Hellingly

Hellingly is a small village and civil parish on the southern slopes of the Weald in East Sussex, about a mile and a half north of Hailsham. Sitting near the confluence of the Cuckmere and Bull rivers, the parish takes in the hamlets of Lower Dicker, Lower Horsebridge and Grove Hill as well as the village itself, and has long been a quiet corner of farmland, orchards and woodland between the Weald and the coast.

The village grew up around Wealden iron working and later became known, less happily, as the site of the old County Lunatic Asylum, opened in 1903 and served by its own branch railway until closure in 1994; the site has since been redeveloped for housing. What survives of older Hellingly is more appealing: the parish church of St Peter and St Paul is unusual for East Sussex in standing on a circular Saxon mound, with 13th and 14th century features and stained glass by Morris & Co, while Horselunges Manor, a moated and timber-framed Tudor manor house restored in the 1930s, is Grade I listed. Today Hellingly is best known locally as a stop on the Cuckoo Trail, the popular walking and cycling route that follows the old railway line.

Top things to do near Hellingly

Hellingly itself is small, but it sits within easy reach of some of East Sussex's best-loved attractions, from historic priories to the open chalk downland of the South Downs National Park.

• The Cuckoo Trail — the traffic-free walking and cycling path runs right through Hellingly along the route of the old Cuckoo Line railway, linking Heathfield, Horam, Hellingly, Hailsham and Polegate, with a further link on to Eastbourne.
• Michelham Priory — a former Augustinian priory near Hailsham, surrounded by the longest water-filled medieval moat in England, with gardens, a working watermill and a Tudor farmhouse to explore.
• The Long Man of Wilmington — one of Britain's largest hill figures, cut into the chalk of Windover Hill on the South Downs, a short drive from Hellingly.
• South Downs National Park — rolling chalk downland, ridgeline walks and views to the sea begin just a few miles south, around Wilmington, Alfriston and Firle Beacon.
• Sharnfold Farm — a working farm and farm shop near Hailsham with a farm park, popular with families for pick-your-own and animal encounters in season.
• Hailsham — the nearby market town has a Tuesday and Saturday street market, independent shops and the George Street conservation area.
• Eastbourne seafront — the Victorian seaside town, with its pier, promenade and the dramatic chalk cliffs of Beachy Head beyond, is around nine miles south.

Getting to Hellingly

Hellingly lies just off the A22 between Hailsham and Horam, around 15 miles from Eastbourne and a similar distance from Tunbridge Wells to the north. The nearest railway station is Polegate, on the Brighton to Ashford line via Eastbourne, roughly five miles away, with onward bus or taxi links into the village; Hellingly's own station closed with the rest of the Cuckoo Line in 1968. By car, the village is easily reached from the A27 and A22, with Gatwick around an hour's drive to the north and central London around two hours away.

Best time to visit Hellingly

Spring and early summer bring blossom to the orchards around the village and good walking conditions on the Cuckoo Trail and the South Downs Way beyond, while autumn colours the Weald's woodland and hedgerows. Summer is busiest, particularly around Eastbourne's beaches and Hailsham's markets, but Hellingly itself stays peaceful year-round. Winter suits those after a quiet countryside break, with log fires in nearby pubs and crisp walks across the downs.

Where to stay near Hellingly

Hellingly has no large hotels of its own, so most visitors base themselves in or around Hailsham, Polegate or Eastbourne, all within easy reach by car. Options range from countryside bed and breakfasts and farm stays around the Weald to seafront hotels in Eastbourne, with self-catering cottages and glamping sites dotted through the surrounding villages for those wanting a quieter base close to the Cuckoo Trail and the South Downs.

Food and drink near Hellingly

Hellingly's own options are limited, so most eating out happens in neighbouring Hailsham, which has a range of cafes, pubs and takeaways around its market town centre, or in Eastbourne, which offers a fuller choice of restaurants along the seafront and town centre. Village pubs in nearby Horam and along the Cuckoo Trail are popular with walkers and cyclists breaking their journey, and Sharnfold Farm's farm shop near Hailsham is a good stop for local produce.