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East Sussex
Hastings, Eastbourne, Crowborough, Hailsham and Rye areas of East
Sussex.
As with many counties in the south of England, East Sussex cannot
be described in general terms. The northern areas are within easy
reach of London for the commuter whilst the south is far more
rural, save for coastal towns such as Eastbourne, Hastings and
Bexhill.
For the country house buyer, there is a world
of difference between East and West Sussex. Where the more open
rolling countryside of the west has traditionally been the preserve
of the large estates, with few good-sized family houses or even
cottages, the hills and woods of the east have been farmed on
a much smaller scale with relatively large villages and towns
every few miles – hence a larger number of properties of
all types.
In the north-east of the county, villages such
as Hartfield and Forest Row have good access to London via trains
from East Grinstead (51mins) as well as the amenity of the Ashdown
Forest, a popular walking area.
To the south of Tunbridge Wells (London 50mins
by train) is the Weald, a richly wooded area that runs east to
west through the middle of the county and provides wooded scenery
with pretty, small towns and villages, such as Rotherfield and
Wadhurst. Oak from the forests was the main building material
until the 16th century, often weather boarded or tile hung for
extra protection from the elements. In the 17th century many of
these houses were encased in Sussex brick.
The south of the county is relatively poorly
serviced by main roads with the A21, A22 and A26 all predominantly
single-lane. This means that many southern areas, particularly
towards Rye in the east, are quieter and more rural.
East Sussex has some wonderful country houses
but, in the main, a poor road network has left prices somewhat
behind those of its neighbours in Surrey and West Sussex.
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