It’s often the smallest places that pack the biggest punch. You scratch the surface of a tiny hamlet and all sorts of stories are revealed. That’s certainly true of Shipley in West Sussex and its neighbours, which first got a mention in 1073 and in the Domesday Book of 1086. So rather than whizzing along the A272 head to the wind, why not pull over and spend a little time exploring?
Shipley Windmill
Shipley Windmill is an eight-sided smock mill, named for its resemblance to a traditional farm labourer’s smock. Built in 1879, it is the youngest and largest surviving windmill in Sussex. Over the years, it has been known as Shipley Mill, King’s Mill, Vincent’s Mill, Mrs Shipley and Belloc’s Mill. The mill was run alongside the village shop and post office at King’s Land.
In 1906, Hilaire Belloc bought King’s Land (an old farm), the windmill and five acres of surrounding land. He leased the mill to Ernest Powell, who continued milling until 1926. Belloc then worked to preserve the building, although wartime shortages left it in poor condition by the time of his death in 1953. The mill was restored as a memorial to Belloc and reopened in 1958. Further restoration followed, and the Shipley Windmill Charitable Trust was formed in 1987. By 1991, the mill was once again working with a full set of sweeps.
Shipley Windmill later became famous as the fictional home of the title character in the BBC television series Jonathan Creek, with scenes from 22 episodes filmed there. Although it has now been closed for some time, a recent Facebook post on an unofficial page suggested you can now pre-book tours. The exterior can be seen from the public footpath beside the building but it’s fair to say it is looking a little bedraggled.
King’s Land, Belloc’s home
Visitors can now also stay in King’s Land, Belloc’s former home and now an Airbnb. The house itself is much older than the mill, with a 17th-century core and later Georgian and Victorian additions. It is Grade II listed.
Here, Belloc raised his family, suffered the loss of his wife and two sons, and wrote many of his best-known works, including The Four Men and Stane Street. The house became a gathering place for writers, politicians, Catholic thinkers and friends. Belloc entertained generously but also spent long periods writing alone.
St Mary’s Church, Shipley
St Mary’s Church is one of Sussex’s oldest and most intriguing medieval churches. Although a church existed here by 1073, the present building dates largely from the mid-12th century, shortly after it was granted to the Knights Templar around 1139. It is believed to be one of the earliest Templar churches in England.
The Templars established a preceptory here, probably immediately south of the church, from where they managed their local estates. Their influence can still be seen in the church’s simple Norman architecture, with its thick stone walls and distinctive axial tower, unusually positioned between the nave and chancel rather than at the west end.
Among the church’s treasures was once a beautiful 13th-century Limoges enamel reliquary, renowned for its blue and gold decoration. Sadly, the original was stolen in 1976. The peaceful churchyard is also the final resting place of the composer John Ireland (1879–1962), whose music was inspired by the English landscape.
Dragon’s Green
Dragon’s Green is a tiny hamlet north of Shipley. It is home to another ancient church, namely St. Margaret’s Church, which dates back to the 12th century. The origin of the name of Dragon’s Green is uncertain but the most widely accepted explanation is that it derives from a family called Dragon who once held land here, rather than from any actual dragon legend.
The George and Dragon Pub is 200 years old and features a gravestone in the pub garden. It belongs to Walter Budd, born in 1867 to the pub’s landlords and who had albinism and also suffered from epilepsy. After enduring years of bullying and, according to local accounts, a false accusation of theft, he tragically took his own life by drowning in 1893.
His parents originally erected a gravestone in the churchyard, but its inscription was considered inappropriate by the vicar, who ordered it to be removed. The family relocated the stone to the garden of the George and Dragon, where it remains today.
Over the years, Walter’s story has become entwined with local folklore. Some versions claim he died in a gun accident while cleaning or demonstrating a firearm, but there is little evidence to support this account. Walter’s mother is also said to haunt the pub.
The nearby Knepp Estate
Only a few minutes away from Shipley lies Knepp Estate, now internationally famous for its pioneering rewilding project.
Historically the estate centred on medieval Knepp Castle, whose ruins date back to the Norman period. The castle was built by the de Braose family shortly after the Norman Conquest.
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