What do Eddie Izzard, a Maharaja, Agatha Christie, Spike Milligan, Keane, and British Motor Racing have in common? Bexhill-on-Sea of course!
A little Bexhill history
Bexhill has a surprisingly long past. The settlement existed as far back as 772 AD and, although it suffered badly during the Norman Conquest, it was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as being worth £18. Like much of Sussex, Bexhill was given to one of William the Conqueror’s supporters, Robert, Count of Eu, following the Conquest as a reward for his loyalty, although it was subsequently returned to the Church.
A manor house is known to have existed here by 1148 and was rebuilt in about 1250, probably on the instructions of St Richard, Bishop of Chichester and patron saint of Sussex. Travelling bishops would have stayed here and you can still see the ruins in Bexhill Old Town. In 1561, Elizabeth I took possession of Bexhill Manor before granting it to Sir Thomas Sackville, later Earl of Dorset. The Sackville family retained Bexhill until the 19th century. In 1813, Elizabeth Sackville married the 5th Earl De La Warr, bringing together two names that would play an important part in Bexhill’s future.
Before the seaside resort arrived, however, there was a rather more turbulent period. In 1804, soldiers were stationed in barracks at Bexhill amid fears of a French invasion. The area also had a thriving smuggling community and, in 1828, Sidley Green was the scene of a bloody confrontation between smugglers and the Coast Blockade.
The railway arrived in 1846, helping to set the scene for Bexhill’s transformation. The De La Warr family developed what had been a small village into a fashionable seaside resort, complete with the luxurious Sackville Hotel and a Kursaal providing entertainment for visitors.
Then came the motorcars
In 1902, Bexhill became an incorporated borough, with its Royal Charter delivered by motorcar – believed to be the first time this had been done. To celebrate the town’s new status, the 8th Earl De La Warr, inspired by motor racing he had seen in Nice, organised races along De La Warr Parade in May that year. More than 200 vehicles and an estimated 30,000 spectators descended on Bexhill, beginning the motoring legacy that would eventually see the RAC recognise it as the “Birthplace of British Motor Racing” in 1994.
Bexhill was pushing boundaries in other ways too, becoming an early seaside resort to permit mixed bathing. The next great De La Warr landmark arrived in 1935. The 9th Earl De La Warr was instrumental in creating the modernist De La Warr Pavilion, which opened on 12 December that year and remains one of the town’s defining buildings.
Famous names and Bexhill
Royalty, writers, musicians and comedians have all left their mark on the town. Maharaja Nripendra Narayan of Cooch Behar came to Bexhill to convalesce and died here in 1911. A prominent figure who had been received at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, his connections with Bexhill are still commemorated around the town. Agatha Christie brought a rather less fortunate fictional visitor here: the second murder in The ABC Murders, published in 1936, takes place in Bexhill.
During the Second World War, Spike Milligan was billeted in the town between 1940 and 1943, while Eddie Izzard spent part of their childhood here. And then there’s the music. In 1972, Bob Marley performed at the De La Warr Pavilion in what is widely described as his first UK appearance. More recently, Bexhill found its way into the music of Sussex band Keane. Their song Sovereign Light Café was inspired by the café on Bexhill seafront, with its video subsequently filmed around the town.
Things to do in Bexhill
Bexhill is a busy seaside town and the obvious starting point is to head to the beach. But there is plenty more to explore. From the cultural hub of the De La Warr Pavilion to the towns fabulous museum and a stroll amongst the ruins of the Old Town, history and culture buffs have plenty to keep them busy. There are also shops, a golf course, shipwrecks and lots of water sports to get stuck into.
You can find our guide to what’s on here:
Food and drink
Bexhill Farmers Market meets every Friday morning in Devonshire Square and you’ll find Bexhill Farm Kitchen in Western Road. And don’t miss Cheese & Delicatessens on Cooden Sea Road. We’ve also put together a selection of some of our favourite places to eat in Bexhill as you explore the town:
Take a walk
One of the great joys of Bexhill is that you can take a walk from the town along the seafront for miles in either direction along the King Charles III Coastal Path. Head west for Cooden Beach and the Martello Towers of Normans’ Bay and beyond. Head East for Galley Hill, Glynde Gap and St Leonards.
If you want to head inland, what place to start than the old town and the 1066 Country Walk which will take you all the way to Battle. Or just keep things simple with a walk at Highwoods, a 33.7-hectare (83-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest. It has two paved access-for-all-trails from the car park entrance. One is approx. 600m long, the other is about 1200m in length and they are for wheelchair users and others with mobility problems.
Bexhill itineraries
Use Bexhill as a base to explore the surrounding area. Combine seaside walks with trips to nearby historic Battle, or follow smugglers along the coast to Hastings. Alternatively, make Bexhill a stop on any cultural trail of the region.
Places to stay
If you want to stay on the edge of the town, in a little bit of style, then try The Relais at Cooden Beach or a little further inland, enjoy style and wellbeing at Crafted at Powdermills near Battle. And right in the heart of town, The Driftwood is close to both to the beach and the De La Warr Pavilion and gets great reviews.
Living in Bexhill
There are cinemas and theatres in nearby Hastings and Eastbourne and an auditorium at Bexhill’s s De La Warr Pavilion. The town has a leisure centre and a retail park where you’ll find some of the big brands such as Tesco and Boots. There are also a number of smaller and independent shops in the town and at the Colonnade on the seafront.
Bexhill has a number of primary schools as well as Battle Abbey Prep School. It also has a secondary Academy school and an independent sixth form, Bexhill College. Other private schools in the vicinity include Bedes, near Eastbourne, Battle Abbey School, Eastbourne College, and Buckswood School in Hastings. According to Rightmove, house prices have an overall average of £344,346 making it one of the more affordable places to live in Sussex.
Getting there and transport
Bexhill has a train station and it takes about one hour and 45 minutes from London Victoria. By car, it’s about 75 miles from London and about 50 miles from Gatwick depending on the route you take. The town is just off the A259 which you can access from the A27 or A21. The town is well served by buses.
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