan Grant and Clive Bell.  They decorated virtually everything within the house and, now restored, the house is open to the public in the summer. The gardens are delightful with views to the downs.

Herstmonceaux Castle

The beautiful moated Herstmonceaux Castle was built in 1440. One of the most famous castles in the country, it became the Royal Observatory in 1946 for some 40 years and a number of telescopes are visible around the grounds. It is now a Studies Centre but the grounds are open to the public.

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