Sedlescombe

Sedlescombe is a village and civil parish in the Rother District of East Sussex, England. The village is located seven miles (11 km) north of Hastings.

The parish lies within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The River Brede and its tributary the River Line flow through it; and Powdermill Reservoir is nearby. It has a population of approximately 1,500. The parish church is dedicated to St John the Baptist; there is also a United Reformed Church in the village.

The village traces its roots back to Roman times. Indeed, the oldest house in the village (Asselton House) was formerly called Asselton Bath and is reputed to be on the site of a Roman bathhouse. The surrounding area is rich in Roman remains, including the headquarters of the Roman navy in Britain just four miles away at Beauport Park in St Leonards-on-Sea.

The village hosts the Pestalozzi International Children's Village, an educational charity set up for children from developing countries to live and study. Originally established during World War II, it became established in its present form in 1957. The village school is Sedlescombe CE Primary School.

Fifty years ago the village boasted two pubs, a butcher, a bakery, a newsagent, a blacksmith, a garage, two eateries and two general stores. Only the village store remains, although there is an inn, the Queens Head and a hotel called The Brickwall.

The parish includes the settlement of Kent Street, located on the A21 road.

Reading

 * Twenty Centuries in Sedlescombe: An East Sussex Parish Beryl Lucey 1999, Asselton Books ISBN 0 9534 6950 5
 * A Village Where The World is One: The Story of the International Children's Village in England Beryl Lucey 1984