20 Unforgettable Things You’ll Only Find in Sussex
Sussex is a wonderfully distinctive county with uniquely pivoting gates, esteemed English wine, towering chalk sea cliffs, and the UK’s newest national park.
Take a seat on the longest bench in Britain, visit the most biodiverse place on the planet, and follow in the fictional footsteps of Winnie-the-Pooh.
From the one-of-a-kind to the superlative, these are the extraordinary things that you can only see and do in Sussex.
Visit the most biodiverse place on the planet
Wakehurst, Kew Gardens’ wild Sussex sister, is the home of the incredible Millennium Seed Bank – the largest wild plant seed conservation project on the planet.
The Millennium Seed Bank holds over 2.5 billion seeds from over 40,000 species making it the most biodiverse place on Earth. It is a huge conservation initiative that is working to restore global biodiversity, and a fascinating place to visit.
Take a seat with 299 friends on the longest bench in Britain
Sculpturally wiggling its way for 1000 feet (324 metres) along the promenade in Littlehampton, the aptly named Long Bench is heralded as Britain's Longest Bench, with enough space for 300 people to take a seat.
It’s more than just a pretty place to sit too, Long Bench contains hundreds of special messages from local people and visitors, engraved into its wooden slats.
Explore the UK’s newest national park
Named officially as a national park in 2010, the South Downs National Park is the newest of the UK’s 15 national parks, stretching out across rolling countryside from Hampshire in the west to Sussex in the east.
The 100-mile South Downs Way National Trail – which scenically winds its way along the chalk ridgeline of the South Downs, marking a route that has been used by people for more than 6000 years – is the only national trail in the UK to lie entirely within a national park.
Enjoy the heartland of the UK’s burgeoning wine industry
With the largest concentration of vineyards of any English county (over 140 and counting) and producing more wine than any other region in the UK, Sussex is the heartland of the UK wine industry. Sussex is also the first region in the UK to receive Protected Designation of Origin status for its wine. But the real test (and pleasure) is in the tasting, and visitors can enjoy vineyard visits, sparkling tastings, and epicurean events at Sussex’s many warm and welcoming wineries.
Walk along the highest chalk sea cliffs in the UK
Instantly identifiable as Sussex, the dramatic chalk sea cliffs of Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters form one of the most recognisable and breathtaking coastal landscapes in England.
Beachy Head, towering over 160 metres above the English Channel, claims the title of the highest chalk sea cliff in the UK, and makes for a rewarding hike from nearby Eastbourne. From Beachy Head, walk on to Birling Gap for one of the best viewpoints of the Seven Sisters which roll along the coastline forming incredible and undeniably Sussex scenes.
Stand on the site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings
Arguably the most significant change in the course of English history, the events of 1066 unfolded in Sussex, culminating in the fateful battle where William the Conqueror defeated King Harold to take control of England.
Today, Battle Abbey, which was commissioned by William the Conqueror on the spot where King Harold died, stands on the site of the Battle of Hastings, where visitors can delve into this foundational part of English history.
Walk in the fictional footsteps of Winnie‑the‑Pooh
One of the world’s most beloved bears, Winnie-the-Pooh originated in Ashdown Forest in Sussex, where author A. A. Milne lived whilst writing the stories that were to become eternally treasured worldwide.
Ashdown Forest was A. A. Milne’s inspiration for Winnie-the-Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood, where visitors can see literary locations like the original Poohsticks Bridge and visit Pooh Corner, where there is a delightful museum, tea room, and shop dedicated to Winnie-the-Pooh.
Step through the swivelling gates only found in Sussex
Sussex is home to a special type of churchyard gate that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Tapsel gates are wooden gates that pivot from the centre, meaning that they can rotate in either direction. They were created by a Sussex family of bell founders in the late 18th century, and only a few still exist, most of which can be found close to the Sussex town of Lewes.
Marvel at the biggest dry valley in the UK
Lying on the South Downs Way just north of Brighton, Devil’s Dyke is the longest, deepest, and widest dry valley in the UK. The dramatic valley, which is nearly a mile long, is a wonderful place for a hike, and the three-mile histories and mysteries walk will have you pondering the folklore of the Devil, who allegedly created the valley to drown the local Christians.
Uncover the dark past of Sussex smuggling
The pretty façades of Sussex’s coastal villages hide a fascinating and dark past from a time when Sussex was a hotspot for smuggling.
In the 18th century, Rye was known as the smuggling capital of England, with lawless gangs smuggling goods across Romney Marsh. The Mermaid Inn was the local haunt of the notorious Hawkhurst Gang, where a secret tunnel below connected it to the Old Bell Inn.
Attend the UK's longest running Bonfire Nights
Remember, remember, the fifth of November, when towns and villages across Sussex hosts torchlit processions and glorious bonfires in traditional, historic Guy Fawkes celebrations.
The events (some of which have been taking place for 300 years) are to commemorate the 1605 Gunpowder Plot and the preceding tragic burning of 17 local Protestant martyrs, attract many spectators to the towns who come to see the torchlit processions, costumes, effigies, and burning barrel run.
Appreciate world‑class opera in a prestigious and pastoral setting
Glyndebourne is one of the most celebrated opera houses in the world, renowned globally for its prestigious Glyndebourne Festival held every summer in Sussex.
This flagship summer event features a programme of world-class opera performed between May and August in its impressive auditorium, with each performance including a long interval so that guests can enjoy the tradition of picnicking in Glyndebourne’s gardens.
Visit the first-ever National Trust property
Today, the National Trust is Europe’s largest conservation charity, but it humbly started in Sussex in 1896 with the purchase of the small 14th century Alfriston Clergy House for just £10.
Setting the precedent for its ethos of preservation, the National Trust rescued and restored the Grade II* listed Wealden hall-house from near collapse and it is still being enjoyed by the public 130 years later.
Go to The Repair Shop
The Repair Shop, the BBC’s much-loved restoration television series, is filmed at the Weald and Downland Living Museum near Chichester in Sussex.
The large thatched barn, which is the characteristic home of The Repair Shop, is one of over 50 historic buildings at the museum, which cherish and celebrate Sussex’s rural history.
On selected dates, visitors can glimpse inside Court Barn to see behind the scenes of the endearing filming location.
See the biggest human (depiction) in Europe
Carved into the chalk landscape of Windover Hill near Eastbourne, at 72 metres tall, the Long Man of Wilmington is the largest depiction of a human figure in Europe.
This South Downs giant, who is at least 450 years old, has always puzzled archaeologists and historians for centuries, with his purpose remaining a mystery.
Travel on the steepest funicular railway in Britain
The East Hill funicular railway in Hastings, operating at a stomach-churning 38% gradient, is the steepest funicular railway in Britain.
The railway, which is an amazing example of working Victorian engineering, provides a fun and convenient passage from the seafront up to Hastings Country Park.
The town’s other funicular railway, West Hill, retains its original wooden Victorian coaches and runs through a tunnel.
Mosey around the prettiest village in England
OK, so we know this one is subjective (and we may be a bit biased), but it’s a fact that the Sussex village of Alfriston is regularly crowned with the title of England’s prettiest village.
With oodles of historic charm, timber-fronted houses, thatched cottages, cobbled lanes, and a picturesque setting along the Cuckmere River, Alfriston is quintessentially Sussex and undeniably picturesque.
Ride on the railway featured in Downton Abbey
To ride on a steam train along the 11-mile heritage Bluebell Railway between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead is like stepping back in time, and fans of Downton Abbey may find the 1930s station at Horsted Keynes particularly familiar because it doubled as Downton Station throughout the Downton Abbey series.
Admire Britain’s largest Roman palace
Not only is Fishbourne Roman Palace the largest Roman home ever discovered in Britain (featuring over 100 rooms, with a layout comparable to imperial palaces in Rome), it’s also the largest Roman residence ever found north of The Alps.
Carefully restored, it is a remarkable place to visit, showcasing recreated Roman gardens and the largest collection of mosaics in situ in the UK.
Catch a movie at Britain’s oldest cinema
Opened in 1910, The Duke of York's Picture House in Brighton is the oldest purpose-built cinema in the UK. It’s still in operation today, and is still a much-loved independent cinema, meaning that it remains one of the best places in the country to catch a movie with a touch of golden era cinema magic.
Sussex is also home to other historic cinemas that have stood the test of time. The Picturedrome Cinema in Bognor Regis, which opened in 1910 and continues to welcome film fans, while Worthing’s Dome Cinema (1911) on the Seafront is still a much‑loved cultural landmark in the town. To the East Hastings’ Electric Palace Cinema (also 1911) continues to screen films in the heart of the Old Town, just steps from the historic fishing beach.
