Westham

Westham has no large hotels of its own, but its location on the Pevensey Levels puts visitors within easy reach of accommodation in Eastbourne and Hastings, both a short drive or train ride away, as well as smaller guesthouses and bed and breakfasts scattered through the surrounding villages. Staying in or near Westham suits visitors who want to explore Pevensey Castle, St Mary's Church and the quiet marshland footpaths at a relaxed pace, without the crowds of a bigger seaside resort. Eastbourne offers the widest choice, from traditional seafront hotels to smaller independent guesthouses, all within a few miles of the village and its historic sites. Wherever you base yourself, the combination of Roman and Norman history on the doorstep and the open skies of the Levels makes this a rewarding, low-key alternative to staying directly in a busier coastal town.

Westham's attractions are rooted in its extraordinary history and its position on the edge of the Pevensey Levels.

• Pevensey Castle — Right next door to the village, this English Heritage site began life as a Roman shore fort built around 290 AD to defend against Saxon raiders, and it was inside these same walls that William the Conqueror landed on 28 September 1066 and threw up the castle that helped secure his invasion. A Norman keep and gatehouse were added in the 12th century, and the ruins still stand almost a mile from the sea that once lapped at their base.
• St Mary's Church, Westham — A Grade I listed church on the High Street with fabric dating to the late 11th century, reputed to be among the first Norman churches built in England. Look for the medieval 'plague stones' in the churchyard, marking a communal grave from the 1666 epidemic, and the tower's six bells, one recast in 1921 as a memorial to local bell ringers lost in the First World War.
• Stone Cross Windmill — A restored Grade II* listed tower mill built in 1875–76, the last of its type constructed in Sussex. Volunteers open it on the first Sunday of the month between April and September, and visitors can climb to the top to see graffiti left by Canadian soldiers stationed there in the Second World War, then have tea and cake in the mill's small café.
• Pevensey Bay — A shingle beach a short drive or walk from the village, backed by a Martello tower and quiet enough to avoid the crowds found further along the coast at Eastbourne.
• Pevensey and Westham Historical Society — Run by local volunteers, the society maintains records and puts on talks about the extraordinary depth of history in this small corner of Sussex, from Roman occupation to the Norman landing.
• Eastbourne — Five miles southwest, this classic Victorian seaside resort offers a long promenade, pier, theatres and the dramatic chalk cliffs of Beachy Head just beyond it, an easy day trip from Westham.

The Heron, on Westham's High Street, is the village's own pub, close to the church and castle and known for home-cooked food and a good pint of Harvey's ale from the nearby Lewes brewery. Just across the parish boundary in Pevensey itself, the 16th-century Mint House and other historic pubs add to the choice, while Eastbourne, a short drive away, has a much wider range of restaurants and cafés for visitors wanting more variety.

Wild camping is not legally permitted in England without the landowner's explicit permission, and the flat, low-lying farmland of the Pevensey Levels around Westham is almost entirely private agricultural or grazing land, so any camping here should be at a recognised, licensed site rather than informally on the marsh. That said, the terrain itself makes the area appealing for a camping trip: the Levels are crossed by quiet lanes and footpaths, drainage channels and grazing meadows, with the coast at Pevensey Bay only a short ride away and Pevensey Castle and Westham's Norman church within easy reach for a day out on foot or by bike.

Sites in this part of East Sussex tend to be small, family-run touring and camping grounds rather than large holiday parks, often set on farmland a few miles inland or closer to the coast around Pevensey Bay and Eastbourne. Glamping options, including pods, shepherd's huts and safari tents, have become more common across Sussex in recent years and offer a way to enjoy the flat, open landscape of the Levels without needing your own full camping kit. Facilities vary considerably between sites, so it is worth checking hookup availability, shower blocks and whether a site accepts tents as well as caravans and motorhomes before booking.

Late spring through to early autumn is the most reliable camping season here, when the Levels are at their greenest and the coastal weather is at its most settled, though the flat, exposed nature of the terrain means it can still be breezy near the coast even in summer. Outside these months, the marshland's reputation for damp ground and mist makes camping considerably less comfortable, and many smaller sites close for the winter altogether. Booking ahead is advisable in peak season, since the area's appeal to history-minded visitors keen to combine the castle and church with a countryside stay means pitches can go quickly.