Category: Sussex

Firle Country Estate.

Last weekend we took a walk on the Firle Country Estate near Lewes in East Sussex. Firle Place is a privately owned country house in Sussex that dates from the time of Henry VIII. Incorporating several villages and farms spread over rolling hills, the Firle Estate, is in the heart of the magnificent South Downs National Park.

https://firle.com/

The Estate incorporates the Old Coach Road, which dates from over 1000 years ago and is the original road running from the Beddingham to Newhaven Road at the Lay, just south of Beddingham Church, to Firle.

The Old Coach running through Firle.

It was a fabulous walk over sweeping downland. We are right in the cusp of the shooting season so there were pheasants and partridge a plenty. We finished the walk of with a pint of cider in Village pub.

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A perfect autumn Sunday!

Herstmonceux Castle Estate.

A beautiful sunny, warm autumn morning saw us heading out to the stunning 15th century moated Herstmonceux Castle, set in a beautiful estate featuring woodland trails, lakes, meadows and themed and formal gardens, including a magic garden with definite echos of Francis Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden).

Built as a luxurious fortified home in the mid 15th century by Sir Roger Fiennes, who had fought at Agincourt with Henry V, it is now owned by Queen’s University in Canada and is their UK campus as well as a visitor centre.

It’s is a magical location and well worth the £8 entrance fee

The Folly and its walled garden were built by Sir Paul Latham, owner of Herstmonceux Castle from 1933-46.
Apothecary Garden- A collection of herbs for medicinal and culinary use.
Set within the original walled garden of the castle, the imposing central sundial is a striking feature.

The Lord Lucan Experience.

Another walk from the ‘Cheeky Walks in Brighton & Sussex’ book by Tim Bick, David Bramwell and John Ashton. This one was in Newhaven, East Sussex and followed the last steps of Lord Lucan- a cad and a bounder who in 1974 reportedly killed the nanny, abandoned his car outside 26 Norman Road in Newhaven and then walked into the sea never to be seen again. There are lots of alternative theories as to his disappearance but this one is the one we are going with on this walk.

Besides the car abandoned road, we walked along the stretch of beach where he folded his clothes and left them in a neat pile before drowning himself; an industrial deep water working port;two disused railways; the eerie and deserted village of Tide Mills and up to the underground New Haven Fort.

Tide Mills.
Industrial Newhaven Port
Norman Road Newhaven where Lucan’s borrowed, bloodstained Ford Corsair was found abandoned.
The Pier head where two fisherman reported seeing Lucan walking on the beach.
Wooden bird viewing wall.
Newhaven Cormorant statue by Derry Mountford.

It was a figure of eight walk that felt longer than it’s six miles, but covered the majority of Newhaven.

And Lord Lucan… is he dead or alive? Did he feign his own death or could he not live with the guilt; or the fear of boing caught? Retrace his final steps and form your own conclusion.

The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory.

The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


‘Women’s lives do not matter to anyone at this court. Before every queen stands her pretty successor, behind her a ghost.’

An historical romp through the courts of Henry VIII through the eyes of Katherine Parr- his last wife.

The research is brilliant- I have been immersed for days and googling the life out of Henry Tudor’s court!



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