This weeks village spotlight focuses on a very popular parish, Winchelsea in East Sussex. With an office located in Battle and unmatched local experience, particularly in rural property, Batcheller Monkhouse have successfully sold and let property in Winchelsea for many years.  If you are thinking of moving to Winchelsea or in a neighbouring village (Icklesham or Rye), please find some useful information below.

Area

Winchelsea Village Sign

Created by Edward I in 1288 as a replacement for Old Winchelsea, which washed away during heavy storms, the town sits atop Iham Hill, overlooking The Channel and the Brede Valley. The Ancient Town is one of the few examples of a bastide town in England based on the grid-iron street plan with wide, regular streets arranged around a giant square and the incomplete cathedral type church of St. Thomas the Martyr. Local facilities include The Winchelsea Farm Kitchen comprising a butchers business, delicatessen and tea/coffee shop together with a primary school, public house and post office/local grocery. For more comprehensive facilities there is the Cinque Port of Rye within 3 miles from where there are train services to Eastbourne and to Ashford International with high speed connections to London (37 minutes) and to the Continent.

With such a mosaic of habitats wildlife is abundant. Farmland birds gather in the woodlands and the valley, Lapwings nest in the fields, flocks of yellowhammers fly overhead and buzzards patrol the skies. The ditches provide shelter for nationally scarce water voles.

St Thomas Church, Winchelsea East Sussex

Interesting Fact

Dragonflies are abundant in Winchelsea and the surrounding area, with twenty species recorded, including the locally rare variable damselfly.

History

Step into the story of this ancient town with a tour of the medieval cellars. Winchelsea has some of the finest medieval cellars in the country, dating back to the foundation of the town in about 1290. Although the cellars have been used for centuries it is thought that they were mainly used for storing wine imported from France during the 13th and 14th Century. Today you can still marvel at these hidden wonders on a guided tour, which take place on most Saturdays between April and October. For dates and times see Winchelsea Cellars tours website here.

Local Community

There is lots going on in Winchelsea including the Winchelsea Archaeological Society (WAS), Winchelsea Arts, Winchelsea Bowles Club, The Court Hall Museum, Winchelsea Cricket Club and many more local activities here.

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