Places to Visit

Family Farms, Animals, & Sealife

Blackberry Farm near Lewes BN8

6JD. Set in 18 acres of Sussex countryside, home to over 200 friendly animals, wildfowl; most can be petted or fed by hand. Large outdoor play area, ‘Clucky’s’ indoor adventure playbarn and sensory zone, tractor rides, pony rides, baby area. Open daily, Butterfly Gardens Middleton Common Farm, Ditchling, free flying butterflies from all over the world inside a 3000 square foot polytunnel. Onsite farm shop.

Drusillas Park Alfriston Road just off the A27, BN26 5QS. Zoo, interactive displays, extensive adventure playgrounds, rainforestthemed carousel ride, Safari Express Train and Hello Kitty Secret Garden which incl. three children’s rides; restaurants, cafes, seasonal events (see competition)

Hastings Aquarium Rock-ANore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW. Close encounters with seahorses, sharks, rays and hundreds of other aquatic creatures, plus reptiles and frogs, underwater walk-through tunnel. Open daily

Heaven Farm Furners Green, Uckfield TN22 3RG. 100-acre farm on the Greenwich Meridian, with nature walks, wallabies, deer, seasonal bluebell nature trail, tea room, play barn, ice cream parlour and camping.

Knockhatch Adventure Park on A22 at Hailsham BN27 3GD. Animals, falconry, year-round indoor soft play at ‘Froggies’, children’s farm, go karts, outdoor playgrounds and paddling pools, Wave Runner water slide, ski slope and more, Santa's Grotto.

Middle Farm West Firle, Lewes, BN8 6LJ. Family farm with a small flock of sheep, lambing in spring, playground and play hay barn, animal handling sessions, farm shop, tea room, gift shop.

Open Nov–March, 01323 811411

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare, Ringmer BN8 5AJ. Charity giving animals a better life through rehoming, rehabilitation & sanctuary. Café, shop, dogfriendly trails & activities - free daily guided tour at 11.30am, Family Learning Days (Wed & Thu) during the school holidays, free but book tickets online or call 01825 840252

Sharnfold Farm and Farm Shop

Stone Cross BN24 5BU. Farm trail, animals, play area, PYO, coffee shop, farm shop, seasonal events. South Brockwells Farm Shop, Little Horsted TN22 5QS. Home grown & locally sourced produce, open Wed-Sat & daily during home-grown asparagus season (23rd April-21st June); Seasonal events: Lambing March-April, Sheep Racing & Farm Open Days Saturday 24th June & 19 August, 01825 750466 (see advert p.24)

Places of Historic Interest, Gardens

Museums & Galleries

Bateman’s National Trust House, Burwash TN19 7DS. Former home of Rudyard Kipling with gardens, walks, watermill tea room, seasonal events. Open daily. Battle Museum TN33 0EA. Local history museum with displays that include dinosaur footprints, artefacts from the Roman Bathhouse at Beauport Park, a Saxon battle-axe believed to be a unique relic of the Battle of Hastings, the world’s oldest effigy of Guy Fawkes and the story of the Battle gunpowder industry. Bodiam Castle National Trust near Robertsbridge TN32 5UA. Story book castle; the exterior is virtually complete & the walls rise dramatically above the moat. Explore the battlements and climb the spiral staircases. Seasonal events. 0pen daily.

Brighton Toy and Model Museum, Trafalgar St, Brighton BN1 4EB. Under the arches of Brighton station. Over 10,000 toys and models, incl. two working model railways. Open Tue-Sat. CM Booth Motor Museum at Falstaff Antiques, Rolvenden TN17 4LP. Unique collection of 3-wheeled Morgan cars, plus other historic cars, bicycles and tricycles, displays of toy, model cars, and all surrounded with auto-mobilia.

Eastbourne Heritage Centre

Firle Place Firle, Lewes BN8 6LP.

An outstanding, privately owned country house in Sussex which dates from the time of Henry VIII but was substantially remodelled in the 18th Century. The house, gardens and notable collection of works of art and porcelain are of national importance.

Hastings Museum and Art Gallery TN4 1ET, a rich mix of fine paintings and china, the cultures of other lands, well-known personalities and a contrasting view of local wildlife today and as it would have been 150 million years ago. There are plenty of special features for children, with fossils that transform into dinosaurs, prehistoric crocodiles and fish, a diorama of local animals and birds and Native American Galleries complete with tipi and buffalo. The most spectacular part of the museum is the magnificent Durbar Hall constructed for the Indian and Colonial Exhibition of 1886 as part of an Indian Palace. Closed on Mon, FREE.

Hastings Fisherman’s Museum Rock-a-Nore Road TN34 3DW. Original lugger, photos, models, stories, paintings and nets. Open daily, FREE, donations requested.

Hastings Lifeboat Visitor Centre East Beach Street, Hastings Old Town TN34 3FJ. Go to Hastings Old Town and the boathouse is near the harbour and fishing boats. Open daily.

Herstmonceux Castle Gardens and Grounds Hailsham BN27 1RN Magnificent moated castle, set in 500 acres of beautiful parkland and superb Elizabethan gardens. The Castle is closed to the public, but guided tours are conducted at an extra charge & subject to availability. The estate is also home to the Observatory Science Centre

Lewes Castle and Barbican House Museum, Lewes BN7 1YE. Climb to the top of this 1,000 year old Norman Castle for stunning views across Sussex. In the Barbican House you’ll find the Museum of Archaeology and a mini cinema which tells the story of Lewes from prehistoric to medieval times. Open daily.

Amberley

BN21 4BT. Displays of original maps, pictures, artefacts and films, and trace the development of ‘Elegant Eastbourne – the Empress of Watering Places’ a fashionable new Victorian seaside town into ‘The Suntrap of the South’. Open Sat until Easter, Sat/ Sun/Bank Holidays from Easter to December.

Eastbourne Lifeboat Museum King Edward’s Parade, Eastbourne BN21 4BY. Admission free, open all year round, see website for opening times.

Michelham Priory Upper Dicker, near Hailsham BN27 3QS. See the foundations of the 13th century priory and explore the main house, tranquil moated gardens, watermill and play area. Family activities during the summer, incl. an interactive medieval gallery in the 14th century Gatehouse. Opening times vary

Newhaven Fort BN9 9DS. The story of a Victorian Fortress and demonstrations of the Fort’s role during two World Wars. Explore the tunnels, gun emplacements, Blitz street shelter simulation and playground,searchlight Café. Open daily and Tue-Thur Nov-Jan, dogs on a lead welcome.

Pevensey Castle, Pevensey BN24 5LE. With a history stretching back over 16 centuries, Pevensey Castle chronicles more graphically than any other