Westmeston
Encyclopedia
Westmeston is a hamlet and civil parish
in the Lewes District
of East Sussex
, England
. It is located four miles (6 km) south southeast of Burgess Hill
and (10 km) west of Lewes
, on the northern slopes of the South Downs
.
The nearest shops lie to the west in the village of Ditchling
.
The parish church is dedicated to St Martin and dates from the 12th and 14th centuries, with later additions and restorations. The nave was built soon after 1100, and the original north doorway remains. The ecclesiastical parish is also joined with Streat
.
is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
, which stretches from Hassocks in the west and passes through many parishes including Westmeston, to Lewes in the east. The site is of biological importance due to its rare chalk grassland habitat along with its woodland and scrub.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in 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...
of 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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located four miles (6 km) south southeast of Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill is a civil parish and a town primarily located in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England, close to the border with East Sussex, on the edge of the South Downs National Park...
and (10 km) west of 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...
, on the northern slopes of the South Downs
South 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...
.
The nearest shops lie to the west in the village of Ditchling
Ditchling
Ditchling is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is contained within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park; the order confirming the establishment of the park was signed in Ditchling....
.
The parish church is dedicated to St Martin and dates from the 12th and 14th centuries, with later additions and restorations. The nave was built soon after 1100, and the original north doorway remains. The ecclesiastical parish is also joined with Streat
Streat
Streat is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is located five miles south east of Burgess Hill and eight miles west of Lewes, on the northern slopes of the South Downs....
.
Landmarks
Clayton to Offham EscarpmentClayton To Offham Escarpment
The Clayton to Offham Escarpment is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in East Sussex, but extends in to West Sussex and thus can be found on the List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in West Sussex as well as the List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in East Sussex...
is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, which stretches from Hassocks in the west and passes through many parishes including Westmeston, to Lewes in the east. The site is of biological importance due to its rare chalk grassland habitat along with its woodland and scrub.
Notable people
- Raymond BriggsRaymond BriggsRaymond Redvers Briggs is an English illustrator, cartoonist, graphic novelist, and author who has achieved critical and popular success among adults and children...
, writer of children's story The SnowmanThe SnowmanThe Snowman is a children's book by English author Raymond Briggs, published in 1978. In 1982, this book was turned into a 26-minute animated movie by Dianne Jackson for the fledgling Channel 4. It was first shown on Channel 4 late on Christmas Eve in 1982 and was an immediate success. The film was...
, lives in Westmeston.