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Best Sussex Towns & Villages Award Winner: Lindfield

Wednesday, 6 November 2024 08:00

After two rounds of public voting and careful deliberations by the panel of judges, Lindfield has come out on top and adds our Best Sussex Towns & Villages Award to its already well-stocked trophy cabinet

So pretty that it was once famously banned from entering the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s ‘Best Kept Village’ competition to give others a fighting chance, Lindfield was always going to be tough to beat – and so it has proven. Lindfield has been voted for by both the public and our judges to be the worthy winner of Best Sussex Towns & Villages Award.

Taking its name from the ancient lime trees that adorn its picturesque high street, which features over 40 medieval and post-medieval buildings, Lindfield sits at the edge of the High Weald in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With a population of around 5,000, Lindfield is certainly one of the larger villages in Sussex, although it retains a quaint village vibe, with historic houses found around the charming village pond and high street.

Of its many significant buildings, one of the most well-known is Old Place. Thought to have been built originally as a country cottage for Elizabeth I, the manor house was subsequently used as a poorhouse before falling into disrepair. Left empty for several years, the building was later occupied by Charles Kempe, a designer and manufacturer of stained-glass windows whose work can be found in churches and cathedrals across the UK – including more than 25 located in Sussex. Kempe not only restored the original building but made several new additions too, including the East Wing and the iconic Turret House.

Other buildings with a rich history include All Saints Church, which dates back to 1098, and the adjacent Church House – still affectionately referred to by residents as ‘The Tiger’, thanks to its history as an inn and meeting place for travellers and local societies.

These days the high street has a vibrant array of shops, pubs and restaurants, while popular local events such as the annual Arts Festival offer the chance for local artists, musicians and artisans to showcase their talents. Residents also enjoy access to a number of nearby beauty spots; Ashdown Forest lies just five miles north of the village, while the impressive gardens at Borde Hill and Wakehurst are also just a short distance away. Even the former sewage works and landfill site on Eastern Road have been transformed into a beautiful nature reserve, providing nine acres of grassland, wetland and scrub that has become home to many different species of birds and wildlife.

Congratulations to Lindfield!

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