Southease church has one of only 3 round towers in Sussex

This particular one has an 11th-century church with one of only three round towers in Sussex.

The small village of Southease can be found in East Sussex, between the A26 road and the C7 road from Lewes to Newhaven.

The village is to the west of the River Ouse and, as well as the historic church, is littered with cute cottages also dating back centuries.

History of the Sussex village of Southease

The name Southease is believed to be of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning “South land overgrown with brushwood”.

The village first appears in the historical record when King Edgar and is noted in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Visit South East England describes it today as “one of the prettiest of the Ouse Valley villages”.

It adds: “Southease is a collection of cottages surrounding a little church.

“The church, which was mentioned in the Saxon charter of King Edgar in 966, was much larger than the building you see today.

“Unfortunately, most of it was destroyed in the 14th century, but it is still delightful with its unusual Norman round tower.”

The South Downs Way winds through the village towards the nearby River Ouse and the railway station, with the village having a very small population whose history can be traced back over 1000 years.

The village website adds: “At the time of the Doomsday Book a thriving community was in place and the village appears to have been the biggest herring fishery in the district, having been assessed for 38,500 herring while Brighton had a mere 4,000.

“The fishery may be long gone but we remain a vibrant community with regular events taking place in the village throughout the year.”

Southease church has one of only 3 round towers in Sussex

One of the quirky facts about the village is its church, which has one of only three round towers in Sussex, with the others in Lewes and Piddinghoe.

The chancel and nave at the church, which today is Grade I Listed, date from the 11th century and there are remains of mural paintings from 1280 on its walls.

However, the church is not the only listed building in the area.

Southease church has one of only three round towers in Sussex (Image: Michael Coppins/Wikimedia Commons)

Others include Southease Place, Rock and Barn Cottage, Thatched Cottage, The Rectory and Black Lamb House.

Rock Cottage and Barn Cottage are one of the village’s original farmsteads.

Both are Grade II listed buildings and stand next to the old southern farmstead, which includes all the traditional 18th-century buildings.

Things to do in the Sussex village of Southease

Other than taking in its history, Southease is particularly great for walking routes.

As mentioned previously, the South Downs Way winds its way through the village, which offers great trails.

The South Downs Way is one of 16 National Trails in England and Wales and runs for 100 miles from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex.

One popular walk is the Southease to Monk’s House circular, as highlighted by the National Trust.

It says: “For Virginia Woolf writing and walking were inseparable. Her father, a renowned mountaineer, wrote a lot about the Alps and speculated that ‘All great men of letters had to be great walkers’.

“It is true that Virginia made up her books as she walked along.

“Virginia and Leonard lived at Monk’s House from 1919 and she walked every day for 2 hours or more.

“This 3.5-mile walk takes you in their footsteps to some of the places they loved.”

Near Southease, there is also Drusillas Park, a small 10-acre zoo.

Drusillas has more than one hundred exotic animals, including lynx, sloths, penguins, anteaters and red pandas.

There is also a play area and the Safari Express train ride that runs daily, as well as other cafés, shops, and restaurants.