Ditchling is an East Sussex village to the north of Brighton, to the south of Haywards Heath and right at the foot of the South Downs.
The village is not big but it packs the proverbial punch when it comes to history and interest. It’s pretty, it’s creative, it’s interesting and it’s surrounded by amazing countryside.
A little bit of Ditchling history
There is evidence that the area has been inhabited for thousands of years and at Lodge Hill to the north west, tools from the Mesolithic period have been found. The village is also close to an old Roman road which ran west to east from Stane Street in West Sussex. During the Saxon period, the Manor and its lands were held by King Alfred the Great and then later, by Edward the Confessor. After the Normans arrived, William de Warenne took over and by 1435 the Manor was owned by the Marquess of Abergavenny (who owned it until the 20th century).
There are two Sites of Special Scientific Interest nearby, namely Ditchling Common and the area of the Clayton to Offham Escarpment which includes Ditchling Beacon. There are also dozens of old or interesting buildings in the village including Ditchling Garden Manor (also known as Wings Place) which was once owned by Anne of Cleves. In 1907, sculptor and letter cutter Eric Gill moved to the village. The village soon became a mecca for creatives and in 1921, the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic was founded. This was a community of artists and craftsmen and part of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Things to do in Ditchling
Park up just outside the village in the little car park on the road to Keymer and Hassocks.
Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft
The museum is a good place to start your exploring and is the place to learn more about the artisans of the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic. But the museum also has an ongoing and changing programme of exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations and family activities.
Ditchling church and Wings Place
Ditchling church is next to the museum and dates to the 11th and 12th century. There are some interesting features from over the centuries so it’s worth a visit. Just across the way is Wings Place. This is now a private home but it’s also a Grade I listed Tudor house. Apart from being owned by Anne of Cleves, it’s also been owned by William Pitt, the Duke of Wellington and Jamie Theakston. It has been described as one of the finest Tudor houses in Britain.
The Brown Burial Ground
Head down The Twitten off Lewes Road and you might notice a tiny graveyard squashed in between houses and gardens. It was the private burial ground of the Brown family, who, when the Baptist Chapel graveyard became full, created their own graveyard in their garden.
V for Victoria
Just outside Ditchling and near Westmeston on the road to Lewes, you might spot a clump of trees in the shape of a V. They were planted in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria’s Royal Diamond Jubilee. Allegedly 3,060 trees were planted at the cost of just over £12. You can walk up to them from Westmeston, or just view them from the road.
Oldland Windmill
Oldland Windmill is a restored circa 1703 award winning working post windmill which you can see from Oldlands Lane. It is open to the public on the first Sunday of each month between April and October, and sometimes for special events.
Ditchling Common
Ditchling Common is a country park to the north of the village. It’s a great place to walk, with ponds and footpaths, and is also home to Jacob’s Post.
Vineyards
There are a number of vineyards in the area including Ridgeview, Court Garden, Everflyht, Artelium, Plumpton and Black Dog. Some of these do tours and tastings and Ridgeview and Artelium have restaurants.
Ditchling Beacon
Nearby Ditchling Beacon on the South Downs is another popular place for walking. It is 248 metres above sea-level and is the highest point in East Sussex. It is also a site of archaeological interest and was an Iron Age hillfort.
Jack, Jill and Clayton
While you’re in the area, you might want to visit the famous black and white windmills called Jack and Jill up on the Downs near Clayton and a couple of miles south of Ditchling.
From there you can walk on to the Chattri Memorial. Or, if you don’t want to walk, at the bottom of the hill from Jack and Jill is a small 11th century church which has some fabulous 11th / 12th century frescoes. There is also a famous railway tunnel (Clayton Tunnel) said to be haunted. It’s next to the windmill pub.
Places to eat in Ditchling
Don’t worry, when you’ve finished exploring, you can refuel at The Bull, The White Horse, The Nutmeg Tree or The Green Welly. Welsh rarebit at The Nutmeg Tree is gert lush! Ditchling also has its own gin, unsurprisingly called Ditchling Gin and made with local botanicals.
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