Museums, archives and heritage in East Sussex

Sussex, maritime county in SE. of England, bounded N. and NE. by Surrey and Kent, SE. and S. by the English Channel, and W. and NW. by Hants; greatest length, N. and S., 27 miles; greatest breadth, E. and W., 76 miles; area, 933,269 acres, population 490,505. From the Hants border, near Petersfield, to Beachy Head, the county is traversed by the South Downs; to the N. of this range of chalk hills is the valley of the Weald, rising into the Forest Ridge on the NE., and sinking 011 the SE., towards the sea, into wide marshes. The rivers are not important; they are the Arun, Adur, Ouse, and Rother, all flowing S. to the English Channel. The principal means of communication are the railways; these belong chiefly to the London, Brighton, and South Coast system, which has steamers running daily between Newhaven and Dieppe. The most fertile soil is the low land along the coast, which yields heavy crops of grain and hay; the South Downs are chiefly pastoral, and support a well-known breed of sheep to which they give name; the Weald consists generally of sandy or tenacious clays of a very indifferent description, but the clays produce a stiff soil, remarkably favourable to the growth of forest trees, particularly the oak, and about 150,000 acres are under wood; hops are grown in the eastern part of the county, which borders on the hop districts of Kent. Ironstone is abundant, and so long as wood only was used for smelting the county was one of the chief seats of the British iron trade. The manufactures include woollens, paper, gunpowder, bricks and tiles, &c., but are not extensive. The seaports are now small and comparatively unimportant, but the mildness of the climate along the sea coast has led to the growth of numerous watering and bathing places and health resorts, including Brighton, Hastings, Eastbourne, Seaford, Littlehampton, and Bognor. Sussex was the scene of much of the early history of the country, and is rich in archaeological remains. The county contains 6 rapes, which comprise 68 hundreds, 2 liberties, the parliamentary and municipal boroughs of Brighton (2 members) and Hastings (1 member), and the municipal boroughs of Arundel, Chichester, Eastbourne, Lewes, and Rye. It is almost entirely in the diocese of Chichester.

– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)[The above description refers to East and West Sussex combined.]

Alfriston Clergy House – National Trust

The Tye, Alfriston

Polegate BN26 5TL

01323 870001

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/alfriston-clergy-house

The Clergy House is remarkable as a surviving example of a typical thatched Wealden Hall House dating back to the 14th century. It was probably built for a yeoman farmer and later passed into the possession of the church.

Anne of Cleves House

52 Southover High Street

Lewes BN7 1JA

01273 474610

www.sussexpast.co.uk

Henry VIII granted this beautiful timber-framed house to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, as part of her divorce settlement. Let your imagination take you back to the 16th century as you wander through the kitchen or gaze at the rafters in the high roof of the hall.

Collections: The Lewes Gallery tells the story of Lewes from the 15th century to modern times, the role of local resident Tom Paine, Lewes bonfire night traditions and the story of the Snowdrop Inn. Another gallery illustrates the important Wealden iron industry.

Bateman’s – National Trust

Burwash

Etchingham TN19 7DS

01435 882 302

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/batemans

Jacobean house, home of Rudyard Kipling: * Left just as he left it, reflecting the author’s exotic oriental tastes * Original illustrations for The Jungle Book, drawn by Detmold brothers * Delightful gardens run down to the River Dudwell and a working water mill.

Battle Abbey – English Heritage

Battle TN33 0AD

01424 773792

www.english-heritage.org.uk/battleabbey

Stand at the centre of the landscape where England’s future was fought. Imagine the battle as you follow in the footsteps of King Harold and William the Conqueror. Uncover the stories of the day, all vividly brought to life in the exhibition and audio tour. Start planning your attack on the country’s most famous battlefield and abbey ruins, and experience the atmosphere for yourself.

Battle Museum of Local History

The Almonry, High Street

Battle TN33 0EA

01424 775955

www.battlemuseum.co.uk

The Battle Museum was born from the preparations to celebrate the ‘Festival of Britain’ in 1951. From this ‘Battle District Historical Society’ was formed. Artefacts were given to the society who set up a small permanent museum in 1953. Various venues housed the museum until it moved to Langton House in 1965.

Bayham Old Abbey – English Heritage

Bayham Road (B2169), Little Bayham

Lamberhurst TN3 8DE

01892 890381

goo.gl/42ssl5

Enjoy a wonderful family day out and explore the impressive ruins of 13th century Bayham Old Abbey. A perfect picnic site with plenty of space for children play whilst adults relax and take in the romantic setting.

Bexhill Museum

Bexhill Museum, Egerton Road

Bexhill on Sea TN39 3HL

01424 787950

www.bexhillmuseum.co.uk

The Bexhill museum was started in 1914 by a small group of dedicated enthusiasts who specialised in natural history, archaeology and ethnography. It has since developed into a fascinating and comprehensive collection. Fossil dinosaur and teeth bones and foot prints are on display at the museum and new examples are still regularly being found in and around Bexhill.

Bluebell Railway

Sheffield Park Station, Sheffield Park

Nr Uckfield TN22 3QL

01825 720825

www.bluebell-railway.co.uk

Steam railway running for 9 miles From Sheffield Park to Kingscote in East and West Sussex. Over 30 steam locomotives with several in use each running day.

Bodiam Castle – National Trust

Bodiam

Nr Robertsbridge TN32 5UA

01580 830196

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodiam-castle

When you think of a castle, you think Bodiam. Built by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge in 1385, Bodiam is one of the most beautiful and iconic medieval castles left in Britain today.

Booth Museum of Natural History

194 Dyke Road

Brighton & Hove BN1 5AA

03000 290900

boothmuseum.org

Over half a million specimens, natural history literature and data extending back over three centuries are housed in this fascinating museum, including hundreds of British birds displayed in recreated natural settings. Plus butterflies, skeletons, a whale and dinosaur bones.

Brede Steam Engine Society – Giants of Brede

Reg. Office 42 Chyngton Way

Seaford BN25 4JD

01323 897310

www.bredesteamgiants.co.uk

A collection of heritage water pumping engines dating from 1889 and extensively restored. They depict the development of pumping technology through the steam period and into the diesel and electrical eras.

Brighton Fishing Museum

201 King’s Road Arches

Brighton & Hove BN1 1NB

01273 723064

www.brightonfishingmuseum.org.uk

The main museum arch is the focal point of Brighton’s fishing quarter. It contains a 27ft beach boat, prints, photographs and memorabilia of Brighton seafront life from the Regency days to the post-war boom in pleasure boat operations.

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery

Royal Pavilion Gardens

Brighton & Hove BN1 1EE

03000 290900

www.brighton-hove-museums.org.uk

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, with its rich and diverse collections, creates a vibrant cultural centre in and around the Royal Pavilion estate in the heart of the city of Brighton & Hove. Dynamic and innovative galleries provide greatly improved access to the museum’s nationally and locally important collections. Objects are displayed in stimulating contexts with a wide range of interpretative techniques, including interactive information technology.

Brighton Toy & Model Museum

52-55 Trafalgar Street

Brighton & Hove BN1 4EB

01273 749 494

www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk

Brighton Toy and Model Museum is a treasure trove of toys and models that extends over four thousand square feet of floorspace, through four of the Early Victorian arches supporting Brighton Railway Station’s forecourt. Founded in 1991, it has over ten thousand toys and models in its catalogue, including priceless model train collections and many period antique toys.

British Engineerium

Nevill Road

Brighton & Hove BN3 7QA

01273 554070

www.britishengineerium.org

A beautifully restored working Victorian pumping station and museum of mechanical antiquities.

Charleston

Near Firle

Lewes BN8 6LL

01323 811265

www.charleston.org.uk

‘It is not so much a house as a phenomenon’ Quentin Bell once said of Charleston. It was in 1916 that the phenomenon came into being, as Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and David Garnett made the move from Suffolk to Charleston, where Clive Bell and Maynard Keynes were also to be regular visitors.

Collections: Charleston is the only surviving complete example of the decorative work of Bell and Grant, with walls, doors and furniture painted in their exuberant style. The house shows an evolution in decorative style throughout its different rooms.

Ditchling Museum of Art & Craft

Lodge Hill Lane

Ditchling BN6 8SP

01273 844744

www.ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk

The rich collection of art, craft, and applied art reflects the important place that Ditchling holds in the tradition of 20th century art and craft. Famous artists and craftsmen represented in the museum include Sir Frank Brangwyn, Ethel Mairet (weaver) and Edward Johnston (calligrapher). Unique collection of work from the arts and crafts community established by Eric Gill and Hilary Pepler.

Eastbourne & District (Family Roots) Family History Society

8 Park Lane

Eastbourne BN212 2UT

01323 502 432

www.eastbournefhs.org.uk

Our aim is to promote and encourage the public study of family history and genealogy with particular reference to persons living in or associated with the Eastbourne area and the preservation, security and accessibility of archival material.

Eastbourne Heritage Centre

2 Carlisle Road

Eastbourne BN21 4BT

01323 411189

www.eastbourneheritagecentre.co.uk

The Eastbourne Heritage Centre is housed in a delightful Grade II Listed Victorian tower house, 2 Carlisle Road Eastbourne. It was fomerly the residence of the Devonshire Park and Baths Manager.

Firle Place

Firle

Lewes BN8 6LP

01273 858307

www.firle.com

Firle Place, set in an ancient park, has been the home of the Gage family for over 500 years. The estate is now owned by the 7th Viscount Gage.

Grange, The

The Green, Rottingdean

Brighton & Hove BN2 7HA

01273 301004

goo.gl/L7Xqtd

The Grange Museum has a wide range of exhibitions and displays of interest to all ages. Old Rottingdean is captured in the large collection of photographs showing how the village has changed over time.

Great Dixter

Northiam

Rye TN31 6PH

01797 252878

www.greatdixter.co.uk

Great Dixter is the family home of Christopher Lloyd, who devoted his lifetime to creating one of the most experimental, exciting and constantly changing gardens of our time. Incorporating many medieval buildings, the gardens surround the house, each complementing the other. There is a wide variety of interest from yew topiary, carpets of meadow flowers, the colourful tapestry of mixed borders (including the famous Long Border), natural ponds, a formal pool and the exuberant Exotic Garden.

Hastings & Rother Family History Society

355 Bexhill Road

St Leonards on Sea TN38 8AJ

01424 437493

www.hrfhs.org.uk

The society was formed in 1986 to encourage the study and research of family history in Hastings and Rother.

Hastings Fishermen’s Museum

Rock-a-Nore Road

Hastings TN34 3DW

01424 461446

www.hastingsfish.co.uk/museum.htm

The Hastings Fishermen’s Museum is one of the biggest attractions in Hastings. Over 140,000 people come through the doors every year to see the many photographs, paintings and historic objects – and to climb aboard the last of the local sailing luggers, built in 1912.

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

Johns Place, Bohemia Road

Hastings TN34 1ET

01424 451052

www.hmag.org.uk

Hastings Museum contains a rich and varied mixture of local history, Sussex pottery, paintings, dinosaurs and British wildlife. There are displays on local personalities such as Grey Owl, John Logie Baird and Robert Tressell, and on seaside holidays, Mods and Rockers and Native Americans.

Hastings Old Town Hall Museum of Local History

High Street, Old Town

Hastings TN34 3EW

01424 781166

www.hmag.org.uk

The Old Town Hall Museum provides an introduction to the history of the Old Town of Hastings. The museum reopened in 1999 following a major refurbishment project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Hove Museum & Art Gallery

19 New Church Road

Brighton & Hove BN3 4AB

03000 290900

goo.gl/sdVQZt

Permanent collections of toys, film, local history, paintings and contemporary craft. The collections of decorative arts include the Regency furniture and silver-gilt displayed in the Royal Pavilion, the Macquoid furniture at Preston Manor, the Willett Collection of ceramics illustrating popular history, and outstanding holdings of British and European 20th century decorative design and craft.

Hurstpierpoint Museum

Village Centre, Trinity Road

Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks BN6 9UY

07985 201335

www.sussexmuseums.co.uk/find/museum.asp%3FID%3D11

Hurstpierpoint Museum consists of two unmanned display cabinets in the foyer of the Hurstpierpoint Village centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint. Themed displays, usually with a local connection, in the large free standing cabinet are changed about four times a year, and that in the wall mounted cabinet to the left of the main display is of a more permanent nature.

Keep, The (East Sussex Record Office)

Woollards Way

Brighton BN1 9BP

01273 482349

www.thekeep.info

The Keep is a world-class centre for archives that opens up access to all the archive collections of the East Sussex Record Office (ESRO), the Royal Pavilion & Museums and the internationally significant University of Sussex Special Collections. It is also a centre of excellence for conservation and preservation and represents the new generation of archive buildings in the UK.

Lamb House – National Trust

West Street

Rye TN31 7ES

01797 229 542

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lamb-house

Fine brick-fronted house with literary associations: * House dates from 18th century * Home to writer Henry James from 1898-1916 * Later home of authors EF Benson and Rumer Godden * Some of James’s personal possessions on display * Charming walled garden.

Lewes Castle & Barbican House Museum

Barbican House, 169 High Street

Lewes BN7 1YE

01273 486290

www.sussexpast.co.uk

Lewes Castle is one of the oldest castles in England, built soon after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Over the years it was extended and altered and its high keep and towers still dominate the town. Barbican House Museum, which stands opposite the castle, tells the story of Sussex from the Stone Age to the end of the medieval period. Displays include stone axes, Roman pottery and beautiful Saxon jewellery.

Lewes Priory of St Pancras

Cockshut Road Southover

Lewes BN7 1HP

01273 812296

www.lewespriory.org.uk

Founded in the 11th century by the Norman nobleman William de Warenne and his wife Gundrada, the Priory of St Pancras was the largest monastic establishment of its day. It was demolished at the Dissolution but is still one of the most important heritage sites in Sussex.

Long Man of Wilmington

Windover Hill

Wilmington

01273 487188

www.sussexpast.co.uk

The Long Man of Wilmington, mysterious guardian of the South Downs, has baffled archaeologists and historians for hundreds of years.

Michelham Priory

Upper Dicker

Hailsham BN27 3QS

01323 844224

www.sussexpast.co.uk

Michelham Priory is an historic house, gardens, forge and watermill with 800 years of history and the longest water filled moat in England. The museum explores rural life in Sussex as a Medieval religious house, through the Tudor period and into the 20th century.

Mill Toy & Pedal Car Museum, The

The Mill, Station Road

Northiam TN31 6QT

01797 253803

www.themilltoymuseum.com

The Mill was built between 1900 and 1910 and operated for many years as a gas powered flour mill, 100 years later the building has been lovingly restored and converted into a toy and pedal car museum which is widely considered the largest and finest collection of pedal cars in Europe. With exhibits dating from Victorian times, visitors of all ages will enjoy a trip down memory lane as a world in miniature awaits discovery.

Monk’s House – National Trust

The Street, Rodmell

near Lewes BN7 3HF

01273 474760

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/monks-house

Country retreat of the novelist Virginia Woolf. This small weather-boarded house was the home of Leonard and Virginia Woolf until Leonard’s death in 1969.

Museum of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution

King Edward Parade

Eastbourne BN21 4BY

01323 730717

www.eastbournernli.org/museum

Housed in the 1898 RNLI William Terris Memorial Boathouse, King Edwards Parade, at the western end of Eastbourne Seafront. The boathouse was built from public donations collected by the Daily Telegraph, to commemorate the life of the well known actor, William Terriss, who was assassinated outside the Adelphi Theatre in 1897. The museum, completely refurbished in November 2011, houses collections and displays showing the history of the Eastbourne lifeboats since 1822, when the first lifeboat came on the scene at Eastbourne. It was given by the well known local eccentric John ‘Mad Jack’ Fuller. The lifeboat variously known as ‘samaritan’ or ‘The Rose’ served until 1863. Various lifeboats served in this boathouse until 1924, when the retiring lifeboat ‘James Stevens N06″ was placed within as an exhibition piece. In 1936 it was sold to a local fishing family and became a beach pleasure boat. In 1937 the boathouse became the first RNLI museum in the country. After the war a souvenir shop was incorporated which has now become one of the top performing outlets selling gifts and souvenirs in support of the RNLI. Whilst in the museum read about ‘The ‘New Brunswick’ service in 1833 when due to storms, the lifeboat had to be towed by relays of horses to Birling Gap, some 8 miles away, before it could be launched. The’ Jane Holland’ at Dunkirk.

Musgrave Collection, The

77 Seaside Road

Eastbourne BN22 3PL

01323 648106

www.musgravemuseum.co.uk

The Musgrave Collection is a small, independent museum and art gallery dedicated to the works and the collections of George Musgrave. It comprises hundreds of paintings, mini-sculptures, Roman and British coin collections, newspapers from the era of the Battle of Trafalgar, a diorama depicting the changing seasons, cabinets depicting the evolution of writing systems and visuaal aids, ancient Egyptian artefacts and Victoriana.

Newhaven Fort

Fort Road

Newhaven BN9 9DS

01273 517 622

www.newhavenfort.org.uk

Newhaven Fort is an award winning attraction and a fine example of an English fortification, Newhaven Fort has the sights and sounds of the past, offering a truly unforgettable day out for the whole family. Newhaven Fort’s on-site military museum demonstates its role through the First and Second World Wars, offering exciting glimpses into England’s dramatic wartime past.

Newhaven Local & Maritime Museum

Paradise Family Leisure Park, Avis Road

Newhaven BN9 0NY

01273 612530

www.newhavenhistoricalsociety.org.uk

A vast collection of photographs of local people / events/ places. Family history records (census, school records, port workers etc).

Observatory Science Centre, The

Wartling Road, Herstmonceux

Hailsham BN27 1RN

01323 832731

www.the-observatory.org

The Observatory Science Centre is one of the UK’s leading science centres. Explore science, space and astronomy with over 100 exhibits, both inside and out, amongst the domes and telescopes of a world-famous astronomical observatory.

Old Courtroom, The

118 Church Street (side entrance)

Brighton BN1 1UD

03000 290900

www.brighton-hove-museums.org.uk

This historic Victorian building, situated just opposite the Royal Pavilion estate in the heart of Brighton’s cultural quarter, was used as a County Court until 1967. It has been fully refurbished, retaining many original features, and is now available for day and evening hire for all kinds of functions.

Old Police Cells Museum, The

Brighton Town Hall, Bartholomews

Brighton BN1 1JA

www.oldpolicecellsmuseum.org.uk

The Old Police Cells Museum is housed in the basement of Brighton Town Hall and offers visitors a unique insight into the history of policing in Sussex and is both educational and entertaining. It provides an opportunity to visit Brighton Borough main police station for the period 1830 to 1967 and learn about the murder of Chief Constable Henry Solomon in 1844 by a prisoner. See some of the old cells with their graffiti from the Mods and Rockers era, the policemen’s wash room and uniform store areas, police memorabilia and artefacts. The museum also houses a unique collection of truncheons and tipstaves, one of the largest in the country.

Pevensey Castle – English Heritage

Pevensey Castle

Pevensey BN24 5LE

01323 762604

goo.gl/63U44t

Pevensey Castle is a great family day out in East Sussex, encompassing rich history and fun things to do and see for adults and children. With a history stretching back over 16 centuries, Pevensey Castle chronicles more graphically than any other fortress the story of Britain’s south coast defences. Beginning in the 4th century as one of the last and strongest of the Roman ‘saxon Shore’ forts, two-thirds of whose towered walls still stand.

Planet Earth & Dinosaur Museum

Paradise Park, Avis Road

Newhaven BN9 0DH

01273 512123

goo.gl/TPwd4h

This is the extraordinary life story of our planet from its earliest beginnings. The exhibition is one of the finest of its type in the country and is home to a unique collection of fossils and minerals.

Polegate Windmill

Polegate BN26 5LB

www.sussexmillsgroup.org.uk/pole1.htm

An early method of grinding grain into meal was by using the rotary quern, and a working example can be seen at Polegate Mill.

Preston Manor

Preston Drove

Brighton & Hove BN1 6SD

03000 290900

goo.gl/zbMPdv

Delightful Manor House, powerfully evoking the atmosphere of an Edwardian gentry home both ‘Upstairs’ and ‘Downstairs’. Explore over twenty rooms on four floors, from the superbly renovated servants’ quarters in the basement to the attic bedrooms on the top floor.

Redoubt Fortress & Military Museum

Royal Parade

Eastbourne BN22 7AQ

01323 410300

www.eastbournemuseums.co.uk

For nearly 200 years, the Redoubt Fortress has defended the Eastbourne coast. Formerly a barracks and store depot, it formed part of the chain of Martello Towers which stretched from Folkestone to Seaford. Today this magnificent building provides the perfect setting for the largest military museum on the south coast.

Collections: The museum consists of several collections, primarily those of two distinguished regiments of the British Army, The Royal Sussex Regiment and The Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars. The other major collection is that of the Sussex Combined Services Museum, which records all military ties with the county.

Regency Town House, The

13 Brunswick Square

Brighton & Hove BN3 1EH

01273 206 306

www.rth.org.uk

The Regency Town House is a Grade 1 listed, 5 storey town house, built in the 1820s. It is currently under restoration and once complete will be open on a daily basis as a museum and heritage centre.

Collections: Our archive focuses mainly on Brunswick Town and the greater area of Brighton & Hove between 1790 – 1840. It includes a number or books, prints, plans and drawings from this area and includes a number of works by the architect Charles Augustin Busby.

Robertsbridge Aviation Society

Bush Barn

Robertsbridge TN32 5PA

01424 773428

goo.gl/nX6nR9

Robertsbridge Aviation Society founded their collection in 1973. Exhibits cover civil and military aviation, particularly World War II.

Royal Pavilion

4-5 Pavilion Buildings

Brighton & Hove BN1 1EE

03000 290900

www.brightonmuseums.org.uk/royalpavilion

Experience the extraordinary at the Royal Pavilion, an exotic palace in the centre of Brighton. Built as a seaside pleasure palace for George IV, this historic house mixes Regency grandeur with the visual style of India and China. The Royal Pavilion’s lavish interiors combine Chinese-style decorations with magnificent furniture and furnishings.

Rye Castle Museum

Gungarden

Rye TN31 7HH

01797 226728

www.ryemuseum.co.uk

Rye Castle Museum has two sites: the Ypres Tower and East Street. The Ypres Tower is one of the oldest buildings in Rye, being built in 1249 as part of the town’s defences.

Rye Heritage Centre

Strand Quay

Rye TN31 7AY

01797 226696

www.ryeheritage.co.uk

The Rye Heritage Centre provides an ideal introduction to the town bringing together the Story of Rye set within the Rye Town Model, Audio Walking Tours of Rye including Ghost Walks in the restored Old Sail Loft building.

Screen Archive South East

University of Brighton, Grand Parade

Brighton & Hove BN2 0JY

01273 643213

www.brighton.ac.uk/screenarchive

Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. Established in 1992 at the University of Brighton, this regional archive locates, collects, preserves, provides access to and promotes screen material related to the South East and of general relevance to moving image history.

Seaford Museum & Heritage Society

P.O. Box 2132, The Esplanade, BN25 9BH

Seaford BN25 1JH

01323-898222

www.seafordmuseum.co.uk

Seaford Museum is housed in Martello Tower no. 74, which is situated at the eastern end of Seaford seafront.

Collections: Contains records of Seaford’s history from its days as a Cinque Port and has many displays including shops, tableaux, collections of domestic appliances and office machinery and a particularly large collection of radios and television sets. The museum has a reference archives of pictures, articles etc.

Shipwreck Museum

Rock-a-Nore Road

Hastings TN34 3DW

01424 437452

www.shipwreck-heritage.org.uk

The Shipwreck Heritage Centre, opened in 1986, is acknowledged as one of the best of its kind in the United Kingdom. It contains an interesting and varied collection of artefacts from several wrecks, and has on display a unique collection of wooden rudders from the 15th to 18th Centuries.

Stanmer Rural Museum

Stanmer Park

Brighton & Hove BN1 9SE

01273 509563

www.stanmer.org.uk

The Stanmer Rural Museum displays an amazing variety of rural artefacts, with a reconstructed blacksmith’s forge, one of the last remaining horse traves and all sorts of agricultural working and craft equipment. You can also visit the nearby donkey wheel house, where water was drawn to supply the village. Location: Behind Stanmer House.

Sussex Archaeological Society

Bull House, 92 High Street

Lewes BN7 1XH

Sussex Past – Historical experiences and family days out in Sussex

We are a registered charity whose charitable aims are to enable people to enjoy, learn about and have access to the heritage of Sussex. We do this by opening six historic sites in Sussex to visitors old and young, providing research facilities in our library, running excavations, providing a finds identification service and offering a variety of walks, talks and conferences on the archaeology and history of Sussex.

Sussex Farm Museum

Horam Manor

Horam, Heathfield TN21 0JB

01435 813352

www.horammanorfarm.co.uk

Sussex Farm Museum at Horam manor is not just a collection of agricultural items, but is representative of all aspects of farming life over the last 100 years. Around the farmyard are carts, ploughs and other machinery; the large drying barn (an interesting building in itself) houses iron and brick items and a stagecoach. The main barn is divided into farmhouse room settings plus cabinets showing hobbies, toys, medicines, wartime relics and much more.

Towner

Devonshire Park, College Road

Eastbourne BN21 4JJ

01323 434660

www.townereastbourne.org.uk

Towner is the award-winning contemporary art museum for South East England. We present major exhibitions of UK and international contemporary art – and as a museum, we also have a nationally significant collection of art from across the ages.

Collections: An internationally renowned collection of around 4000 historical, modern and contemporary works. the Towner Collection is best known for its modern British art.

West Blatchington Windmill

Holmes Avenue

Brighton & Hove BN3 7LE

01273 776017

www.sussexmillsgroup.org.uk/blatchington.htm

West Blatchington Windmill was built circa 1820 on a tall flint and brick tower to which abutted barns on the north, south and west side. It was beautifully illustrated by John Constable in a watercolour dated 5th November 1825. The design is of the style known as a ‘smock’ mill due to the resemblance in silhouette to the garment worn by the millers and shepherds of that period.

West Pier Trust, The

Kings Road

Brighton & Hove BN1 2FL

01273 321 499

www.westpier.co.uk

Brighton’s West Pier, opened in 1866, is England’s finest seaside pier and the only one to be Grade I listed. Although closed since 1975 and ravaged by the elements, it has survived as a magical and enduring part of seaside England and an essential feature of the Brighton seafront.

Whitehawk Primary School Air-raid Shelter

Whitehawk Road

Whitehawk BN2 5FL

01273 681377

www.culture24.org.uk/am22934

An air-raid shelter sited inside school grounds. Benches, lighting and an exhibition of artefacts and transcripts available for visits from schools and other groups.

Collections: Artefacts from WW2. Gas masks, old toilets, manufactured objects and old wrappings found in the shelter when re-opened.

Winchelsea Museum

Court Hall, High Street

Winchelsea TN36 4EA

01797 229 525

www.winchelsea.com/museum.html

Inside the Court Hall museum, displays illustrate the history of the Antient Town, since it was built by Edward I as a medieval ‘New Town’ over 700 years ago, and about Winchelsea’s position as Head Port of the Confederation of Cinque Ports. The Court Hall is certainly one of the oldest buildings in the town.