Wealden
Encyclopedia
For the stone, see Wealden Group
Wealden is a local government district
in East Sussex
, England: its name comes from the Weald
, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.
, by the merger of the Hailsham and Uckfield Rural District Councils (RDCs), both set up under the Local Government Act 1894
, which also revived the parish councils. It is one of three Districts within the county and is the central one: the other two being Lewes
to the west, and Rother
to the east.
and Crowborough
, although the two offices are to be merged.
The district is second-level in local government. There are 55 members of the Council, representing 35 wards. The towns have more than one ward: Crowborough
has five; Hailsham
, three; Heathfield
, two; Polegate
, two; and Uckfield
, four. The ward boundaries are regularly redrawn in an attempt to maintain a standard elector per councillor ratio throughout the district. The ward boundaries as at 2007 are:
The lowest level of local government is the civil parish. The parishes are formed on a geographical basis.
Those within the Wealden District are:
, between which lies the Vale of Sussex. The River Ouse
, some of the tributaries of which originate in the district, forms the border with the Lewes District
; and the River Cuckmere
is entirely within its boundaries. The south-western border is on the Pevensey Levels
. Both flow into the English Channel
. The River Rother
rises on the Weald and flows easterly towards Rye Bay.
, London to Eastbourne; it is crossed by the A26
Maidstone
–Lewes
road at Uckfield; and the A267 Tunbridge Wells
to Eastbourne road. There are also three west-east roads: the A259
coastal route; next inland is the A27
Pevensey–Brighton
trunk road; and further to the north the A272
cross-country route to Winchester
.
The East Coastway Line
, serving Eastbourne and Hastings
, uses the Vale of Sussex. The only other railway line in the district is the Oxted Line
branch terminating at Uckfield.
Long-distance footpaths include the South Downs Way
; the Monarch's Way
; the Sussex Border Path
; and the Wealdway
.
, the Seven Sisters
and Cuckmere Haven
along the coast; and the Long Man of Wilmington
together with various high points along the South Downs.
Wealden Group
The Wealden Group is a group in the lithostratigraphy of southern England. The Wealden group consists of paralic to continental facies sedimentary rocks of Valanginian to Barremian age and thus forms part of the English Lower Cretaceous. It is composed of alternating sands and clays...
Wealden is a local government district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
in East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, England: its name comes from the Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
, the area of high land which occupies the centre of its area.
History
Wealden District was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, by the merger of the Hailsham and Uckfield Rural District Councils (RDCs), both set up under the Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
, which also revived the parish councils. It is one of three Districts within the county and is the central one: the other two being Lewes
Lewes (district)
Lewes is a local government district in East Sussex in southern England covering an area of , with of coastline. It is named after its administrative centre, Lewes. Other towns in the district include Newhaven, Peacehaven, and Seaford. Plumpton racecourse is within the district...
to the west, and Rother
Rother
Rother is a local government district in East Sussex, England. The district is named after the River Rother which flows within its boundaries.-History:...
to the east.
Governance
Wealden District Council offices are based in HailshamHailsham
Hailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five main towns in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. Mentioned in the Domesday Book, the town of Hailsham has had a long history of industry and agriculture...
and Crowborough
Crowborough
The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
, although the two offices are to be merged.
The district is second-level in local government. There are 55 members of the Council, representing 35 wards. The towns have more than one ward: Crowborough
Crowborough
The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
has five; Hailsham
Hailsham
Hailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five main towns in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. Mentioned in the Domesday Book, the town of Hailsham has had a long history of industry and agriculture...
, three; Heathfield
Heathfield, East Sussex
Heathfield is a small market town, and the principal settlement in the civil parish of Heathfield and Waldron in the Wealden District of East Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, England.-Location:...
, two; Polegate
Polegate
Polegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne, and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with...
, two; and Uckfield
Uckfield
-Development:The local Tesco has proposed the redevelopment of the central town area as has the town council. The Hub has recently been completed, having been acquired for an unknown figure, presumed to be about half a million pounds...
, four. The ward boundaries are regularly redrawn in an attempt to maintain a standard elector per councillor ratio throughout the district. The ward boundaries as at 2007 are:
| Ward | Population (2007) | Councillors | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfriston | 2481 | 1 | 2481 |
| Buxted and Maresfield | 5052 | 2 | 2526 |
| Chiddingly and East Hoathly | 2934 | 1 | 2934 |
| Cross in Hand/Five Ashes | 2291 | 1 | 2291 |
| Crowborough East | 5202 | 2 | 2601 |
| Crowborough Jarvis Brook | 2698 | 1 | 2698 |
| Crowborough North | 5035 | 2 | 2517 |
| Crowborough St. Johns | 2262 | 1 | 2262 |
| Crowborough West | 4791 | 2 | 2395 |
| Danehill/Fletching/Nutley | 5003 | 2 | 2501 |
| East Dean | 2186 | 1 | 2186 |
| Forest Row | 5356 | 2 | 2678 |
| Framfield | 2611 | 1 | 2611 |
| Frant/Withyham | 4767 | 2 | 2383 |
| Hailsham Central and North | 5591 | 2 | 2795 |
| Hailsham East | 2769 | 1 | 2769 |
| Hailsham South and West | 8401 | 3 | 2800 |
| Hartfield | 2606 | 1 | 2606 |
| Heathfield East | 2349 | 1 | 2349 |
| Heathfield North and Central | 7832 | 3 | 2610 |
| Hellingly | 5117 | 2 | 2558 |
| Herstmonceux | 2826 | 1 | 2826 |
| Horam | 2583 | 1 | 2583 |
| Mayfield | 2615 | 1 | 2615 |
| Ninfield and Hooe with Wartling | 2362 | 1 | 2362 |
| Pevensey and Westham | 8981 | 3 | 2993 |
| Polegate North | 4811 | 2 | 2405 |
| Polegate South | 2245 | 1 | 2245 |
| Rotherfield | 2402 | 1 | 2402 |
| Uckfield Central | 2984 | 1 | 2984 |
| Uckfield New Town | 2604 | 1 | 2604 |
| Uckfield North | 5317 | 2 | 2658 |
| Uckfield Ridgewood | 2968 | 1 | 2968 |
| Wadhurst | 5085 | 2 | 2542 |
| Willingdon | 7121 | 3 | 2373 |
| Total Wealden | 142238 | 55 | 2586 |
The lowest level of local government is the civil parish. The parishes are formed on a geographical basis.
Those within the Wealden District are:
| Parish | Type | Area (sq mi) | Population (2007) | Pop Density /sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alciston Alciston Alciston is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. It is inland, just off the A27 road, about ten miles north-west of Eastbourne and seven miles east of Lewes. The ecclesiastical parish is linked with that of Selmeston and Berwick.Saxon in origin, its name... |
Parish Meeting | 2.7 | 146 | 53.7 |
| Alfriston Alfriston Alfriston is a village and civil parish in the East Sussex district of Wealden, England. The village lies in the valley of the River Cuckmere, about four miles north-east of Seaford and south of the main A27 trunk road and part of the large area of Polegate... |
Parish Council | 3.6 | 774 | 214.2 |
| Arlington Arlington, East Sussex Arlington is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex. The parish is on the River Cuckmere, and is the location for a medieval priory, a reservoir and car racetrack.-History:The area has been settled since Anglo-Saxon times... |
Parish Council | 7.1 | 490 | 69.2 |
| Berwick Berwick, East Sussex Berwick is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex in England. The village lies immediately to the south of the A27 road between Lewes and Polegate, about three miles west of the latter... |
Parish Council | 1.9 | 289 | 149.4 |
| Buxted Buxted Buxted is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex in England. The parish is situated on the Weald, north of Uckfield; the settlements of Five Ash Down, Heron's Ghyll and High Hurstwood are included within its boundaries... |
Parish Council | 8.4 | 3145 | 376.4 |
| Chalvington with Ripe Chalvington with Ripe The civil parish of Chalvington with Ripe, in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, is made up of the two villages, Chalvington and Ripe. They are located in the upper Rivers Cuckmere and Ouse joint valley north of the South Downs, between the A27 and the A22 roads, and some 15 miles ... |
Parish Council | 4.3 | 1082 | 252.0 |
| Chiddingly Chiddingly Chiddingly is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, some five miles northwest of Hailsham. The parish is rural in character: it includes the village of Chiddingly and a collection of hamlets: the largest of these being Muddles Green and Thunder's Hill; others... |
Parish Council | 6.8 | 1006 | 147.9 |
| Crowborough Crowborough The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns... |
Town Council | 5.2 | 19988 | 3812.1 |
| Cuckmere Valley Cuckmere Valley Cuckmere Valley is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. As its name suggests, the parish consists of a number of small settlements in the lower reaches of the River Cuckmere.-The settlements:... |
Parish Council | 6.8 | 197 | 28.9 |
| Danehill Danehill, East Sussex Danehill is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located five miles north-east of Haywards Heath and on the edge of the Ashdown Forest... |
Parish Council | 8.7 | 1927 | 220.3 |
| East Dean and Friston East Dean and Friston East Dean and Friston is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England.The two villages in the parish are in a dry valley on the South Downs - between Eastbourne three miles to the east and Seaford an equal distance to the west. The main A259 road goes through both village centres... |
Parish Council | 3.3 | 1577 | 474.9 |
| East Hoathly with Halland East Hoathly with Halland East Hoathly with Halland is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The parish contains the two villages of East Hoathly and Halland, two miles to the west; it sits astride the A22 road, four miles north-west of Hailsham, although the original sharp bend on that road... |
Parish Council | 5.8 | 1343 | 229.9 |
| Fletching Fletching, East Sussex Fletching is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. It is located three miles to the north-west of Uckfield, near one of the entrances to Sheffield Park. The A272 road crosses the parish. The settlement of Piltdown is part of the parish... |
Parish Council | 9.9 | 1041 | 104.7 |
| Forest Row Forest Row Forest Row is a village and relatively large civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles south-east of East Grinstead.-History:... |
Parish Council | 12.6 | 5054 | 402.4 |
| Framfield Framfield Framfield is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located two miles east of Uckfield; the settlements of Blackboys, Palehouse and Halland form part of the parish area of 6,700 acres .-History:It is likely that Framfield came into existence... |
Parish Council | 7.6 | 1855 | 243.3 |
| Frant Frant -Demography:The population of Frant rose steadily from just under 1,100 in 1801 to a peak in 1891 of around 3,500. The records show a marked drop to 1,692 in 1901, but this is due to the transfer of the Broadwater Down parish to Tunbridge Wells that took place in 1894... |
Parish Council | 12.3 | 1367 | 110.9 |
| Hadlow Down Hadlow Down Hadlow Down is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. It is located on the A272 road three miles north-east of Heathfield. The parish is within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty... |
Parish Council | 6.6 | 715 | 109.1 |
| Hailsham Hailsham Hailsham is a civil parish and the largest of the five main towns in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. Mentioned in the Domesday Book, the town of Hailsham has had a long history of industry and agriculture... |
Town Council | 7.5 | 19836 | 2652.3 |
| Hartfield Hartfield Hartfield is a civil parish in East Sussex, England. Settlements within the parish include the village of Hartfield, Colemans Hatch, Hammerwood and Holtye, all lying on the northern edge of Ashdown Forest.-Geography:... |
Parish Council | 16.2 | 2157 | 132.9 |
| Heathfield and Waldron Heathfield and Waldron Heathfield and Waldron is a civil parish within the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. Heathfield is surrounded by the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-Governance:... |
Parish Council | 20.4 | 11514 | 564.5 |
| Hellingly Hellingly Hellingly is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located 1.5 miles north of Hailsham.The nearby village of Lower Dicker is located within the parish.-History:... |
Parish Council | 7.6 | 1552 | 205.1 |
| Herstmonceux Herstmonceux Herstmonceux is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The parish includes Herstmonceux Castle, the village of Cowbeech and a number of smaller hamlets.-History:... |
Parish Council | 9.5 | 2598 | 272.8 |
| Hooe Hooe, East Sussex Hooe is both a small village and a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex; the village being located about two miles north-west of Bexhill, and north of the A259 coast road, on the B2095 road from Ninfield... |
Parish Council | 3.9 | 446 | 115.4 |
| Horam Horam Horam is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, situated three miles south of Heathfield. Included in the parish are the settlements of Vines Cross and Burlow.-History:... |
Parish Council | 4.0 | 2583 | 643.3 |
| Isfield Isfield Isfield is a small village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex in England, located north-north-west of Lewes.-History:The village of Isfield originally grew adjacent to the ford where the London to Lewes Way Roman road crossed the river River Ouse... |
Parish Council | 3.0 | 564 | 190.7 |
| Laughton Laughton, East Sussex Laughton is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located five miles east of Lewes, at a junction on the minor road to Hailsham . It appears in the Domesday Book, and there are Roman remains nearby.Education is provided at the Laughton Community... |
Parish Council | 7.3 | 585 | 79.7 |
| Little Horsted Little Horsted Little Horsted is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. It is located two miles south of Uckfield, on the A22 road.... |
Parish Meeting | 4.1 | 168 | 40.8 |
| Long Man Long Man Long Man is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England which includes the villages of Wilmington, Milton Street and Folkington. The parish is named after the Long Man of Wilmington, a chalk figure, which is located within the parish.... |
Parish Council | 6.2 | 412 | 66.2 |
| Maresfield Maresfield Maresfield is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village itself lies 1.5 miles north from Uckfield; the nearby villages of Nutley and Fairwarp; and the smaller settlements of Duddleswell and Horney Common; and parts of Ashdown Forest all lie within... |
Parish Council | 10.1 | 3246 | 319.9 |
| Mayfield and Five Ashes Mayfield and Five Ashes Mayfield and Five Ashes is a civil parish in the High Weald of East Sussex, England. The two villages making up the principal part of the parish lie on the A267 road between Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne: Mayfield, the larger of the two villages is ten miles south of Tunbridge Wells; with Five... |
Parish Council | 16.4 | 3562 | 217.6 |
| Ninfield Ninfield Ninfield is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is situated 4 miles north of Bexhill-on-Sea, at the junction of two roads: the A269 from Bexhill to Battle and the A271 to Hailsham... |
Parish Council | 4.1 | 1520 | 371.7 |
| Pevensey Pevensey Pevensey is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The main village is located 5 miles north-east of Eastbourne, one mile inland from Pevensey Bay. The settlement of Pevensey Bay forms part of the parish.-Geography:The village of Pevensey is located on... |
Parish Council | 6.8 | 3152 | 463.8 |
| Polegate Polegate Polegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne, and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with... |
Town Council | 2.8 | 8021 | 2853.6 |
| Rotherfield Rotherfield Rotherfield is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. It is one of the largest parishes in East Sussex. There are three villages in the parish: Rotherfield, Mark Cross, and Eridge.-Etymology:... |
Parish Council | 17.8 | 3151 | 177.0 |
| Selmeston Selmeston Selmeston is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. It is located eight miles east of Lewes, to the north of the A27 road between there and Polegate. It is a long straggling village. The church already existed at the time of its mention in the Domesday Book;... |
Parish Meeting | 2.6 | 190 | 73.1 |
| Uckfield Uckfield -Development:The local Tesco has proposed the redevelopment of the central town area as has the town council. The Hub has recently been completed, having been acquired for an unknown figure, presumed to be about half a million pounds... |
Town Council | 2.9 | 13873 | 4810.0 |
| Wadhurst Wadhurst Wadhurst is a market town in East Sussex, England. It is the centre of the civil parish of Wadhurst, which also includes the hamlets of Cousley Wood and Tidebrook. Wadhurst is twinned with Aubers in France.-Situation:... |
Parish Council | 15.5 | 4818 | 311.0 |
| Warbleton Warbleton Warbleton is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. Within its bounds are four settlements, one of which gives its name to the parish. It is located south-east of Heathfield on the slopes of the Weald.-History:... |
Parish Council | 11.2 | 1262 | 112.3 |
| Wartling Wartling Wartling is a village and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located between Bexhill and Hailsham, ten miles west of the latter, and at the northern edge of the Pevensey Levels. The parish includes the two settlements of Wartling itself and Boreham... |
Parish Council | 4.3 | 396 | 92.7 |
| Westham Westham Westham is a large village civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is adjacent to Pevensey five miles north-east of Eastbourne. The parish consists of three settlements: Westham; Stone Cross; and Hankham... |
Parish Council | 5.5 | 5829 | 1066.9 |
| Willingdon and Jevington Willingdon and Jevington Willingdon and Jevington is one of the civil parishes in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The two villages lie one mile south of Polegate. The two parishes, two decades ago, were separate; the merger of the two has produced a parish of over 6,000 people... |
Parish Council | 4.1 | 6156 | 1511.3 |
| Withyham Withyham Withyham is a village and large civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The village is situated 10 miles south west of Tunbridge Wells and 3.5 miles from Crowborough; the parish covers approximately .-Geography:Withyham parish lies on the edge of Weald, in the... |
Parish Council | 14.2 | 2651 | 186.7 |
| Total Wealden | 321.7 | 142238 | 442.2 |
Geography
Wealden District covers two main upland areas: the section of the High Weald within East Sussex; and the eastern end of the South DownsSouth Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
, between which lies the Vale of Sussex. The River Ouse
River Ouse, Sussex
The River Ouse is a river in the counties of West and East Sussex in England.-Course:The river rises near Lower Beeding and runs eastwards into East Sussex, meandering narrowly and turning slowly southward...
, some of the tributaries of which originate in the district, forms the border with the Lewes District
Lewes (district)
Lewes is a local government district in East Sussex in southern England covering an area of , with of coastline. It is named after its administrative centre, Lewes. Other towns in the district include Newhaven, Peacehaven, and Seaford. Plumpton racecourse is within the district...
; and the River Cuckmere
River Cuckmere
The River Cuckmere rises near Heathfield in East Sussex, England on the southern slopes of the Weald. The name of the river probably comes from an Old English word meaning fast-flowing, since it descends over 100 m in its initial four miles...
is entirely within its boundaries. The south-western border is on the Pevensey Levels
Pevensey Levels
The area known as the Pevensey Levels is a Site of Special Scientific Interest notified under Section 28 of theWildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an area of marshland situated between Bexhill in the east, Pevensey in the west and Hailsham in the north...
. Both flow into the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. The River Rother
River Rother (Eastern)
The River Rother , at 35 miles , is a river flowing through both East Sussex and Kent, England. Its source is near Rotherfield , and its mouth is on Rye Bay, part of the English Channel....
rises on the Weald and flows easterly towards Rye Bay.
Transport
There are several main roads crossing the district. The major trunk road is the A22A22 road
The A22 is one of the two-digit major roads in the south east of England. It carries traffic from London to Eastbourne on the East Sussex coast...
, London to Eastbourne; it is crossed by the A26
A26 road
For the road in Northern Ireland see A26 road The A26 road is one of the three cross-country two-digit numbered roads in the southeast of England, the others being the A25 road and A27 road. It carries traffic from Maidstone in Kent in a generally south-westerly direction to Tunbridge Wells and...
Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
–Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
road at Uckfield; and the A267 Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
to Eastbourne road. There are also three west-east roads: the A259
A259 road
The A259 is a busy road on the south coast of England passing through Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and part of Kent. Part of the road was named "the most dangerous road in South East England" in 2008.-Description:...
coastal route; next inland is the A27
A27 road
The A27 is a major road in England. It runs from its junction with the A36 at Whiteparish in the county of Wiltshire. It closely parallels the south coast, where it passes through West Sussex and terminates at Pevensey in East Sussex.Between Portsmouth and Lewes, it is one of the busiest trunk...
Pevensey–Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
trunk road; and further to the north the A272
A272 road
The A272 is a road in South-East England. It follows an approximate East-West route from near Heathfield, East Sussex to the city of Winchester, Hampshire. It has achieved somewhat unlikely fame in recent years by being the subject of a book by the Dutch author, Pieter Boogaart...
cross-country route to Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
.
The East Coastway Line
East Coastway Line
East Coastway is the name used by the train operating company, Southern , for the routes it operates along the south coast of Sussex and Kent to the east of Brighton, England. Those to the West of Brighton are named the West Coastway Line...
, serving Eastbourne and Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
, uses the Vale of Sussex. The only other railway line in the district is the Oxted Line
Oxted Line
The Oxted Line is a railway line in southern England. It was originally operated jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. It is now part of the Southern franchise....
branch terminating at Uckfield.
Long-distance footpaths include the South Downs Way
South Downs Way
The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath and bridleway running along the South Downs in southern England, and is one of 15 National Trails in England and Wales...
; the Monarch's Way
Monarch's Way
The Monarch's Way is a long-distance footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester.Most of the footpath is waymarked...
; the Sussex Border Path
Sussex Border Path
The Sussex Border Path is a 256 kilometres long-distance footpath in southern England that connects Thorney Island to Rye.The footpath uses existing rights of way to follow the Sussex county border and is waymarked....
; and the Wealdway
Wealdway
The Wealdway, Kent and East Sussex, is a public footpath that runs from Gravesend, Kent on the Thames estuary, to the A259 at Eastbourne, 3 km north of Beachy Head....
.
Landmarks
Major landmarks include Beachy HeadBeachy Head
Beachy Head is a chalk headland on the south coast of England, close to the town of Eastbourne in the county of East Sussex, immediately east of the Seven Sisters. The cliff there is the highest chalk sea cliff in Britain, rising to 162 m above sea level. The peak allows views of the south...
, the Seven Sisters
Seven Sisters, Sussex
The Seven Sisters are a series of chalk cliffs by the English Channel. They form part of the South Downs in East Sussex, between the towns of Seaford and Eastbourne in southern England. They are within the Seven Sisters Country Park...
and Cuckmere Haven
Cuckmere Haven
Cuckmere Haven is an area of flood plains in Sussex, England where the river Cuckmere meets the English Channel between Eastbourne and Seaford. The river is an example of a meandering river, and contains several oxbow lakes...
along the coast; and the Long Man of Wilmington
Long Man of Wilmington
The Long Man of Wilmington is a hill figure located in Wilmington, East Sussex, England on the steep slopes of Windover Hill, northwest of Eastbourne. The Long Man is tall and designed to look in proportion when viewed from below....
together with various high points along the South Downs.