Hailsham

Hailsham sits in the rolling Wealden countryside of East Sussex, roughly seven miles inland from Eastbourne and within easy reach of the South Downs National Park. It has been a market town since medieval times, and that heritage still shapes the place today: a wide, historic High Street lined with independent shops, a Saturday livestock and general market, and a monthly farmers' market that draws in produce from the surrounding farms. The parish church of St Mary's, with parts dating back centuries, anchors the old town centre, while newer housing has grown up around it as Hailsham has become a popular base for commuters and families drawn by its relatively affordable position between Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells.

What makes Hailsham particularly appealing to visitors is its position at the heart of the Cuckoo Trail, a beautiful walking and cycling path laid along the route of a dismantled Victorian railway. The town is also surrounded by the kind of gentle, hedgerow-and-orchard countryside that the Sussex Weald is known for, with the moated splendour of Michelham Priory just a few miles away and the chalk ridge of the South Downs rising to the south. It's an unshowy sort of place, but one with a genuine sense of community and enough nearby countryside, history and coastline to fill a relaxed short break.

Top things to do in Hailsham

Hailsham's own attractions are modest but likeable, and the town makes an excellent base for exploring some of East Sussex's best-loved sights, all within a short drive or cycle.

• The Cuckoo Trail — an 11-mile traffic-free walking and cycling route built along the former Cuckoo Line railway, running from Heathfield through Hailsham and Hellingly down to Polegate, with leafy cuttings, old bridges and plenty of wildlife along the way.
• Michelham Priory House & Gardens — a moated Augustinian priory founded in 1229, just outside the town, with a medieval watermill, working forge, rope museum, Elizabethan Great Barn and seven acres of gardens to explore.
• Hailsham Country Park — a 22-acre green space of woodland, wildflower meadows and ponds, popular for a gentle walk or picnic without leaving the edge of town.
• Hailsham Pavilion — a striking Art Deco cinema and theatre built in 1921, still showing films and hosting live performances and community events in the town centre.
• Knockhatch Adventure Park — a family attraction just outside Hailsham with a toboggan run, boating lake, small zoo and indoor and outdoor play areas.
• Herstmonceux Castle and the Observatory Science Centre — a moated fifteenth-century castle with parkland and walled gardens, plus the neighbouring science centre with hands-on exhibits, a short drive from Hailsham.
• Hailsham Market — a Saturday market at the old livestock market site, along with a monthly farmers' market selling local Sussex produce.

Getting to Hailsham

Hailsham lies just off the A22, the main road linking Eastbourne with East Grinstead and the M25, making it straightforward to reach by car from London, Kent or the rest of Sussex. The A27 connects nearby Polegate to Lewes, Brighton and the coast road towards Hastings. Hailsham itself has no railway station, but Polegate station, about four miles away, has regular services on the line between Eastbourne and London Victoria via Lewes, and Berwick station is a similar distance on the Eastbourne to Ashford line. Eastbourne itself, with its own mainline station, is around seven miles to the south. Regular local bus services connect Hailsham with Eastbourne, Heathfield and Uckfield.

Best time to visit Hailsham

Late spring through to early autumn is the best time to enjoy the Cuckoo Trail, Hailsham Country Park and the gardens at Michelham Priory, when the Weald is at its greenest and days are long enough for a full afternoon outdoors. Summer brings the town's markets and community events to life, while a bright, crisp autumn day is ideal for walking the trail as the surrounding woodland turns colour. Winter is quieter, but the Pavilion's programme of films and shows, along with the nearby Observatory Science Centre, give visitors a reason to come even outside the main season.

Where to stay in Hailsham

Hailsham has a modest but useful spread of accommodation, from town-centre pubs with rooms to bed and breakfasts on the outskirts, making it a practical, well-placed base rather than a destination in itself. Its position just inland from Eastbourne means visitors can also choose from the wider range of hotels and guest houses along the coast and still be a short drive from the Cuckoo Trail and Michelham Priory. For those wanting a rural stay, the villages around Hailsham—Hellingly, Herstmonceux and Horam among them—offer farmhouse B&Bs and converted barns set among orchards and fields.

Food and drink in Hailsham

The High Street has a decent choice of independent cafés and takeaways alongside the usual small-town chains, while several traditional pubs serve Sussex ales and pub food. The Grenadier and the George Hotel are long-standing fixtures of the town centre, and the Saturday and monthly farmers' markets are a good source of local cheese, meat and produce from the surrounding Wealden farms. A little further out, country pubs in villages such as Hellingly and Herstmonceux offer a more rural setting for a Sunday roast or a pint after a walk on the Cuckoo Trail.