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Sussex Exclusive Magazine Edition II 2022

Bringing you the best of Sussex, from discovering Sussex vineyards to exploring Lewes and savouring Sussex foodie experiences. In this edition, we meet local artists, learn about Sussex folklore and legends, bring you mouth-watering recipes, mini break ideas, share wellbeing tips and advice, and more. Grab a coffee, put your feet up and please enjoy.

Bringing you the best of Sussex, from discovering Sussex vineyards to exploring Lewes and savouring Sussex foodie experiences. In this edition, we meet local artists, learn about Sussex folklore and legends, bring you mouth-watering recipes, mini break ideas, share wellbeing tips and advice, and more. Grab a coffee, put your feet up and please enjoy.

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Issue 2 <strong>2022</strong><br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> Wines Tours & Tastings<br />

Discover the Vineyards<br />

of Mid <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

The Great <strong>Sussex</strong> Foodie<br />

Six of the Best <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Food Experiences<br />

Strange Tales<br />

Of a French Invasion of Brighton<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> Ghosts &<br />

Ghastly Apparitions<br />

At some of our most<br />

haunted landmarks<br />

Delicious Summer Recipes<br />

Easy to cook & great for<br />

eating alfresco<br />

Historic Lewes<br />

The markets, the shops and<br />

the best places to visit<br />

Meet the Makers<br />

Steyning artists and their inspiration<br />

78 pages of<br />

beautiful <strong>Sussex</strong>


A word<br />

from the editor<br />

Editor<br />

Lucy Pitts<br />

lucyp@sussexexclusive.com<br />

Deputy Editor<br />

Janine Marsh<br />

Editorial Assistant and DDIP<br />

Aifric Peachey<br />

Design & Production<br />

Philippa French<br />

Sales<br />

sales@sussexexclusive.com<br />

Welcome to the latest edition of the <strong>Sussex</strong> <strong>Exclusive</strong><br />

magazine. I can’t believe this is our second edition<br />

already and that we’re halfway through <strong>2022</strong>! If you<br />

follow our newsletter, you’ll know it’s been a whirlwind<br />

of a year that has seen us exploring every corner of<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> and taste testing and test driving as much as we could along the way.<br />

In this edition, we’ve continued our <strong>Sussex</strong> wine, food and drinks theme<br />

with a whistle-stop tour of our central <strong>Sussex</strong> vineyards, some fantastic<br />

local drink suggestions for the summer barbecue and some amazing food<br />

experiences for the <strong>Sussex</strong> foodie. We’ve also got two mouthwatering recipes<br />

for you so that you can enjoy some al fresco dining.<br />

Health and fitness are always a subject close to my heart, so we’ve got a<br />

cluster of features for you tackling everything from mental wellbeing, getting<br />

physically active and boosting your immune system. For the more cerebral,<br />

local author, Nils Visser, has shared an incredible historic story and historian,<br />

Peter Benner, has been checking out our county’s ghosts!<br />

This month, we’ve also shone the spotlight on Lewes, a great place for a<br />

weekend break or just a good old potter, and we’ve got some ideas for your<br />

garden by local gardening legend, writer and broadcaster, Geoff Stonebanks.<br />

If that’s not enough, we’ve also got the result of our photo competition, a<br />

quick trip to Marrakesh and our usual In the Diary feature.<br />

So do grab a coffee, or better still, a glass of <strong>Sussex</strong> wine, put your feet up<br />

and enjoy. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter<br />

and sign up to our free weekly newsletter for more <strong>Sussex</strong> soundbites.<br />

Lucy<br />

Lucy Pitts<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> <strong>Exclusive</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />

www.sussexexclusive.com<br />

Front Cover<br />

Sparkling wine from Ridgeview Wine Estate<br />

3


Contents<br />

9 Steyning Arts<br />

Meet some of the artists from the Steyning Arts<br />

community and find out what inspires them<br />

9<br />

14 Ghools and Ghosties<br />

Peter Benner tells strange tales of things that go<br />

bump in the night & a headless horseman<br />

18 Summer Fashion<br />

Fashion guru Donna Camera shares some of this<br />

summer’s must have fashion items<br />

18<br />

20 The Best Thing About <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Sophie Ward announces the winners of our <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

photo competition & shares your stunning photos<br />

20<br />

30<br />

26 Your Central <strong>Sussex</strong> Wine Tour<br />

Explore the vineyards and wines of Ditchling,<br />

Ashdown Forest and Mayfield with our latest tour<br />

30 Make the Most of Your Garden<br />

Our gardening expert, Geoff Stonebanks,<br />

provides some gardening advice & ideas for the<br />

summer garden<br />

32 Get Thee Back to France<br />

Nils Visser tells an extraordinary story of a French<br />

invasion of the beaches of Brighton<br />

32<br />

38 Chicken Cordon Bleu<br />

Cook up a storm with Vanessa Jamieson’s easy to<br />

cook summer recipe and enjoy alfresco dining<br />

4 | sussexexclusive.com


44<br />

40 The Best of <strong>Sussex</strong> Drink<br />

Pip Mortimer shares her <strong>Sussex</strong> drink<br />

recommendations to complement your<br />

summer barbeque<br />

44 The Great <strong>Sussex</strong> Foodie<br />

We explore some of the best <strong>Sussex</strong> foodie<br />

experiences, from fine dining restaurants to<br />

artisan baking<br />

52<br />

52 Spotlight on Lewes<br />

We shine the spotlight on some of the<br />

highlights of the delightful and historic market<br />

town of Lewes<br />

56<br />

70<br />

56 In the Diary<br />

Fill your summer with great <strong>Sussex</strong> events with<br />

the help of our round up of the best of what’s on<br />

60 Feng Shui Your Garden<br />

Feng Shui consultant, Janine Lowe, shares<br />

advice on how to invite prosperity into your life<br />

& your garden<br />

64 Get Active and Take Care of<br />

Your Wellbeing<br />

Our two health consultants take very different<br />

approaches to getting physically active and taking<br />

care of our wellbeing<br />

70 Getting Motivated<br />

Our blind athlete shares his advice for how and<br />

why to get active when you have a disability<br />

72<br />

72 A Mini Break in Marrakesh<br />

Explore heady souks and backstreets and enjoy<br />

the vibrant colours, food and markets<br />

of Marrakesh<br />

5


Just click here<br />

to subscribe<br />

It’s free to download, read and share<br />

https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/f2l9n2<br />

SUBSCRIBE<br />

Contributors<br />

© Corin Spinks<br />

Nils Visser<br />

Lucy Batham Read<br />

Geoff Stonebanks<br />

Janine Lowe<br />

The Writing Dutchman,<br />

explorer and recreator<br />

of <strong>Sussex</strong> lore, here to<br />

steal your stories, tales &<br />

legends.<br />

www.nilsnissevisser.co.uk<br />

Lucy is a CBT and<br />

Mindfulness coach<br />

specialising in working<br />

with the nervous system.<br />

She also draws on her own<br />

experiences of epigenetics,<br />

the central nervous system<br />

and the vagus nerve and<br />

how these connect to our<br />

wellbeing.<br />

www.loveursoul.com<br />

Geoff’s garden, Driftwood,<br />

has appeared on BBC2’s<br />

Gardeners’ World, and has<br />

won multiple awards. He<br />

writes monthly for several<br />

websites and gardening<br />

media and has a weekly<br />

gardening column in the<br />

Brighton Argus and is<br />

regularly heard on<br />

the radio.<br />

www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk.<br />

Janine Lowe is an author and<br />

classically trained Feng Shui<br />

consultant, trained in Chinese<br />

astrology and in the arts of<br />

Bazi, Flying Stars, Auspicious<br />

Dates, Qi Men Dun Jia and<br />

I Ching. For the last 19<br />

years she has worked with<br />

private and business clients<br />

to enhance their wealth,<br />

relationships, careers and<br />

everything in between.<br />

www.janinelowe.co.uk<br />

Pip Mortimer<br />

BSc (Hons), WSET Dip,<br />

Pip Mortimer spent the<br />

last twenty-five years<br />

immersed in the UK drinks<br />

trade, including leading<br />

IWSC’s Operational<br />

Team and becoming the<br />

company Ambassador.<br />

Although 2021 saw her<br />

leave the industry full<br />

time, she regularly posts<br />

on her Instagram @<br />

drinksonthehighstreet and<br />

hosts tastings and drink<br />

related events.<br />

Stuart Ritchie<br />

Expert Tax Advisor helping<br />

clients manage their<br />

wealth, minimise tax bills,<br />

and solve tax disputes &<br />

financial problems. Stuart<br />

specialises in private<br />

client taxation and has<br />

considerable experience<br />

and expertise with an<br />

emphasis on agreeing<br />

complex taxation issues,<br />

both onshore and offshore,<br />

and helping clients achieve<br />

their financial objectives.<br />

Vanessa Jamieson<br />

Vanessa is an enthusiastic,<br />

amateur cook who likes<br />

to make sure no one<br />

ever leaves her table<br />

hungry! Working full time,<br />

Vanessa needs to squeeze<br />

in quick to prepare food,<br />

without losing any of the<br />

flavour. She also likes to<br />

experiment with different<br />

cuisines, which can take<br />

her to Morocco, Thailand,<br />

Japan and back to<br />

France, all in the space<br />

of one week!<br />

Peter Benner<br />

Retired solicitor and local<br />

historian, Peter Benner has<br />

lived in <strong>Sussex</strong> for over 75<br />

years. A member of the<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> Archaeological<br />

Society since 1956, he has<br />

a lifelong interest in <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Wealden Iron as well as<br />

building a 400 strong<br />

collection of books about<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong>. His specialisms<br />

include transport, and<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> culture.<br />

6 | sussexexclusive.com


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The passion that we put into what we do, and the understanding that we have for our clients,<br />

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and enthusiasm, all members of the team enjoy working in our specialisations, and are<br />

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7


A Charity<br />

Concert<br />

Sat 24 Sept 2pm & 7pm<br />

Chequer Mead Theatre<br />

chequermead.org.uk


Steyning Arts<br />

Meet The Artists<br />

Fresh from the success of their recent Art Trail, the Steyning artists are already back at their easels and workstations. Formed<br />

in 2011, the Steyning Arts community brings together some 80 local artists offering them a chance to showcase their talents<br />

and make art more accessible to the community at large. In this series, we meet four of the artists behind the scenes to find<br />

out more about what makes them tick.<br />

Alexandra Owen<br />

I am the artist and printmaker behind Mega Lily<br />

Design. I work from my home studio in Hove<br />

and my tiny shop studio in Cobblestone Walk in<br />

Steyning. I have always been drawn to creativity<br />

and a few years ago, I completed a part time<br />

Fine Art course in Brighton where I discovered<br />

printmaking. Since then I have developed my own<br />

style and honed my skills, mainly working with<br />

linocut printing.<br />

My style is quite illustrative, focusing on light<br />

and the structure of the subject in each image.<br />

My work is mainly lino printing, and this is a<br />

method of relief printing similar to woodblock<br />

printing but using artists’ lino. After making a<br />

drawing, the image is transferred in reverse onto<br />

the lino and carved using a range of tools. Ink is<br />

then rolled onto the surface of the carved block<br />

and the paper laid on top, face down. The image<br />

is then burnished onto the paper, by hand or<br />

occasionally using my etching press. I also create<br />

a number of reduction prints, a complex method<br />

of printmaking that involves layers of inking with<br />

more lino carved away with each layer.<br />

My inspiration comes from the natural world, the<br />

mystery of humankind and often the relationship<br />

between the two. I am frequently inspired by<br />

conversations I have with visitors to my tiny shop.<br />

I have a particular love for Dandelion clocks and<br />

Honesty (Lunaria) seedheads, and they feature<br />

regularly in my printmaking. My three largest<br />

prints, all limited editions, feature Dandelion<br />

clocks, including “Delicate World” which was<br />

shortlisted for the Royal Academy Summer (Not<br />

Summer) Exhibition in 2020. My latest reduction<br />

linocut print, “A Little More Honesty…”, is a<br />

7-layer print created over several weeks in an<br />

edition of 12 prints.<br />

It is particularly important to me that owning<br />

original artwork is accessible to all and I therefore<br />

make a range of prints with this in mind. From<br />

tiny single layer prints to complex reduction prints<br />

and limited editions, there is something to suit all<br />

budgets. I can be found at Cobblestone Walk on<br />

Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 11-4, and online at<br />

www.MegaLilyDesign.com<br />

9


Amanda Duke<br />

Ten years ago, I re-established my own studio practice after a career in art<br />

teaching. I am now on my own creative journey which includes balancing<br />

exhibiting my work with teaching adults.<br />

My commitment to carving out a personal pathway and consolidating an<br />

authentic focus in my work is 100%. In the past I have been influenced<br />

by Picasso, especially his Cubist and later works, Ben Nicholson’s abstract<br />

reliefs, Kurt Schwitters collages and Peter Lanyon’s abstract aerial view<br />

paintings. My work reflects an affinity with these artists as I try to record the<br />

very essence of my visual, auditory and kinaesthetic experiences. I can relate<br />

to the abstraction in their observed responses to the world.<br />

As my works in paper, cloth and stitch have evolved, I have found<br />

connections with the paper and fabric works of Matthew Harris, especially<br />

his use of dyeing, stitching and cutting cloth as a medium for drawing. I<br />

found the gestural free motion machine stitching in Alice Kettle’s large scale<br />

works in her recent exhibition “Threadbound” exquisite. Her scintillating use<br />

of colour simply makes my heart leap, attaining her freedom of expression is<br />

something I truly aspire to. I can also relate to the underlying meaning and<br />

the symbolism in her work.<br />

Over the coming months, I will be exploring “Landscapes in Time” which<br />

will follow an instinct to walk, cycle and travel across my local, national,<br />

and sometimes international landscape. I will be collecting memorable<br />

moments, finding random objects, and observing the plant life, searching for<br />

the fragments that stimulate my imagination. I’ll be making visual responses<br />

along the way in sketchbooks, through photography and by making memory<br />

boxes.<br />

I’m bound to be processing my ideas further in the studio. An emotive,<br />

exploratory approach to recording the atmospheric effects of the prevailing<br />

light and weather on the scene and on closer observation of plant life, found<br />

objects and surfaces will lead my on-site research before processing my<br />

ideas further in the studio. An intuitive gravitation towards mixed media,<br />

drawing, paper and cloth collage, assemblage and stitch processes are bound<br />

to be included. It will be interesting to see whether emerging outcomes<br />

remain wall based or whether they disconnect from the vertical and occupy a<br />

different space!<br />

You’ll find me at www.amandaduke.co.uk<br />

10 | sussexexclusive.com


My work is<br />

often semiabstract<br />

but<br />

always contain<br />

identifiable<br />

subject matter<br />

with some<br />

accidental<br />

unforeseen<br />

results.<br />

Mike Kelly B.Ed; Dip.Ed; Cert Ed<br />

I studied arts and crafts between 1959-64 at<br />

the National College of Art, Dublin. When I<br />

emigrated to the UK in the mid-60s, I worked<br />

in industry while I continued my studies. I went<br />

on to teach art for 25 years, during which time I<br />

completed a Dip Ed, writing a dissertation on Art<br />

in the Middle Years at West London Institute of<br />

Education. I’ve worked with all kinds of media,<br />

including printing, fabrics, stained glass, oils, etc.<br />

I now work primarily in acrylics, water colour,<br />

pencil, inks and mixed media.<br />

Since moving to <strong>Sussex</strong> in 2009, the local landscape<br />

has had a considerable influence on my work.<br />

Bright colours play a significant part with depictions<br />

of light on water, landscape and buildings in the<br />

environment. My work is often semi-abstract but<br />

always contain identifiable subject matter with some<br />

accidental unforeseen results. I seek and experiment<br />

with ways to depict familiar locations in unexpected<br />

ways. I hope viewers will seek out different<br />

interpretations when looking at my work.<br />

My influences have stemmed from my early<br />

interest in architectural forms and the way<br />

theatre lighting affects the designs. The built<br />

environment was the main content of my<br />

degree exhibition and my involvement with<br />

amateur theatre groups in West London in the<br />

1970s and 80s (when I worked with Hounslow<br />

Theatre Workshop and Nova 70) widened my<br />

interest in designing and building sets for small<br />

local theatres and college productions. I’ve also<br />

produced the publicity posters and programme<br />

designs for these groups.<br />

Light effects, with segmented shapes and<br />

colour harmonies can be found in my current<br />

work. Artists such as Klee, Kandinsky, and the<br />

Futurists and Cubists are influences that can be<br />

seen in my paintings.<br />

During my early years in Ireland in the 1960s<br />

and later, I exhibited at the Oireachtas Ireland<br />

and the RDS (Royal Dublin Society) where<br />

I won the Taylor Bequest for oil painting.<br />

I have also exhibited at the Charlemont<br />

Gallery, Dunlaoghaire during summer visits to<br />

Ireland. During the 70s I wrote a dissertation<br />

on Dublin’s Architectural Heritage, which<br />

included pen and ink drawings of the city’s<br />

Georgian buildings. Other open exhibitions in<br />

the UK included Isleworth Regatta, Thomas<br />

Huxley College, The Waterman’s Centre, and<br />

Treaty Centre (Hounslow), and more recently<br />

with Steyning Arts in the yearly Art Trail.<br />

I was particularly pleased to have been asked<br />

by the Steyning Horticultural Society to plan<br />

and design the Welcome Sign including St<br />

Cuthman and his mother silhouette, for which<br />

I was awarded the Banksian Medal by the RHS<br />

in 2020 by Steyning Horticultural Society.<br />

Email: mike.jame@btinternet.com<br />

11


12 | sussexexclusive.com


Esther Collins<br />

I have always loved all aspects of art and design,<br />

noticing patterns, compositions, colour and<br />

texture in the things that I see around me. I have<br />

a background in graphic design and worked in<br />

the industry for eight years, before moving into<br />

teaching in 2007. I then worked as a lecturer on<br />

degree courses and as an Adult Education Tutor<br />

for Aspire <strong>Sussex</strong>, before running independent<br />

workshops and courses from my studio in<br />

Storrington. It was whilst undertaking a PGCE<br />

in Adult Education at Northbrook College, that I<br />

became drawn towards the colour and tactility of<br />

textiles as a medium.<br />

Over the past 15 years, I have learnt and<br />

practiced a whole range of techniques, which<br />

I have developed and made my own. I work<br />

predominantly with machine embroidery, as I<br />

love the freedom and speed of mark making,<br />

using a sewing machine to “draw with stitch”,<br />

creating collages which often integrate paper and<br />

other mixed media elements. However, I also<br />

like the more meditative approach of hand stitch,<br />

depending on the artwork. There are no rules<br />

to what I make! In addition, I use Batik dying<br />

and silk painting, as well as screen printing and<br />

printing my own papers.<br />

I am drawn to the natural world for inspiration,<br />

especially the textures and intricate patterns<br />

of plants and the landscape around us. I enjoy<br />

walking - the landscape of the South Downs and<br />

the local coastline are a big influence. I work<br />

intuitively, trying to capture the energy, memory<br />

and my feelings in response to what I see. Recently<br />

I have become interested in more abstract work,<br />

exploring surface design patterns, lines and<br />

layering which have personal meaning to me.<br />

Central to my work as an artist, is teaching; I<br />

really enjoy passing on skills to other people and<br />

hold workshops and courses in my studio in<br />

Storrington and in venues around <strong>Sussex</strong>. My<br />

aim is to create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere<br />

in a small group setting, with lots of one-to-one<br />

tuition. I believe creativity is crucial for a happy<br />

and fulfilling life and I try to encourage this<br />

however I can.<br />

See my website www.esthercollins.co.uk<br />

for more information.<br />

13


Ghools & Ghosties, &<br />

Long-Leggity Beasts!<br />

Our <strong>Sussex</strong> <strong>Exclusive</strong> historian, Peter Benner, explores where things go<br />

bump in the night and who may be rattling our nerves<br />

One of the first articles that I wrote<br />

about <strong>Sussex</strong> (and certainly the<br />

first I got paid for – I was about<br />

13 at the time), finished with the<br />

couplet,<br />

“I saw a ghost at Jacob’s Post<br />

Last night, almost!”<br />

I didn’t, and I don’t know anyone who did, but<br />

certainly the locals were afraid of passing “the<br />

post” at night. It is situated on the very northern<br />

end of Ditchling Common, near where was<br />

the Royal Oak (actually in Wivelsfield parish)<br />

and although the pub, and indeed its successor<br />

are no longer there, the post is and its gilded<br />

cockerel bears the date 1734, which was when<br />

the events took place which could have well<br />

given rise to a haunting.<br />

Jacob Harris, the murderous pedlar<br />

A travelling pedlar, Jacob Harris by name, having<br />

“booked in” at the pub, went on to murder the<br />

landlord, his wife and maid for which he was<br />

convicted and hanged at the site of the surviving<br />

post. This post had a great following, so much so<br />

that the original post, and probably another, were<br />

hacked away by people seeking a cure for toothache<br />

by carrying a splinter of it.<br />

Certainly <strong>Sussex</strong> has had its fair share of hauntings,<br />

and several historians have recorded them, notably<br />

R Thurston-Hopkins (1884-1958), Judy Middleton<br />

(Ghosts of <strong>Sussex</strong> 1988) and self-proclaimed ghost<br />

hunters such as Andrew Green of Robertsbridge<br />

and others who have gone out to seek strange<br />

phenomena, with some success. My purpose<br />

therefore is to try to link some of the actual<br />

14 | sussexexclusive.com


appearances that have graced our homes, ruins<br />

and glades.<br />

The headless hitchhiker<br />

If Jacob Harris did not appear to the unwary<br />

traveller, certainly the phantom “hitchhiker”<br />

did in St Leonards Forest near Horsham. The<br />

horsemen who took rides across the forest were<br />

likely to find an unexpected passenger riding<br />

pillion behind him. We know who it was, namely<br />

Captain Powlett, which is just as well because<br />

when hitching a lift, the Captain was not normally<br />

wearing his head!<br />

The Powletts were an ancient family in Shipley,<br />

just south of the forest but just who the Captain<br />

was, what he had done with his head and why he<br />

needed assistance with his transport arrangements<br />

is not clear.<br />

The horse of Brewer Griffith<br />

Certainly horses are known to appear when not<br />

expected. My late father-in-law Ronald Kenyon<br />

believed he saw a ghostly one crossing the road<br />

in front of him when returning at dusk from<br />

Brighton to Horsham at Dale Hill between<br />

Pyecombe and Poynings. This was undoubtedly<br />

the horse of Brewer Griffith of Brighton who was<br />

murdered by robbers near this spot and his horse<br />

turned loose. Like many other hauntings, recent<br />

researchers have associated this spot with “ley<br />

lines” radiating from Wolstonbury Hill.<br />

Geranium Jane<br />

Other <strong>Sussex</strong> hauntings can be linked by the<br />

nature of the manifestations. The former Kings<br />

Head at Cuckfield enjoyed the presence, and scent<br />

of Geranium Jane. A former housemaid who<br />

having fallen pregnant by the landlord, was killed<br />

by him dropping a pot of geraniums on her head.<br />

Other sad ladies who turn up to those that are<br />

receptive seem to be characterised by their clothing.<br />

There are plenty of “grey ladies” – they appear to<br />

those prepared to see them at the theatres of the<br />

Theatre Royal at Brighton and The Connaught at<br />

Worthing, but they also crop up at Preston Manor<br />

near Brighton and Michelham Priory.<br />

Drummer Boy<br />

White ladies abound too at Herstmonceux<br />

Castle and Battle Abbey, whilst some of our well<br />

documented hauntings are manifested by sound:<br />

at Herstmonceux the ramparts of the castle are<br />

well known (heard) to be frequented by the<br />

Drummer Boy whereas elsewhere in the county<br />

the acute may be regaled by ghostly music – the<br />

monkish choir at Poling, near Arundel, the<br />

lone singer at Didling and the phantom Polka<br />

performer at Angmering.<br />

Mysterious hands<br />

Sometimes however the manifestations<br />

vouchsafed to the faithful do not even offer them<br />

a full apparition! At Hangleton Manor near<br />

Hove, white hands have been known to resist<br />

access to doors, whereas at Twineham Rectory<br />

near Cuckfield, a gloved black hand was seen to<br />

progress on its own along the landing. One could<br />

say “unnerving”!<br />

Happy to be home<br />

So are the sad spirits from the past more likely<br />

to appear to those of a receptive mind? Maybe.<br />

Or perhaps, like the white lady at Preston Manor<br />

they will be appeased when properly re-interred<br />

in hallowed ground. Or some, like the old groom<br />

who haunted a stable at Alfriston or another<br />

benign spirit who crops up from time to time,<br />

the late Sir Hubert Parry who has appeared in his<br />

beloved Knightscroft at Rustington, perhaps they<br />

are all just happy to be home. In fact, perhaps<br />

these spirits are, like the rest of us, happy to be<br />

home in <strong>Sussex</strong>.<br />

Herstmonceux Castle<br />

Theatre Royal, Brighton<br />

A former housemaid<br />

who<br />

having fallen<br />

pregnant by the<br />

landlord, was<br />

killed by him<br />

dropping a pot<br />

of geraniums on<br />

her head.<br />

15


Inheritance<br />

Tax<br />

Agricultural Property Relief<br />

for Vineyards and Wineries<br />

A<br />

great bottle of wine is a<br />

wonderfully simple thing, at least<br />

to the consumer! The issues for<br />

a winemaker or the owner of a<br />

vineyard are however much more<br />

wide ranging.<br />

Let’s focus on Inheritance Tax (“IHT”) which is<br />

ordinarily payable at the rate of 40% on the assets<br />

of an individual who has died, subject to the nil<br />

rate band, currently £325,000, and any reliefs<br />

available, which are discussed below. The reason<br />

for this focus is of course that consideration<br />

of the IHT consequences is an integral part of<br />

succession planning for you and your vineyard or<br />

winery.<br />

HM Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) have<br />

confirmed Agricultural Property Relief (“APR”)<br />

for IHT purposes has been extended to include<br />

vineyards and wineries. Given the success of the<br />

English wine industry, it is pleasing that the tax<br />

code has caught up with the real world.<br />

But first, what is APR?<br />

In summary, APR is the tax relief given for IHT<br />

purposes on land occupied for the purposes of<br />

agriculture, together with related buildings and<br />

houses used in conjunction with that land. There<br />

are time ownership requirements: two years for<br />

owner occupiers and seven years for tenanted<br />

farmland.<br />

There is then the rate of tax relief: 100% if the<br />

land is in-hand or let on a Farm Business Tenancy<br />

or if vacant possession can be obtained within<br />

two years, and 50% in most other cases. The tax<br />

legislation does not define “agriculture” but it<br />

is normally taken to include horticulture, fruit<br />

growing, rearing of livestock or fish, together<br />

with any woodlands ancillary to the farming<br />

operation.<br />

What is the official guidance?<br />

The guidance from HM Revenue and Customs<br />

confirms horticulture includes “cultivation to<br />

produce food for human and animal consumption”<br />

with the clarification “’food’ in this context would<br />

include, for example, grapes grown to produce wine<br />

and apples grown to produce cider”.<br />

Given the increasing acreage made over to wine<br />

production in South East England, this is to be<br />

much applauded. With <strong>Sussex</strong> and Surrey being<br />

the perfect location to produce outstanding wine,<br />

it is no wonder there are now over one hundred<br />

wineries including a number of well-known<br />

names such as, Ridgeview, Bolney, Wiston,<br />

Tinwood and Rathfinny as well as others with an<br />

international following.<br />

So what does that all mean?<br />

Whilst each of these businesses will benefit from<br />

this clarification when assets are gifted in lifetime,<br />

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on the passing of an individual or when put into<br />

trust, more significantly this tax relief contributes<br />

to the continuity of the business as it passes from<br />

one generation to the next and the livelihoods of<br />

those involved.<br />

Does APR include farm<br />

buildings?<br />

Whilst farm buildings used as part of the winery<br />

will qualify for APR, derelict farm buildings<br />

do not qualify for APR as they are not being<br />

occupied for the purposes of agriculture.<br />

This may be particularly relevant if a farm is<br />

transitioning from traditional horticultural use to<br />

being a vineyard or winery and not all the farm<br />

buildings are used in the wine making business.<br />

And what about the owner’s<br />

house?<br />

The test for whether the owner’s house is of “a<br />

character appropriate to the property” requires<br />

consideration of four factors:<br />

• Is the house appropriate by reference to its<br />

size, content and layout with the winery<br />

buildings and the size of the vineyard?<br />

• Is the house proportionate in size and nature<br />

to the requirements of the winery?<br />

• Would the educated rural layman regard<br />

the house as the core of the winery or just a<br />

large country house with land purchased for<br />

lifestyle reasons?<br />

• How long has the house been associated with<br />

the land and is there a history of horticulture?<br />

The winery owner’s house should therefore<br />

qualify for APR if of a character appropriate to<br />

the vineyard or winery, provided it is where the<br />

wine making business is controlled from.<br />

Also when a wine making business transitions<br />

from one generation to the next, there is a risk<br />

the house may in fact have become a retirement<br />

home and is no longer the centre of operations<br />

for the winery. The next generation may need<br />

to occupy the house if they are continuing the<br />

family winery business with the older generation<br />

moving to a different and perhaps smaller<br />

property on the vineyard or elsewhere.<br />

Are farm cottages within APR?<br />

Cottages on farms can also qualify for APR,<br />

usually at 100%, provided they meet the<br />

“character appropriate” test and an occupation<br />

test. Employee occupied houses qualify as do<br />

certain others.<br />

If a temporary vacancy is to occur it is to<br />

your discretion whether the cottage would<br />

be considered as held for the purposes of<br />

agriculture. Individuals should take care that<br />

the cottages let to an unconnected person<br />

will be unlikely to qualify for the relief, on<br />

the basis it would ‘not be occupied for the<br />

purposes of agriculture’.<br />

How are borrowings treated?<br />

The old rules provided that borrowings, even<br />

if used to acquire property qualifying for APR,<br />

would be deductible against the asset on which it<br />

was secured.<br />

It is now the case that where new borrowings are<br />

taken out, the borrowing is set against the assets<br />

qualifying for APR to the extent the borrowings<br />

were used to acquire the APR qualifying property.<br />

What are the APR dangers?<br />

There are some. The most obvious in a wine<br />

making business is APR will not be available<br />

if there is a binding contract for sale of the<br />

property in the partnership or shareholders<br />

agreement, but this can usually be avoided by<br />

having in place buy and sell option agreements.<br />

Landowners also need to be cautious of<br />

alternative revenue streams on the land.<br />

Diversification of land operations may lead to<br />

income from alternative sources, but could hurt<br />

the availability of APR on the asset. Examples of<br />

this may include renewable energy projects and<br />

holiday businesses.<br />

What if the farmland and<br />

buildings have development<br />

value?<br />

APR is only given for the agricultural value of<br />

the property as opposed to the open market<br />

value of the property. Sometimes these amounts<br />

are the same but on occasion HMRC insist on<br />

agricultural value being 60-70% of open market<br />

value even though there is no such standard<br />

discount. Each case will need to be considered<br />

on its merits.<br />

If however the land has hope or development<br />

value, particularly if the vineyard is next to a<br />

built up area or could be the next strategic site in<br />

a local authority approved plan, the excess value<br />

over the agricultural value will not attract APR.<br />

The position may however be saved by Business<br />

Property Relief, another form of tax relief for<br />

Inheritance Tax relief purposes, if the land is<br />

used in the owner’s own trading business.<br />

If you would like to discuss Agricultural<br />

Property Relief for your vineyard or winery,<br />

please get in touch.<br />

Stuart Ritchie is a<br />

chartered accountant<br />

and chartered tax<br />

adviser with over 30<br />

years experience. He<br />

is a tax partner with<br />

Ritchie Philips LLP<br />

based in Horsham<br />

and can be contacted<br />

on 020 3195 1300<br />

or at stuart.ritchie@<br />

ritchiephillips.co.uk. He<br />

has direct experience of<br />

securing APR relief for<br />

IHT for agricultural<br />

businesses as they pass<br />

between generations.<br />

17


2<br />

1<br />

3 4<br />

Summer Style<br />

Donna Camera spills the beans on this season’s essentials from festival<br />

Ts to beach themed earrings essentials from floral prints to chunky boots!<br />

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5<br />

6<br />

7<br />

The days are long, the sun is hazy<br />

and it’s time to enjoy the very<br />

best of summer whether that<br />

means glamping at a festival,<br />

meeting friends for a barbeque<br />

or escaping for a well-earned break. Nothing<br />

says summer more than bright colours,<br />

t-shirts, and sandals and Donna from La<br />

Vida has her top six recommendations to<br />

help you feel and look great as you jet off to<br />

enjoy the sunshine.<br />

1 Float like a butterfly<br />

An easy to wear butterfly sleeve dress is just<br />

perfect for the summer season. Designed using<br />

Indian saris for the print, this style is soft and<br />

silky to wear.<br />

2 It’s all about the statement T<br />

This one with the fabulous Frida Kahlo icon is<br />

perfect for that summer festival vibe<br />

3 More from Frida!<br />

This summer fruit Frida Kahlo scarf can be<br />

used in so many ways. Add to a plain T or<br />

dress by draping around the neck, use as a belt<br />

or even as a head scarf on the beach.<br />

4 The perfect summer dress for<br />

any social occasion<br />

This bold summer print dress is the perfect outfit<br />

for a summer wedding, christening, garden party<br />

or just a bit of glamorous colour.<br />

5 Accessorise your feet!<br />

These beautiful butterfly jewelled sandals in a<br />

neutral colour will go with all of your summer<br />

wardrobe while the jewels will sparkle in the<br />

sunlight.<br />

6 Bold is beautiful<br />

This stunning and quirky crepe print dress has<br />

a lovely drape crossover to the front. The shape<br />

is very flattering to wear, and the exquisite stork<br />

print makes this dress a real statement.<br />

7 Beach babe moments<br />

Embrace the summer beach vibe with our hand<br />

beaded shell earrings. Statement jewellery is a<br />

must have for the summer!<br />

Donna<br />

www.lavidaboutique.co.uk<br />

Donna Camera<br />

has worked in<br />

fashion for over<br />

20 years and<br />

is founder and<br />

owner of La<br />

Vida Boutique in<br />

Horsham which<br />

specialises<br />

in affordable<br />

luxury in ladies’<br />

fashion and<br />

accessories.<br />

19


1st Sarah Russell, Shoreham Beach<br />

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The Best of <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

on Camera<br />

We asked and you delivered! Here are the<br />

winners of our <strong>Sussex</strong> photo competition as<br />

judged by professional, local photographer<br />

Sophie Ward<br />

Back in May, we invited you to send us<br />

photographs with the theme of “The<br />

Best Thing About <strong>Sussex</strong>”. We loved<br />

receiving all your shots and because<br />

we thought they were all beautiful, we<br />

asked <strong>Sussex</strong> photographer Sophie Ward to help<br />

us judge the winner.<br />

Sophie worked as a professional photographer in<br />

London’s newsrooms and magazines for 20 years.<br />

She started her own photography business in<br />

2007 after moving out of London to Broadbridge<br />

Heath near Horsham in West <strong>Sussex</strong>.<br />

“When I first moved here, I was instantly<br />

welcomed by the people of Broadbridge Heath.<br />

My husband and I have fallen in love with West<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong>. We feel very lucky to be bringing our<br />

children up here”.<br />

Nowadays you will find Sophie shooting for<br />

businesses and weddings in the south east<br />

of England and recently running business<br />

photography workshops for Horsham District<br />

Council. And she’s been kind enough to provide a<br />

little bit of feedback too.<br />

So to the results and our winning 5 and top 10<br />

photos! Thank you to everyone who submitted a<br />

photo, we can’t share them all here, but we will<br />

post them on our social media with full credit to<br />

you, of course!<br />

Sophie’s winning selection<br />

1st Sarah Russell, Shoreham Beach<br />

2nd Chris Lees, Tilgate Park<br />

3rd Anna McCabe, Balcombe Viaduct<br />

4th Anna McCabe, Rushey Hill, Peacehaven<br />

5th Peter Nesbitt, Littlehampton<br />

2nd Chris Lees, Tilgate Park<br />

21


Our judge’s feedback<br />

Sarah Russell.<br />

Shoreham Beach<br />

This would make a lovely front cover on any local<br />

magazine, the reflection from the sun on the sea<br />

and wet rocks is beautiful, you have also captured<br />

the glistening shingle on the beach and some<br />

wave detail. A stunning photo.<br />

Chris Lees.<br />

Tilgate Park<br />

When I first looked at this photo the colour hit<br />

me. Then I spotted the bee and was pleasantly<br />

surprised. A wonderful capture of a very fastmoving<br />

creature. There is lots of detail on the<br />

flower and I like the slightly upwards angle the<br />

photographer has taken.<br />

3rd Anna McCabe, Balcombe Viaduct<br />

Anna McCabe.<br />

Balcombe<br />

Viaduct<br />

A well-lit landscape of<br />

the famous Balcombe<br />

Viaduct, you have<br />

captured some splendid<br />

cloud detail and the<br />

shadows on the viaduct<br />

aren’t too harsh so you<br />

can still see some detail<br />

in them. You have<br />

made the viaduct look<br />

huge which it is, so<br />

well done.<br />

4th Anna McCabe, Rushey Hill, Peacehaven<br />

Anna McCabe.<br />

Rushey Hill<br />

A night scene, with<br />

the moon over a<br />

holiday park, lovely<br />

cloud detail and good<br />

composition. I love<br />

the contact with the<br />

warmth of the holiday<br />

homes against the cold<br />

of the night.<br />

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5th Peter Nesbitt, Littlehampton<br />

Peter Nesbitt.<br />

Littlehampton<br />

I love how the winding path is leading my eye down to the empty beach,<br />

making me want to wander into the middle of the photograph. A calm photo.<br />

Amy Parsons. Bluebells at Highdown Worthing<br />

Amy Parsons.<br />

Bluebells at Highdown Worthing<br />

A gorgeous full frame of bluebells, I can almost<br />

smell them, and the colour is so rich. I’m slightly<br />

distracted by the tall stem poking its head up<br />

in the middle of the photograph. But a nicely<br />

framed photo.<br />

Anna Key. Sheffield Park<br />

Anna Key.<br />

Sheffield Park<br />

Lovely composition of<br />

autumn tree reflections<br />

in a lake and taken in<br />

beautiful light. The<br />

shadows on the righthand<br />

side are a bit<br />

distracting, maybe try<br />

cropping them out of<br />

your photo. Overall a<br />

lovely photo.<br />

23


Tracy Voller, Tulips<br />

Becca Bridges. Henfield Priory<br />

Tracy Voller<br />

Stunning detail on this very vibrant tulip but<br />

be careful about the background which can<br />

sometimes be a bit distracting.<br />

Becca Bridges. Henfield Priory<br />

A pleasing photo of a beautiful moth on some buddleia. The moth is very<br />

sharp, and you can see lots of detail. The photo has lots of contrast which is<br />

slightly detracting from the main subject but a very nice wildlife photo indeed.<br />

Anna McCabe.<br />

Peacehaven<br />

A beautiful seascape<br />

and I can almost feel<br />

the sea spray on my<br />

face. The cloud detail<br />

is lovely but try using<br />

your camera grid as<br />

the wonky horizon is<br />

a bit distracting.<br />

Anna McCabe.<br />

Peacehaven<br />

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A celebration of<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> Sparkling Wine & Gin<br />

Saturday November 19th<br />

12.00 - 6.00pm<br />

South Lodge, Brighton Road, Horsham RH13 6PS<br />

Book your ticket today<br />

www.bubblesandbotanicals.net<br />

Stalls &<br />

Tastings<br />

An event by<br />

25


Central <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Wine Tour<br />

Experience vineyard life and discover award winning local wines<br />

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This year, and as <strong>Sussex</strong> has been appointed a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for wine by<br />

the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), at <strong>Sussex</strong> <strong>Exclusive</strong> we’re<br />

celebrating our <strong>Sussex</strong> wine heritage. And in this second in our series of wine tour suggestions, we<br />

explore Ditching, Ashdown Forest and Mayfield.<br />

You can find the first of our wine tours here: West <strong>Sussex</strong> Wine Tour<br />

Ditchling<br />

Our central <strong>Sussex</strong> wine tour starts in Ditchling,<br />

just north of Brighton where there is a veritable<br />

cluster of exceptional vineyards.<br />

Ditchling may be small, but it is perfectly formed<br />

and has some good reasons to visit in addition to<br />

the wine. The village dates back to about 765 AD<br />

and is perhaps most famous for being owned by<br />

King Alfred the Great! By 1068 it was recorded in<br />

the Domesday Book as belonging to William de<br />

Warenne.<br />

Ditchling Garden Manor (just opposite the<br />

church) was gifted to Anne of Cleves as part of<br />

her divorce settlement from King Henry V<strong>II</strong>I.<br />

Although she never lived there, it is a striking<br />

and beautiful Tudor building. To the side of the<br />

church, is Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft<br />

which celebrates, in part, the life and work of<br />

sculptor and letter cutter Eric Gill and the Guild<br />

of St Joseph and St Dominic, a local community<br />

of artists and craftsmen, including painters,<br />

silversmiths, sculptors, ceramicists and weavers.<br />

No visit to Ditchling is complete with out a hike<br />

up the South Downs and Ditchling Beacon. The<br />

beacon is the highest point in East <strong>Sussex</strong> and<br />

was the site of an Iron Age hill fort, which, if you<br />

know what you’re looking for, you can still make<br />

out. It’s now owned by the National Trust.<br />

Court Garden<br />

Court Garden is on a site that dates back to<br />

Saxon times when it was the Manor of Ditchling<br />

Garden. The vineyard was established in 2005<br />

and is a 17-acre, family vineyard growing Pinot<br />

Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier for the<br />

production of sparkling wine, and also Pinot<br />

Gris, Ortega, Rondo and Pinot Blanc for use in<br />

still wine. Two rare old varieties of Arbanne and<br />

Petit Meslier are grown as well. Court Garden<br />

has won both national and international awards,<br />

including the IWC Trophy for Best English<br />

Sparkling Wine awarded to their Blanc de Blancs<br />

2010 Vintage in 2015.<br />

They offer two different guided tours, plus a selfguided<br />

tour and a tasting-only tour as well as a<br />

picnic lunch option.<br />

Vineyards in Ditchling<br />

Ridgeview<br />

A <strong>Sussex</strong> wine big gun and winner of the IWSC<br />

winemaker of the year 2018, Ridgeview have<br />

been established for over 25 years and were one of<br />

England’s first wineries. They produce sparkling<br />

wine from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot<br />

Meunier grapes.<br />

Ridgeview is well stocked across the county, and<br />

they also offer “The Ridgeview Experience” which<br />

includes a tour of the vineyard, winery and cellars<br />

followed by a tasting overlooking the South<br />

Downs. This summer (<strong>2022</strong>), they are opening a<br />

brand new, all-weather outdoor venue for dining<br />

and wine tasting.<br />

27


Black Dog Hill<br />

Named after a local legend (about a black dog<br />

that roams the hills), this family run vineyard<br />

within the Ditchling Beacon also has a cellar door<br />

in Ditchling village.<br />

They produce vintage Classic Cuvée using their<br />

own Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier<br />

grapes combined with the talents of well-known<br />

winemaker, Dermot Sugrue. Their wines have a<br />

won a number of awards including IWSC Gold<br />

in 2015. You can arrange a tour by appointment,<br />

and they deliver locally for free. You can also<br />

taste and buy their wines at their brewery at<br />

Morehouse Farm in nearby Wivelsfield.<br />

Bee Tree Vineyard<br />

Just north of Ditchling at Wivelsfield Green,<br />

Bee Tree is an independent, family-run vineyard.<br />

They are all about ethically and sustainably<br />

grown fruit and are certified by the Sustainable<br />

Wines of Great Britain committee. They<br />

produce a mixture of sparkling and still wine and<br />

although they don’t offer tours as yet, you can<br />

buy from their shop.<br />

Ashdown Forest<br />

The next leg of your central <strong>Sussex</strong> wine tour<br />

takes you north to Ashdown Forest. This is<br />

an area of ancient and open heathland within<br />

the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural<br />

Beauty. It has views across <strong>Sussex</strong> and has<br />

played an important role in our <strong>Sussex</strong> life since<br />

prehistoric times.<br />

Today it covers 9.5 square miles and is ideal for<br />

short walks or longer hikes. It’s also famous for<br />

being the setting for the Winnie-the-Pooh stories<br />

and has its own windmill at Nutley. Nearby<br />

places to visit include the Bluebell Railway,<br />

Wakehurst Place and Standen House (a National<br />

Trust) property.<br />

There are a couple of fabulous local places to<br />

stay too which include Buxted Park Hotel and<br />

Ashdown Park Hotel and there is a visitor centre<br />

at Wych Cross, near Forest Row.<br />

Vineyards near Ashdown Forest<br />

Bluebell Vineyard Estate<br />

In between North Chailey and Danehill, Bluebell<br />

Vineyard Estates is home to “Hindleap” sparkling<br />

wines and “Ashdown” still wines. Once home<br />

to thousands of Large Whites and Landrace<br />

pigs, there are now over 130,000 vines growing<br />

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and<br />

Seyval Blanc.<br />

They offer three tours /tasting experiences<br />

namely: Wine Tastings, Public Vineyard and<br />

Winery Tours (described as a “true ‘grape to glass’<br />

experience) and a Wine & Cheese Tour.<br />

Kingscote Estate and Vineyard<br />

A family-owned vineyard just to the north<br />

of Ashdown Forest, the 160-acre estate at<br />

Kingscote has 70 acres of vines and several<br />

different varieties of grape. They have<br />

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een operating organically since 2019 and they<br />

produce still and sparkling wine.<br />

You can also stay in their beautifully refurbished<br />

coach house, and they offer a variety of tours and<br />

tastings as well as fishing and what they call their<br />

Bottomless Brunch: Sunday Brunch, with as many<br />

glasses of bubbles as your heart desires accompanied<br />

by a feast of local produce and homemade Brunch<br />

treats; sweet pastries, savoury baked goodies, Greek<br />

yogurt with fresh berries, honey and granola, homebaked<br />

banana bread and more.<br />

Soaked in history, the farmhouse itself was built<br />

in 1320 as an Iron Master’s house, while the new<br />

visitor centre is in an original 15th century Tithe<br />

barn.<br />

Downsview Vineyard<br />

To the east of Ashdown Forest, and just between<br />

Hadlow Down and Crowborough, Downsview<br />

was planted in 2010. They have a mixture of<br />

grapes including Dornfelder, Bacchus and<br />

Ortega, as well as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and<br />

Pinot Meunier. They make their wines and some<br />

ciders in their purpose-built winery, powered<br />

by renewable energy. They offer a tour of their<br />

vineyard and winery, followed by a tasting<br />

during which you’ll learn about growing vines in<br />

England, and the winemaking process for both<br />

still and sparkling wine.<br />

They also have four bell tents in a little orchard<br />

next to the vines with a fire pit and a welcome<br />

glass of Downsview wine.<br />

Mayfield<br />

This last part of our central <strong>Sussex</strong> wine tour<br />

takes you to Mayfield, a picturesque and historic<br />

village only a stone’s throw from Royal Tunbridge<br />

Wells. Steeped in local legend and folklore about<br />

Mayfield, St Dunstan and the devil, Mayfield<br />

predates the Doomsday book.<br />

Dominating the town is the school which was<br />

once the site of a palace of the Archbishop of<br />

Canterbury, and it’s believed that Elizabeth I was<br />

entertained here. The village also has a smuggling<br />

past, and the Mayfield Gang (with their leader<br />

Gabriel Tomkins) were known as non-violent<br />

“owlers” (wool smugglers). The Middle House in<br />

the High Street has numerous tales of its own –<br />

from secret priest holes and prison cells to murders<br />

and suicides, and the Mayfield Gang are believed<br />

to have used a number of tunnels that run under<br />

the village one of which ends in the wine cellar of<br />

The Middle House.<br />

Other properties of note in the village include the<br />

18th century Stone House, Yeoman’s (an early<br />

15th century Wealden Hall), and 15th century<br />

Walnut Tree House.<br />

If you’re looking for things do, head to Royal<br />

Tunbridge Wells for shopping and theatres, or<br />

towards Argos Hill and the town’s windmill for<br />

a hearty walk. Mayfield also holds its own music<br />

and arts festival each spring. Nearby, Heathfield<br />

has a spring “Cuckoo” fair, as well as a sizeable<br />

agricultural show in May and a Cuckoo cycling<br />

trail.<br />

For places to stay, The Middle House in the<br />

village itself is a charismatic central point or for<br />

something different, try the luxurious and utterly<br />

beautiful tree house at Heavenly Hoots just<br />

outside the village.<br />

Vineyards near Mayfield<br />

Fox and Fox<br />

Just outside Mayfield, Fox and Fox is another<br />

family vineyard where they have been producing<br />

wine since 2009. They grow Pinot Noir, Pinot<br />

Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot gris. Their<br />

emphasis is on minimal intervention in the<br />

vineyard and light manipulation in the winery<br />

with a “desire to create interesting and delicious<br />

cuvées for wine lovers and occasional drinkers<br />

alike”. They’ve won multiple awards for their<br />

wines, and although they don’t offer tours yet,<br />

you can buy online.<br />

Tickerage<br />

This is perhaps one of the smallest vineyards in<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> with just five acres. Situated in Blackboys<br />

just outside Uckfield, they now have a cellar door<br />

and are also offering monthly tours, with tasting<br />

of 2 sparkling and 1 still wine. They also offer<br />

bespoke private tours with a selection of deli style<br />

platters and homemade scones to accompany<br />

their range.<br />

Hollow Lane Vineyard<br />

A small family run vineyard, near Uckfield, the<br />

first vines were planted here in 2011. They now<br />

have 5600 vines and produce sparkling wine at<br />

their onsite winery. They also now have a wine<br />

tasting area and host vineyard tours and wine<br />

tasting, and you can also order a picnic.<br />

29


GARDENING<br />

© Selina Lake and Sussie Bell<br />

Make the most of<br />

your garden<br />

From tea parties to bug removal, award winning gardener,<br />

writer and broadcaster, Geoff Stonebanks, shares his tips<br />

30 | sussexexclusive.com


Every garden<br />

enjoyed, every<br />

piece of cake<br />

served and<br />

every cuppa<br />

poured will<br />

support the<br />

wonderful work<br />

of Macmillan<br />

Cancer Support,<br />

Marie Curie,<br />

Hospice UK,<br />

Carer’s Trust,<br />

Parkinson’s<br />

UK and The<br />

Queen’s Nursing<br />

Institute -<br />

charities<br />

supported by<br />

the National<br />

Garden Scheme.<br />

Welcome to this, my inaugural<br />

gardening feature for the<br />

digital magazine. I hope you<br />

enjoy reading the content<br />

and future articles about<br />

gardening and garden visiting.<br />

The month of July is often one of the hottest<br />

months of the year and a great time to sit back<br />

and appreciate the fruits of your labour by<br />

enjoying your garden. It is essential to keep plants<br />

looking good by regularly dead-heading and you'll<br />

be able to enjoy a longer display of magnificent<br />

blooms. Make sure you keep new plants wellwatered,<br />

using grey water where possible, and hoe<br />

off weeds, which always thrive in the sunshine.<br />

Host a Tea Party<br />

If you enjoy sharing your love of gardens then<br />

maybe the perfect solution is to host a party<br />

for family and friends and do so as part of the<br />

National Garden Scheme’s, Great British Garden<br />

Party, now in its third year! It is very simple to take<br />

part, as the scheme invites everyone and anyone to<br />

join them and Dame Mary Berry, President of the<br />

National Garden Scheme and undisputed Queen<br />

of Cakes invites you to hold your own Great<br />

British Garden Party event to raise funds for some<br />

of the most important and best-loved nursing and<br />

health charities in the UK.<br />

The important point is that it doesn’t matter<br />

whether your garden is large or small, a horticultural<br />

delight or a children’s playground, you can still<br />

get involved and have fun! Your event can be<br />

anything - an informal barbeque, coffee morning or<br />

quintessential afternoon tea and cake, family bakeoff,<br />

book swap or plant sale by your garden gate.<br />

Every garden enjoyed, every piece of cake served<br />

and every cuppa poured will support the wonderful<br />

work of Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie,<br />

Hospice UK, Carer’s Trust, Parkinson’s UK and The<br />

Queen’s Nursing Institute – charities supported by<br />

the National Garden Scheme.<br />

Joining the Great British Garden Party couldn’t be<br />

simpler. Just sign up, invite your guests and start<br />

planning your perfect day. On the website you’ll<br />

find colourful invitations to send to your guests,<br />

tips on how to boost your fundraising, mouthwatering<br />

recipes, and inspirational ideas for the<br />

perfect event to help you on your way. Their<br />

official garden party week is 16 th – 24 th July but<br />

you can choose any day across the summer that is<br />

best for you. Full details at www.ngs.org.uk<br />

Greenhouse<br />

If, like me, you have a greenhouse remember they<br />

can really overheat through the summer months<br />

and your plants can suffer from sun scorch. It<br />

might be useful to install some shade netting or<br />

a polythene mesh to help reduce temperatures. I<br />

put mine up every spring and take it down again<br />

for the winter months to allow maximum light in<br />

the darker months. Something I’ve not personally<br />

tried but can also achieve success is to use shade<br />

paints which are painted on the exterior of the<br />

glass. Make sure you open greenhouse vents<br />

and doors on warm days, to help improve air<br />

circulation. If you are growing tomatoes, water<br />

daily to prevent them drying out, which can lead<br />

to split fruit.<br />

Bugs<br />

I’ve got several large containers of wonderful lilies<br />

around the garden. Those orange ones pictured,<br />

belonged to my aunt, who died back in 2004. I<br />

inherited the pot from her garden and the flowers<br />

pop up religiously every year in her memory!<br />

They are beautiful flowers, but their one downfall<br />

is that they are very susceptible to damage from<br />

scarlet lily beetle.<br />

The larvae from them can strip plants in a matter<br />

of days, so, be on the lookout for them. I’ll also<br />

be checking for their sticky brown larvae on the<br />

underside of the leaves. You can just remove the<br />

larvae and the beetles by hand. It’s also a good<br />

thing to look for aphids (greenfly and blackfly) on<br />

the stems and leaves of your plant shoots as well.<br />

I do tend to use a bug spray in my garden when<br />

needed.<br />

Plant care<br />

If, like me, you have a few sweet peas in the<br />

garden then do remember to water and feed them<br />

regularly, pick the flowers every few days, and<br />

remove seed pods to prolong flowering, you’ll<br />

be surprised at how many flowers they produce.<br />

They are such delicate flowers with an amazing<br />

scent. Now is also a good time to cut back hardy<br />

Geraniums and Delphiniums, after their first<br />

flush of flowers. This will really encourage lots of<br />

new growth.<br />

Visit Driftwood<br />

If you open your garden, as I do every summer,<br />

then cakes are one of the key ingredients to make<br />

it a success. Over the 10 or more years that I’ve<br />

been doing it, I’ve personally baked in excess<br />

of 8500 portions of cake. The added bonus at<br />

Driftwood is that I serve everything on vintage<br />

china too, making the experience a perfect<br />

summer day out, weather permitting, of course.<br />

For those that would like to visit the garden, it<br />

is open from 1 st June right through to 31 st July,<br />

every day for visitors “by arrangement”.<br />

Just call 01323 899296 or email<br />

visitdriftwood@gmail.com to arrange.<br />

Full details at www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk<br />

GARDENING<br />

31


Get thee back<br />

to FRANCE<br />

Tales of a real-life French invasion of Brighton<br />

as recounted by local historian and author, Nils Visser<br />

32 | sussexexclusive.com


Clockwise:<br />

British Napoleonic<br />

re-enactors<br />

(dreamstime.com)<br />

© Alejandro<br />

Montecatine,<br />

© Martin Brayley<br />

Prince of Wales (later<br />

George IV), ca. 1798<br />

Nils Visser ©<br />

Corin Spinks<br />

Nixon Martha Gunn<br />

Get Thee Back to<br />

France Closeup<br />

As author of short stories, novellas,<br />

and novels set in <strong>Sussex</strong> I’m always<br />

on the lookout for anything weird<br />

and wonderful to adapt for my<br />

stories. Needless to say, <strong>Sussex</strong> has<br />

plenty on offer.<br />

One of my favourites by far is one that sounds<br />

so far-fetched that it begs to be relegated to<br />

the status of urban myth, namely a simulated<br />

“French” invasion of Brighton.<br />

Fear of revolutionary France was rife in the 1790s.<br />

An invasion wasn’t a wholly unrealistic prospect,<br />

and one for which Britain was poorly prepared.<br />

One Briton, however, simply couldn’t wait for<br />

such excitement to happen, namely one George<br />

Augustus Frederick Hanover. He would later<br />

ascend the throne as King George IV, but at the<br />

time of this tale he was still the Prince of Wales,<br />

affectionately known as “Prinny” in Brighton.<br />

His extravagant lifestyle and fondness of dubious<br />

entertainments did much to set the tone of social<br />

life in Brighton, where he was also dubbed “The<br />

Prince of Pleasure”.<br />

The Prince of Pleasure was fond of military<br />

pageants. Later, as Prince Regent, he would reenact<br />

famous Wellington victories in London’s<br />

Hyde Park, but in the 1790s he had to make do<br />

with more modest affairs. Like a French invasion<br />

of Brighton.<br />

Too impatient to wait for a real invasion, Prinny<br />

ordered two battalions of the British Army to<br />

Brighton beach, and a temporary stand built<br />

from where he could observe the proceedings<br />

with guests. One battalion, from Northumbria,<br />

was dressed up in blue coats and armed with<br />

mock training stocks instead of real muskets.<br />

They were landed ashore by the Royal Navy. The<br />

other battalion, in their own red coats, was to<br />

march through Brighton and arrive in the nick<br />

of time in order to heroically repulse the French<br />

invasion.<br />

This second battalion wasn’t local either and<br />

unfamiliar with Brighton. Instead of marching to<br />

the beach, they headed west toward Shoreham,<br />

inadvertently bypassing the “invasion” altogether.<br />

The “French” army duly landed on the beach<br />

and assembled in formation, but there wasn’t a<br />

redcoat to be seen, leading to much confused<br />

shouting. Now the common folk from the Lanes<br />

hadn’t been told about Prinny’s grand plans.<br />

All they knew, was that a great many soldiers<br />

in blue coats had landed on the beach. They<br />

couldn’t make head nor tail of the Northumbrian<br />

dialect, and concluded that these strange soldiers<br />

speaking “furrin” must indeed be the muchdreaded<br />

French. The word spread like wildfire in<br />

the Lanes: The French are invading!<br />

Being properly patriotic, the common Lanesfolk<br />

mobilised, grabbing whatever was to hand –<br />

mostly tools of their trades – and storming out of<br />

the Lanes and onto the beach, led by none other<br />

than the famous Queen of the Dippers, Martha<br />

Gunn, formidable still at eighty-seven years old,<br />

and wielding a broomstick.<br />

It was, of course, an incredibly brave thing to<br />

do, because the Lanesfolk assumed they would<br />

be tackling real French soldiers armed with<br />

loaded muskets and bayonets. The blue-coated<br />

Northumbrians took one look at the charging<br />

Lanesfolk and fled into the surf, hollering at the<br />

Royal Navy boats – rowing back to their ships –<br />

to come back and pick them up. The Lanesfolk<br />

reached the “French” soldiers where they were<br />

able to scramble into the boats and gave them<br />

a proper “bannicking” (broad <strong>Sussex</strong> dialect for<br />

beating). It was reported that Martha Gunn<br />

picked up an officer by the scruff of his neck,<br />

lifted him in the air, and then gave him a knockout<br />

punch, shouting, “Get thee back to France!”.<br />

Prinny was delighted and cheered the Lanesfolk<br />

on, afterwards insisting that Martha Gunn was<br />

introduced to him.<br />

Looking further into this remarkable event,<br />

I found a logical explanation for the whole<br />

affair. In 1794, John Colley Nixon produced an<br />

illustration showing Martha Gunn and other<br />

women beating back a “French” invasion of<br />

Brighton, as a satirical comment on the lack of<br />

national preparedness for such a calamity. The<br />

illustration, it was said, subsequently led to the<br />

invention of the urban myth.<br />

However, it’s likely that Nixon based his<br />

illustration on an actual incident. In his The<br />

Brighton Garrison, historian Roy Christopher<br />

Grant relates that the “battle” took place during<br />

Easter exercises near Brighton. The Prince of<br />

Wales had indeed organised a mock invasion<br />

of Brighton by British troops dressed as French<br />

soldiers. These troops hailed from the north of<br />

England. Grant told me, “Some locals heard them<br />

speaking in a funny dialect, assumed they were<br />

French, and a battle ensued.” Grant points out<br />

that the two men hiding in the bathing machines<br />

in Nixon’s illustration were caricatures of the two<br />

British Generals Sheridan and Fox, “who were<br />

fully aware that the ‘invaders’ weren’t French and<br />

were much amused by the whole event.”<br />

As they say elsewhere in <strong>Sussex</strong>, there be<br />

something of everything and everything of<br />

something in Brighton. Although that isn’t<br />

necessarily intended as a compliment, it cannot<br />

be denied that courage and bravery were amongst<br />

those Brighton qualities on that bizarre day back<br />

in the 1790s.<br />

33


34 | sussexexclusive.com


The Loxwood Joust<br />

Announces the Quest for<br />

the Crown of Loxwood<br />

There are jousts. There are reenactments.<br />

And then there is<br />

Loxwood Joust, the UK’s most<br />

spectacular immersive Medieval and<br />

jousting festival. And the gauntlet has<br />

been thrown down in the battle for the Crown of<br />

Loxwood as the clash for a successor to the throne<br />

takes place.<br />

The thrill of the joust<br />

In the magical Kingdom of Loxwood, you are<br />

transported back in time to Medieval England<br />

as you interact with townsfolk and peasants and<br />

rub shoulders with royalty. There is full-contact<br />

jousting, daring displays of weaponry, archery<br />

and cannon fire and the impressive knight on<br />

knight combat, that will be waged in the quest<br />

for Regent.<br />

The intrigue of the forest<br />

You enter the realm via a magical forest, and are<br />

met by an array of colourful characters, each<br />

with a story to tell, rumours to spread or a favour<br />

to ask. Accept the right invitations, choose a<br />

quest and improve your standing from Citizen<br />

to “Squire of Loxwood” in this unique day of<br />

adventure, intrigue, fun and merriment.<br />

The skills of the executioner<br />

The Living History Village plays out life in the<br />

Middle Ages and falconry displays, torture with<br />

the executioner, the witches’ incantations and an<br />

insight into the spirits of nature will capture your<br />

imagination and draw you into times past.<br />

A feast like no other<br />

Experience and savour authentic recreations from<br />

a Medieval nobleman’s salver, in the banqueting<br />

hall. With dishes of the finest fayre served to<br />

accommodate both traditional and vegetarian<br />

palates; jesters, storytellers, live music and riddlers<br />

will lead a merry dance and embroil you in gossip<br />

and laughter.<br />

New skills to be learnt<br />

New for <strong>2022</strong> is the creation of Scribe School and<br />

the Copper Bangle making workshops, which are<br />

adding to the ever-popular workshop activities<br />

such as: Handfasting ceremonies, Blacksmithing<br />

workshops, Sword school, Copper bowl making,<br />

Chain mail making, and Singing workshops with<br />

the Mediaeval Baebes.<br />

A kingdom for children<br />

In the Children’s Kingdom, the young princes<br />

and princesses can use their Medieval groats to try<br />

have-a-go-archery, pelt-the-peasant, non-contact<br />

sword fighting and circus school, in addition to<br />

watching court jester shows and enjoying face and<br />

wound painting too.<br />

Who will be crowned your new<br />

King or Queen?<br />

With fast-paced battles and challenges that have<br />

shaped the story’s Medieval mayhem and gallant<br />

chilvery, visitors to the Joust - the people of<br />

Loxwood - will be immersed in the plot to decide<br />

who should be their King or Queen.<br />

The Loxwood Joust is excellently located just<br />

off the B2133 between Wisborough Green and<br />

Loxwood and has ample Free Parking. Experiences<br />

and banqueting places must be booked in advance<br />

when booking tickets at www.loxwoodjoust.co.uk.<br />

Accept the<br />

right invitations,<br />

choose a quest<br />

and improve<br />

your standing<br />

from Citizen<br />

to “Squire of<br />

Loxwood” in<br />

this unique day<br />

of adventure,<br />

intrigue, fun and<br />

merriment<br />

The Loxwood Meadow, Loxwood, West <strong>Sussex</strong> RH14 0AL<br />

www.loxwoodjoust.co.uk<br />

6,7,13 and 14 August <strong>2022</strong><br />

35


36 | sussexexclusive.com


DANNY & MO<br />

Present<br />

in association with<br />

LOXWOOD<br />

JAZZ<br />

31 July <strong>2022</strong>. 12 midday- 8pm<br />

A VERY SPECIAL BOUTIQUE FESTIVAL IN WEST SUSSEX<br />

JAZZ, GIN & BLUES will take place in the tranquil glade at Loxwood<br />

Meadow, site of the popular medieval jousting festival, Loxwood Joust.<br />

An intimate crowd of just 500 people will enjoy a stellar line-up of jazz<br />

and blues artists in a sheltered woodland setting.<br />

Alexandra Ridout Band<br />

Julian Burdoch Trio<br />

Spice Fusion<br />

Simon Bates Organ Trio<br />

Special Guest Georgina Jackson<br />

And<br />

The Mike “Ozzie” Osbourne<br />

Samba Workshop<br />

Loxwood Meadow, Loxwood RH14 0AL Free parking<br />

Tickets £25 from www.jazzginblues.co.uk<br />

37


Chicken Cordon Bleu<br />

Vanessa Jamieson has been in the kitchen rustling up<br />

something tasty for those summer evenings<br />

This month’s<br />

recipe is a<br />

French classic<br />

– perfect for<br />

serving on a<br />

summer evening<br />

al fresco, along<br />

with a crisp<br />

salad, crunchy<br />

French stick<br />

and of course,<br />

a cold glass<br />

of Provence<br />

rosé wine. This<br />

dish will serve<br />

6 and takes<br />

minimal prep<br />

time at around<br />

20 minutes,<br />

so perfect<br />

for rustling<br />

up on those<br />

unexpected<br />

fine summer<br />

evenings when<br />

you would<br />

rather be in the<br />

garden than the<br />

kitchen!<br />

Ingredients:<br />

12 skinless chicken thigh fillets<br />

12 slices Emmental cheese<br />

12 slices good quality ham<br />

80 g butter<br />

6 tbsp plain flour<br />

800 ml whole milk<br />

200 ml dry white wine<br />

100 g finely grated Parmesan<br />

150 g sourdough bread<br />

2 crushed garlic cloves<br />

2 tsp olive oil<br />

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish<br />

Method:<br />

Preheat the oven to 200/180 fan.<br />

Place the fillets between two sheets of greaseproof<br />

paper and flatten to around 1cm, with a rolling<br />

pin. Place one slice of cheese and one slice of ham<br />

on top of each fillet and roll them up – placing<br />

the seam side down in a deep roasting dish.<br />

To make the sauce, whisk the flour, milk, white<br />

wine and butter in a pan on a low heat. Allow<br />

it to come to the boil and then let it simmer for<br />

4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, season to taste<br />

with salt and pepper and then pour the sauce over<br />

the chicken. Place in the oven for 30 minutes.<br />

Put the sourdough, olive oil and garlic clove<br />

into a food processer and whizz to a fine crumb.<br />

Scatter these over the chicken and bake for a<br />

further 10 mins until golden. Scatter over the<br />

parsley to garnish.<br />

Mini Rosemary Roast Potatoes<br />

Ingredients:<br />

2 kg Jersey Royal potatoes<br />

A good glug of olive oil<br />

A handful of fresh Rosemary sprigs – stalks<br />

removed<br />

Method:<br />

Cut the potatoes into quarters and spread thinly<br />

in a roasting tin. Pour over a generous amount<br />

of olive oil and season with Rosemary and salt<br />

and pepper.<br />

Put into pre heated oven at 200/180 fan for 40<br />

mins, shaking halfway.<br />

38 | sussexexclusive.com


39


The Best of <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

to Drink with a<br />

Barbecue<br />

Pip Mortimer, who spent 25 years in the UK drinks trade, has been out taste<br />

testing the best booze for the barbecue (as well as some non-alcoholic options)<br />

40 | sussexexclusive.com


Whilst summer is an elusive<br />

season at best in Britain,<br />

when the sun shines there<br />

is no better time to gather<br />

your crockery and move the<br />

cooking out of doors and onto the barbecue. But<br />

whilst we all know how to grill a sausage and flip<br />

a burger almost to perfection, it is more difficult<br />

to know what to drink when it comes to these<br />

occasions, especially if you are trying to keep your<br />

food miles to a minimum.<br />

Luckily, <strong>Sussex</strong> is at the forefront of massive<br />

growth in the drinks sector. With vineyards,<br />

distilleries, breweries and wineries dotting the<br />

landscape, the local drinker is spoilt for choice<br />

when it comes to knowing what to serve with a<br />

summer spread.<br />

Here we highlight some homegrown choices to<br />

fill your glass and whet your palate as you soak<br />

in the sunshine and wait for the charcoal sparks<br />

to fly.<br />

Kinsbrook Pinot Gris 2020 – £19<br />

Kinsbrook Pinot Noir Précoce 2020 –<br />

from £20<br />

As the youngest vineyard owner in the country,<br />

with vineyards on land that his family have<br />

owned for decades, Joe Beckett is ideally placed<br />

for having his finger on the pulse of the local<br />

vibe. As he says, he wants to “try and do things<br />

other people would like”, rather than stick to a<br />

predetermined plan. The wonderfully relaxed and<br />

welcoming vibe that he and his partner Rebecca<br />

Dancer have created is evident the moment you<br />

drive into the car park.<br />

So if you want to take some of the effortlessly<br />

cool vibe that pours from the Picketty (their<br />

temporary onsite servery) with you for your<br />

outdoors experience, then grab a bottle of the<br />

Pinot Gris 2020. Retailing from £19, this is the<br />

perfect food wine with a delicate mineral nose,<br />

touches of white peach, a smattering of herb<br />

and spice notes. Nicely acidic but with a lovely<br />

rich mouth filling flavour that makes it versatile<br />

enough to pair with a big salad, grilled fish,<br />

cheese and even meat!<br />

If outside eating equals rosé; then try the head<br />

turning Pinot Noir Précoce (Preh Coss) instead.<br />

Précoce is an early ripening variety of the famous<br />

Pinot Noir grape from Burgundy in France, a bit<br />

more forgiving with the temperamental English<br />

weather. Joe described this wine as “marmite”,<br />

not because of its flavour, but more because<br />

this is not your delicate, insipid rosé. From the<br />

first sip your mouth is filled with rounded rich<br />

clotted cream, before strawberries and raspberries<br />

follow through. It’s like Eton Mess in a wine,<br />

without the sweetness and the fruit and flavour<br />

are punchy and rich. This is a rosé that can stand<br />

up to the charcoal grill and effortlessly slide from<br />

delicate starters to meaty mains, fish to meat,<br />

pulses to spiced dishes.<br />

Both wines are available either directly from the<br />

vineyard or via their website<br />

www.kinsbrookvineyard.com. Limited<br />

availability from www.hawkinsbros.co.uk and<br />

www.thehorshamcellar.co.uk<br />

Wolstonbury Vineyards Pét Nat<br />

Sparkling – £24<br />

Nestled on the edge of the South Downs<br />

National Park, just over the South Downs from<br />

Brighton and sitting under the benevolent<br />

protection of Wolstonbury Hill, lies the perfectly<br />

petite vineyard of Wolstonbury. Planted as a<br />

passion by Ivan and Charlotte Weightman in<br />

2015 their wines embrace sustainability and<br />

nurture. From bijou beginnings they have now<br />

grown and recently planted another 9000 vines<br />

to increase production. Their whole approach is<br />

minimal and with a love of the beauty and nature<br />

around them; they tread lightly on the landscape.<br />

This is reflected in their Pét Nat Sparkling. Made<br />

from Bacchus, the grape that is currently<br />

becoming to the UK what Sauvignon Blanc is to<br />

New Zealand and made in the méthod ancestrale<br />

way, otherwise known as pétillant naturel, often<br />

shortened to pet nat. This means that the wine<br />

is bottled whilst it is still fermenting, and the<br />

carbon dioxide created in the process is trapped in<br />

the bottle. The wine is lightly fizzy and unfiltered<br />

(so don’t shake the bottle if you don’t want the<br />

wine to be cloudy).<br />

What you get is a lightly sparkling, not too high<br />

alcohol, dry wine. The nose is a delicate blend<br />

of apricot, peaches and almonds with a hint of<br />

green lovage underlying the fruit. In the mouth<br />

it is dry with a delicate peach and mineral note.<br />

Absolutely delicious with salads, fish and white<br />

meat this is delightful to sip throughout the day<br />

as you graze on a selection of food. Available<br />

directly from the vineyard www.wolstonbury.co<br />

or from Southdown Cellars in Hurstpierpoint<br />

www.southdownscellars.co.uk<br />

Folkington’s Juices and<br />

Sparkling Drinks<br />

In the bucolic countryside of East <strong>Sussex</strong>, the<br />

Bendit family produce a wide range of soft<br />

drinks. With sustainability at the heart of<br />

everything that they do, this is alcohol free<br />

drinking with both a conscious and a sublime<br />

taste. All the fruit juices are from producers whose<br />

ethos matches their own and the provenance of<br />

the fruit is proudly displayed, be it apples from<br />

41


south east England or lemons from Sicily. With<br />

10 different varieties to choose from these are the<br />

perfect accompaniment to your table with their<br />

stylish glass bottles.<br />

Fancy a bit of alcohol-free fizz? Then break<br />

open a can from the sparkling drinks range.<br />

The Folkington’s Lemon and Mint makes for a<br />

refreshing, dry drink with natural notes of citrus<br />

and the freshness of garden mint - summer in<br />

a can. You can even add it to gin for a twist<br />

on flavour and it is perfect for parties. Like<br />

all Folkington’s drinks the packaging is fully<br />

recyclable.<br />

If you are breaking out the spirits, then mixers are<br />

available. Softer in flavour with a mix of quinine<br />

and myrtle leaf orange extract they make for a<br />

gentle accompaniment to any <strong>Sussex</strong> gin. All<br />

drinks can be purchased from ocado.com or<br />

amazon.co.uk or direct from folkingtons.com<br />

Harley House <strong>Sussex</strong> Blue Gin – £35<br />

Harley House Pure <strong>Sussex</strong> Gin – £37.50<br />

Adam’s passion is evident the moment you start<br />

talking about gin. A self-taught distiller he produces<br />

his range of gins from the very start to the very end<br />

bottle. This is truly home grown, with the water<br />

coming from a local aquifer and the base spirit<br />

being made on site in the micro distillery. The<br />

passion that goes into crafting each spirit shines<br />

through from the art deco packaging that reflects<br />

his lovingly restored house, to the descriptions of<br />

distilling on each bottle.<br />

The wide range of gins, rums and flavoured vodka<br />

can cater to any sort of party, but for a show<br />

stopping drink pick up a bottle of the <strong>Sussex</strong> Blue<br />

Gin. Containing colour from the petals of the<br />

butterfly pea flower that is grown in Thailand,<br />

amaze your guests as you pour them a shot and<br />

add tonic, watching it turn pink in front of their<br />

42 | sussexexclusive.com


eyes! The secret is that the flower is a natural pH<br />

indicator and reacts to the citric acid in the mixer,<br />

but this is more than just a party trick. The flavour<br />

of the gin comes through with a delicate balance of<br />

fifteen different botanicals with smooth, spicy and<br />

sweet notes.<br />

If you are more of a traditionalist with your G&T<br />

then you cannot go wrong with the award winning<br />

pure <strong>Sussex</strong> Gin. The spirit is weighting, smooth<br />

and very soft, with citrus notes and a gentle floral<br />

note shining through. Mix with a classic dry tonic<br />

for a smooth sipping spirit.<br />

Available direct through the website<br />

www.harleyhousedistillery.co.uk or various<br />

online retailers.<br />

Firebird Bohemia Pilsner – £3.50<br />

(500 ml can)<br />

Firebird Heritage <strong>Sussex</strong> Best – £2.99<br />

(500 ml bottle)<br />

Firebird Work Ethic New England<br />

IPA – £4 (500 ml can)<br />

Firebird is the partnership of Bill King and Richard<br />

Peters who first meet at university whilst studying<br />

brewing science, rekindling their friendship to start<br />

the company in 2013. With a slew of awards under<br />

their belts and a dedicated following who travel far<br />

and wide to the shop and taproom in Rudgwick,<br />

there is a beer for all tastes here.<br />

For a long lazy day with the barbecue sizzling in the<br />

background then you cannot go wrong with the<br />

Bohemia Pilsner. A Czech Pilsner in style, this is fresh<br />

and hoppy with notes of lemon, citrus and floral<br />

countryside. At only 4.8%, it is light and refreshing<br />

and is both gluten free and vegan to boot.<br />

The classic Heritage <strong>Sussex</strong> Best is the perfect food<br />

beer. Made from a classic old recipe with a malty,<br />

deep rich and nutty flavour with notes of dried<br />

mixed fruit, this has the power to stand up to rich<br />

smoky meats fresh off the charcoal. 4.0% ABV in<br />

strength and both gluten free and vegan, this is<br />

a reimagined classic at its best. From £2.99 for a<br />

500ml bottle.<br />

Fancy something a little bit different? The Work<br />

Ethic IPA suggests that you should close the emails<br />

and put down your pen and wander over to where<br />

the party is instead. This cloudy New England Keg<br />

IPA hits you with a delectable nose of lemon, limes<br />

and yuzu. Fresh and hoppy with lingering fruity<br />

notes this is a crowd pleaser that is hopefully here to<br />

stay. 5% ABV and vegan, but not gluten free.<br />

£4 a can.<br />

Available direct from www.firebirdbrewing.com<br />

it is also worth a visit as larger format beers are<br />

available from the brewery shop.<br />

All prices correct at time of going to press and reflect<br />

the cost direct from the producers’ website.<br />

43


FOOD<br />

The <strong>Sussex</strong> Foodie<br />

A<br />

quick search of the hashtag #<strong>Sussex</strong>foodie on Instagram recently revealed over 15,000<br />

posts and whilst Southeast England is being described as the wine capital of the UK, what’s<br />

becoming clear is that <strong>Sussex</strong> is fast becoming a serious contender for one of the UK’s best<br />

foodie destinations!<br />

The Michelin Guide mentions 13 West <strong>Sussex</strong> restaurants and a further 24 in East <strong>Sussex</strong>. There are<br />

over 70 <strong>Sussex</strong> vineyards, at least 7 artisan cheesemakers, a chocolatier in almost every town, and dozens<br />

of award-winning bakers. Then there is a veritable army of producers who are rearing and growing<br />

fantastic local ingredients and enabling more and more unique farm to fork experiences or dining that<br />

has a genuinely low carbon footprint (and a real taste of <strong>Sussex</strong>).<br />

Mapping all our wonderful <strong>Sussex</strong> foodie experiences would be more than a job and a half for Hercules<br />

but as the saying goes, How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. So that’s what we’re going to do,<br />

by showcasing a handful of our finds in every edition of our <strong>Sussex</strong> <strong>Exclusive</strong> magazine.<br />

The Curlew, Bodiam<br />

44 | sussexexclusive.com


FOOD<br />

Restaurants<br />

Birchwood, Flimwell, East <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Birchwell is owned and run by chef Will<br />

Devlin and is his third restaurant, alongside<br />

The Small Holding (Kent) which was awarded<br />

a Michelin Green Star in 2021, and The<br />

Curlew (East <strong>Sussex</strong>).<br />

The ingredients at Birchwell are local,<br />

seasonal, home-grown, and wild.<br />

Championing the artisan suppliers of Kent<br />

and <strong>Sussex</strong>, the menu plays host to local<br />

cheeses, dairy, wines, spirits, and beer, while<br />

many ingredients, such as mushrooms,<br />

brambles, elderberries, wood sorrel and birch<br />

sap come from the woods on the steps of the<br />

restaurant. And many of the vegetables, fruit<br />

and herbs used at Birchwood come from<br />

the one-acre farm at The Small Holding,<br />

less than five miles away in Kilndown, along<br />

with eggs, pork, lamb, hogget and mutton<br />

from free-range chickens, Berkshire pigs and<br />

Romney sheep, who live on site and at a<br />

nearby farm.<br />

Opening at 8 am for breakfast, there is<br />

home-smoked trout, duck egg and sourdough<br />

crumpet; waffles with fruit compote and<br />

woodruff cream or set goat yogurt with local<br />

Goudhurst honey and summer berries. Stay<br />

for lunch after a walk in the woods for Paley<br />

Farm lamb chops and parsley dressing; skate<br />

on the bone with new season potatoes and<br />

perry vinegar dressing or farm salad with<br />

pickles and preserves.<br />

Waffles with fruit compote & woodruff cream at Birchwood © Key & Quill<br />

The Parsons Table, Arundel,<br />

West <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

The Parsons Table opened in 2015 in Arundel,<br />

since when it has put itself well and truly<br />

on the <strong>Sussex</strong> food map. With a Michelin<br />

Guide mention and two AA rosettes for<br />

culinary excellence, chef and owner Lee<br />

Parsons worked at Claridges and Raymond<br />

Blanc’s world renowned Le Manoir aux Quat’<br />

Saisons, as well as having an esteemed career<br />

in Canada.<br />

The Parsons Table describes itself as having<br />

“an utter dedication to local and seasonal<br />

ingredients, relaxed informal dining and<br />

impeccable service”. Roasted cauliflower,<br />

aubergine and summer squash Masala, salt cod<br />

croquette, shaved summer vegetables, Basil<br />

and orange loin of South Downs lamb gratin<br />

potatoes are just some of the flavours that<br />

grace the menu, followed perhaps by baked<br />

crème fraîche tart raspberries or chocolate and<br />

hazelnut marquise poached pear.<br />

The Parsons Table, Arundel<br />

45


FOOD<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> producers<br />

Balcombe Dairy, Balcombe,<br />

West <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Based on the Balcombe Estate (not far from<br />

Haywards Heath), Chris Heyes is the man<br />

behind Balcombe Dairy which makes small<br />

batch, single herd, handmade blue cheese -<br />

Blue Cloud. The cheese is made just feet from<br />

where the cows whose milk is used are grazed<br />

and milked.<br />

Having worked at High Weald Dairy in<br />

Horsted Keynes as a novice cheesemaker, Chris<br />

was mentored by Michael Wisdom who had<br />

worked for many years for both an Italian<br />

cheesemaking family in the Kenyan mountains<br />

and on his own farm there. In fact, Michael’s<br />

talents were such that in 2009, one of his<br />

semi-soft cheeses was named as the fifth-best<br />

cheese in the world at the World Cheese<br />

Awards! Inspired by his mentor’s passion and<br />

attention to detail, Chris went on to study<br />

with the Artisan School of Food and take<br />

over from Michael when he retired as Master<br />

Cheesemaker.<br />

Blue Cloud has won multiple awards including<br />

a gold medal at this year’s Artisan Cheese<br />

Awards, and last year, Balcombe Dairy released<br />

a new cheese, The Balcombe Breeze, a semi hard<br />

Alpine style cheese. Both cheeses are available<br />

locally at a number of local delis as well as<br />

online via The Cheese Hut.<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> Gourmand, Brighton,<br />

East <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> Gourmand produce <strong>Sussex</strong> venison and<br />

beef Bresaola (a lean, cured meat from Italy).<br />

They are passionate about their surrounding<br />

landscape as well as about being sustainable and<br />

ethical. They use local ingredients, and organic<br />

and wild foods wherever possible.<br />

In 2021 they won a Great Taste Award (guild<br />

of Fine Food) which is just one in a number of<br />

awards that they’ve won over the years. Their<br />

artisan cured <strong>Sussex</strong> grass-fed beef and wild<br />

venison Bresaola is additive-free and naturally<br />

cured with hand-harvested, sustainable sea salt,<br />

home-grown herbs, spices, hedgerow berries<br />

and <strong>Sussex</strong> gin.<br />

They sell a number of Gourmet Snack Kits,<br />

hampers and gifts sets online packed with lovely<br />

local produce to complement their Bresaola.<br />

46 | sussexexclusive.com<br />

The Dorset Arms, Withyham<br />

Foodie experiences<br />

The Artisan Bakehouse, Ashurst,<br />

West <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Another multi award winning <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

experience, The Artisan Bakehouse sits on<br />

the edge of the South Downs down a quiet,<br />

tree lined drive set in 5 acres of gardens and<br />

woodland. The 16th century holiday cottages,<br />

luxury shepherd hut and the Bakehouse with<br />

its traditional wood burning oven provide<br />

the perfect base to escape and learn the art of<br />

traditional artisan bread making.<br />

With a range of different workshops available<br />

you can experience making various breads from<br />

around the world, including sourdough, working<br />

with wholegrains & Rye, Mediterranean flatbreads<br />

& pizza, Bagels & Pretzels, Pastry, Viennoiserie<br />

and enriched doughs, as well as seasonal classes<br />

for St Patricks Day, Easter & Christmas. Amongst<br />

their tutors is <strong>Sussex</strong> based international baker<br />

and author, Emmanuel Hadjiandreou so you<br />

are in safe hands, his knowledge and expertise is<br />

infectious! Owner Les is the other lead tutor and<br />

also brings a wealth of experience from his time<br />

living in France, his classes are always very popular<br />

with lots of laughs along the way!<br />

Louise and Leigh are also always on hand to<br />

make sure the experience is an exceptional one,<br />

with handmade refreshments and seasonal lunch<br />

to compliment the days. You can also stay in<br />

one of their beautiful holiday cottages or luxury<br />

shepherd’s hut if you choose to extend your day<br />

to explore more of the area. From time to time<br />

they also host pop up café openings and other<br />

seasonal events.<br />

A Secret Garden Lodge, Withyham,<br />

East <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

A brand-new experience has just launched at<br />

The Dorset Arms in Withyham, East <strong>Sussex</strong>. The<br />

Secret Garden Lodges are in the grounds of The<br />

Dorset Arms and are decorated in vibrant faux<br />

florals and foliage, inspired by the Regency period,<br />

with untamed vines, free falling wisteria and bold<br />

roses and flowers. Seating 2-10 guests in each<br />

lodge, with full sized dining tables, gramophone<br />

style Bluetooth speakers, you even have your own<br />

mini cocktail lounge with soft seating.<br />

Vibrant in the daytime and magical at night, the<br />

lodges are lit by magical twinkling lights. The<br />

lodges have double opening doors and windows<br />

both sides to offer a breezy, al fresco experience<br />

on warmer days and The Dorset Arms provide<br />

a bespoke lodge menu, which includes amazing<br />

dishes such as lobster, prawns, Tapas, beautiful<br />

main courses made with lots of local produce.<br />

Their artisan<br />

cured <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

grass-fed<br />

beef and<br />

wild venison<br />

Bresaola is<br />

additive-free<br />

and naturally<br />

cured with<br />

hand-harvested,<br />

sustainable<br />

sea salt,<br />

home-grown<br />

herbs, spices,<br />

hedgerow<br />

berries and<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> gin.


HANDCRAFTED IN ENGLAND<br />

roebuckestates.co.uk<br />

47


Enjoy warm summer evenings<br />

and great local wine at<br />

The Chequers Inn at Ro<br />

48 | sussexexclusive.com


Outstanding cuisine, a<br />

warm welcome and a<br />

beautiful setting. Welcome<br />

to The Chequers Inn<br />

at Rowhook.<br />

A unique <strong>Sussex</strong> pub<br />

In the tiny village of Rowhook, The Chequers<br />

is set in a beautiful 15 th century building, with<br />

a welcoming fire for those cooler evenings, and<br />

plenty of terrace and garden seating for those<br />

warm summer days.<br />

Dog friendly<br />

Set just to the edge of the Warnham to Rudgwick<br />

footpath and just south of the <strong>Sussex</strong> Border<br />

Path, The Chequers is ideal for walkers and also<br />

welcomes dogs. And we’re more than happy to<br />

provide you with dog treats and water.<br />

An exceptional chef<br />

Chef and founder Tim Neal trained has worked at<br />

the likes of South Lodge Hotel in Lower Beeding<br />

where he was head chef and earned the Camellia<br />

restaurant three AA Rosettes. The Chequers is<br />

in the AA, Michelin and Master Chefs of Great<br />

Britain guides.<br />

Tim is passionate about creating exceptional<br />

food in a relaxed setting, using local, seasonal<br />

and foraged ingredients wherever possible. His<br />

menu includes memories of France, sophisticated<br />

flavours but also a dash of comfort.<br />

We also offer a selection of fantastic wines<br />

including a number of <strong>Sussex</strong> wines and a diverse<br />

range of local ales.<br />

A must visit foodie destination<br />

With Salad of Grilled Squid, Chargrilled Bavette<br />

of Steak with Chimichurri and Coffee Panna-cotta<br />

with Honeycomb and Dark Chocolate Sauce to<br />

tempt you, The Chequers is a great place to enjoy<br />

the long summer days and create some wonderful<br />

memories.<br />

whook<br />

Call now to book or to find out more:<br />

The Chequers Inn<br />

Rowhook Road, Horsham, RH12 3PY<br />

thechequersrowhook.com<br />

01403 790480<br />

49


Slow cooked<br />

Lamb Shoulder<br />

with A Garlish® Pistachio & Parsley Pistou<br />

If you like<br />

lamb, you’ll<br />

love this.<br />

A Pistou is<br />

something I<br />

came across<br />

many years<br />

ago in a<br />

restaurant in<br />

France. I was<br />

a little spun<br />

out by its<br />

appearance<br />

and was<br />

convinced<br />

that it was<br />

‘pesto’ spelt<br />

wrong, but<br />

once I tasted<br />

it, I knew<br />

that I had to<br />

recreate it.<br />

Ingredients:<br />

Serves: 4<br />

1 x lamb shoulder 1.5 – 2 kg<br />

1 onion (quartered)<br />

5 garlic cloves<br />

1 cinnamon stick<br />

Marinade:<br />

1 onion<br />

A good slosh of Garlish® Oil<br />

A handful of rosemary leaves<br />

A handful of thyme leaves<br />

3 tbsp – Garlish® Crush<br />

2 tbsp mustard<br />

1 tsp ground coriander<br />

1 tsp cinnamon powder<br />

1 tsp ground coriander<br />

2 tbsp redcurrant jelly<br />

A good slosh of white wine<br />

1 lamb stock cube<br />

1 tsp flour<br />

Salt and pepper<br />

Parsley Pistou<br />

2 large handfuls of fresh parsley<br />

150g salted pistachios<br />

3 tbsp Garlish® Crush<br />

1 tsp salt<br />

1 tsp black pepper<br />

100ml olive oil<br />

Juice from 1 large orange<br />

Method:<br />

Place the leg of lamb in a roasting dish and<br />

using a very sharp knife, make plenty of holes<br />

in the meat.<br />

Next, blend the marinade, then pour over<br />

the leg, making sure to push it down into the<br />

holes. Cover the tray and leave to marinade<br />

for 4-5 hours.<br />

Once marinated, preheat the oven to 160°C.<br />

Add the onion quarters and garlic cloves<br />

to the dish and sprinkle the lamb with the<br />

remaining rosemary. Add the cinnamon stick.<br />

Drizzle with oil and season generously with<br />

salt and pepper. Very loosely cover with foil.<br />

Place in the oven and cook for 5 hours, or<br />

until the meat falls off the bone. Every hour,<br />

re-baste the lamb and jostle the onions and<br />

garlic in the oil.<br />

Set aside, re-cover with foil and leave to stand<br />

for 30 minutes.<br />

Meanwhile, drain any juice into a pan and<br />

add the flour. Bash any lumps out and let it<br />

simmer until it has thickened. Spoon off any<br />

oil that comes to the surface.<br />

For the Parsley Pistou<br />

Simply blend the ingredients together. The<br />

mixture should be like a paste, so if it runs too<br />

thick, simply add more olive oil or orange juice.<br />

Once ready to serve, roughly pull the meat<br />

apart and drizzle over the gravy. Add the<br />

roasted garlic cloves and onions. Serve with<br />

the Pistou on the side<br />

50 | sussexexclusive.com


51


Spotlight<br />

on<br />

Lewes<br />

Explore this historic market town that has bustled<br />

with life since Anglo Saxon times<br />

Lewes has a long, interesting and at<br />

times distinguished past, making it a<br />

delight to visit for anyone with even<br />

a passing interest in history. But it’s<br />

equally a great spot for those that<br />

love quirky flea markets, craft beer, beautiful<br />

countryside or a splash of culture.<br />

A look back<br />

The first evidence of life near Lewes dates back<br />

to the Iron Age and a hill-fort built on nearby<br />

Mount Caburn, a steep hill that overlooks the<br />

town. The Romans were here too with a villa at<br />

the foot of Mount Caburn.<br />

Lewes has the ultimate strategic position, based<br />

as it is on the River Ouse and in a small gap in<br />

the South Downs. As a result, it’s thought Lewes<br />

began to grow as an Anglo Saxon settlement from<br />

the 6th century onwards. Certainly, by the reign<br />

of King Alfred (the Great), the town had been<br />

fortified in response to Viking raids, and by the<br />

Norman invasion it was a thriving settlement.<br />

Following the Battle of Hastings, William the<br />

Conqueror granted William de Warenne the<br />

Rape of Lewes and he in turn built Lewes Castle<br />

and cemented the town’s place in <strong>Sussex</strong> history.<br />

In 1264, the castle and town were the site of the<br />

infamous Battle of Lewes, during which Henry<br />

<strong>II</strong>I was defeated by Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl<br />

of Leicester, and his army of rebel barons.<br />

The castle itself passed to the ownership of the<br />

Earl of Arundel in 1347 and after 300 years, this<br />

marked the beginning of the demise of the castle<br />

as somewhere of significant importance.<br />

But that’s not to say the town hasn’t featured<br />

in <strong>Sussex</strong> history since. Between 1555–1557,<br />

Lewes was the site of the execution of 17<br />

Protestant martyrs, and during the Civil War<br />

it was a Parliamentarian stronghold. From the<br />

mid-18th century, the town gradually prospered<br />

again and developed textiles, iron, brewing, and<br />

ship-building industries. Today, Lewes remains<br />

a bustling market town with dozens of historic<br />

buildings and landmarks as a testament to its<br />

long past.<br />

52 | sussexexclusive.com


Lewes castle<br />

Lewes Castle<br />

Lewes Castle<br />

Places to visit in Lewes<br />

Lewes Castle<br />

The castle is a motte and bailey design and still<br />

dominates the town. It’s now owned by the<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> Archaeological Society and there is a<br />

small museum at the entrance. Materials from<br />

the South Downs and the Weald were used in<br />

the castle’s construction, and it’s well worth a<br />

visit because you can climb up the two towers<br />

and enjoy magnificent views of the surrounding<br />

countryside. It’s here you get a real understanding<br />

of the strategic position it once held.<br />

Lewes Priory<br />

At the other end of the town are the remains of<br />

Lewes Priory. Founded by William de Warenne’s<br />

wife with monks from France, the Priory of St<br />

Pancras survived until 1537. Both de Warenne<br />

and his wife Gundrada were buried at the Priory<br />

and their remains were discovered in 1845.<br />

Helpful information boards tell the story of<br />

priory life.<br />

Historic buildings<br />

Lewes is peppered with interesting architecture<br />

and historic buildings including a 16th century<br />

timber-framed house which formed part of Anne<br />

of Cleves’ divorce settlement. It’s also now owned<br />

by The <strong>Sussex</strong> Archaeological Society. Other<br />

buildings worth a visit include Southover Grange<br />

(created in 1542 by William Newton) and home<br />

to a mulberry tree rumoured to be 350 years old,<br />

as well as a walled garden, a stream, a well and a<br />

sculpture of Nicholas Yonge (an English singer<br />

and publisher).<br />

While you’re exploring the cobbled back streets<br />

of Lewes, take a detour down Pipe Passage where<br />

you’ll find the Grade <strong>II</strong> listed Round House,<br />

originally built as a windmill in 1802. It was<br />

bought by Virginia Woolfe and her husband on<br />

a bit of a whim in 1919, although they never<br />

actually lived there.<br />

53


Lewes life<br />

Lewes continues to be a market town with its<br />

weekly Friday Food Market. It is also home to<br />

a fabulous flea market, a craft market, and a<br />

Christmas market. While you’re in the vicinity<br />

of the market, you can’t miss Harvey’s Brewery<br />

which is almost symbolic of the town itself these<br />

days. The brewery has been at the current site at<br />

Bridge Wharf since 1838 and they do brewery<br />

tours. At this end of town, you’ll also find art<br />

and antique shops and cafés spilling out onto the<br />

pavement next to the river.<br />

Head up the High Street and past the castle<br />

and you’ll come to a fabulous 15th century<br />

bookshop stacked to the beamed rafters with<br />

books, including a collection of second-hand and<br />

collectors’ books. Just past this you’ll come to the<br />

UK’s biggest Polish pottery shop, Baltica, where<br />

you can browse mountains of beautiful “eyespot”<br />

stoneware, dishes, pots and plates.<br />

No account of Lewes is complete without a<br />

mention of its bonfire events. Described as<br />

the bonfire capital of the world, the town<br />

commemorates both the uncovering of<br />

the Gunpowder Plot and the execution of the<br />

Protestant martyrs. There are at least seven<br />

bonfire societies all of whom put on processions<br />

and firework displays throughout the town in<br />

November. The event has become so renowned<br />

(with visitor numbers of 80,000 plus thronging<br />

through the narrow streets with flaming torches),<br />

the town has at times been forced to close its<br />

borders to outside visitors!<br />

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Refuel at …<br />

The Rights of Man<br />

The Rights of Man pub on Lewes High Street<br />

has a combination of cosy traditional booths and<br />

wooden panelling in the bar and a refurbished<br />

roof terrace with views inside the castle. Their<br />

menu promises to use local ingredients where<br />

possible. This includes fish from Brighton, local<br />

smokers and meats from farms around Kent and<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong>. It also, of course, serves Harvey’s beer.<br />

The Pelham Arms<br />

Also on the High Street, the Pelham Arms cure<br />

their own meats using their own smokehouse<br />

and use a whole host of local producers. They<br />

also brew their own beer and have their own<br />

brewery and taproom across town in a Victorian<br />

malthouse off Daveys Lane.<br />

Stay at …<br />

Monty’s Bed and Breakfast<br />

With great reviews on TripAdvisor, Monty’s<br />

is described as a luxurious home from home<br />

experience with high ceilings, exposed beams and,<br />

a four-poster bed and views of the High Street.<br />

Blue Door Barns<br />

Just outside Lewes, Blue Door Barns is bed and<br />

breakfast accommodation with suites called<br />

The Sailors House, The Nook, Little Lodge,<br />

The Lodge and The Cabin. They look as quaint<br />

as they sound and are set around a candlelit<br />

courtyard garden with an open fire and BBQ<br />

area. Blue Door Barns is dog friendly too.<br />

Places to visit nearby<br />

Lewes is a great central hub from which to<br />

explore the surrounding area. No visit is complete<br />

without a walk on the South Downs, and you<br />

could do worse than walking a stretch of the<br />

South Downs Way or climbing Mount Caburn.<br />

Alternatively, enjoy opera at Glyndebourne,<br />

dive into the world of the Bloomsbury Set at<br />

Charleston and Monks House, visit Lewes<br />

Railway Nature Reserve or enjoy a day at the<br />

races at nearby Plumpton.<br />

3<br />

things you<br />

may not know<br />

about Lewes<br />

• The deadliest avalanche in British history occurred in Lewes, in 1836, when during a<br />

particularly harsh winter, snow that had accumulated on Cliffe Hill collapsed on Boulder Row<br />

below, killing eight. The Snowdrop Inn was subsequently built on the site where the destroyed<br />

houses once were.<br />

• In 1967, Mick Jagger spent time in Lewes prison on remand.<br />

• Lewes is sometimes referred to as the Seat of Democracy. Following the Battle of Lewes,<br />

victor Simon de Montfort called two parliaments in 1264 and 1265, both consisting of<br />

knights and leading men in what was effectively an experiment in democracy. De Montfort<br />

was eventually killed.<br />

55


In the<br />

Diary<br />

As the summer months unfold, here is<br />

our pick of some of the great events and<br />

activities taking place across <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

which will add sparkle to your diary<br />

Talk and Screening: Jake<br />

Auerbach presents ‘FRANK’<br />

8th July, 6:30 pm. Newlands House Gallery,<br />

Petworth, West <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Jake Auerbach is the maker of major<br />

documentaries including a series on<br />

contemporary artists such as Allen Jones, Paula<br />

Rego, Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach and Kitaj.<br />

You can join Auerbach for an exclusive screening<br />

of “FRANK”, a 56-minute film produced and<br />

directed in 2015 with a question-and-answer<br />

session.<br />

German-British painter Frank Auerbach has a<br />

reputation for being something of a hermit but<br />

when an exhibition of his work opened in the<br />

Kunstmuseum Bonn, Jake Auerbach decided to<br />

film the show so that his father could see how<br />

it looked. The result is a film that unfolds an<br />

obsessive painter’s personal manifesto (citing<br />

references as diverse as Morecambe & Wise,<br />

Gauguin and Shakespeare) which is woven into<br />

the relationship between father and son.<br />

Tickets:www.tickettailor.com/events/<br />

newlandshousegallery/700340<br />

Event is free for Newlands House Gallery Art<br />

Pass Holders<br />

Lordington Lavender<br />

11th July to 17th July, 10 am - 4 pm.<br />

Lordington, Chichester, West <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Tucked away in a fold of the South Downs,<br />

Lordington Lavender opens its lavender fields<br />

every July to the public to enjoy. A perfect day<br />

out for all the family, whether it be a tractor<br />

ride, a lavender ice cream or taking those perfect<br />

Instagram shots.<br />

With ten acres of lavender, you can walk up and<br />

down the rows, discovering beautiful butterflies<br />

and honeybees and enjoy delicious, homemade<br />

lavender cakes before you leave. Lordington<br />

Lavender also host an adult only event – “An<br />

Evening at Lordington Lavender”, with live music<br />

and a celebratory drink as you watch the sunset<br />

over the lavender fields.<br />

To visit the lavender, you pay on arrival, no<br />

booking required. Adults are £7, children are<br />

£1.50 and under 3s are free. “An Evening at<br />

Lordington Lavender” is a ticketed event.<br />

www.lordingtonlavender.co.uk/<br />

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South Downs Summer Music<br />

International Festival<br />

19th to 24th July. St. Andrew’s Church in<br />

Alfriston, East <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

This well established and popular classical music<br />

festival draws some of the finest international<br />

artists to perform in the village of Alfriston.<br />

This year, the festival is welcoming acts such as<br />

world-renowned violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky,<br />

Hastings International Piano competition <strong>2022</strong><br />

winner Shunta Morimoto, and an established<br />

festival favourite: clarinetist Julian Bliss. This<br />

year’s music and spoken word evening will see<br />

thespian couple Harriet Walter and Paul Guy<br />

delivering dramatised readings accompanied<br />

by harpsichord player Maggie Cole in a<br />

celebration of the life and work of Violet Gordon<br />

Woodhouse in: Violet Gordon Woodhouse - her<br />

life in words and music.<br />

www.southdownssummermusic.co.uk/<br />

Crazy For You<br />

11th July to 4th September. Chichester Festival<br />

Theatre, West <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Charlie Stemp and Carly Anderson will lead the<br />

cast of Susan Stroman’s new production of the<br />

musical comedy CRAZY FOR YOU, with music<br />

& lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin,<br />

and book by Ken Ludwig.<br />

This hilarious, riotously entertaining musical<br />

is packed with glorious Gershwin melodies<br />

(including Someone to Watch Over Me,<br />

Embraceable You, I Got Rhythm and They Can’t<br />

Take That Away from Me), and its stunning tapdance<br />

routines are guaranteed to set the spirits<br />

soaring. The witty book and dialogue are written<br />

by Ken Ludwig, who also wrote this season’s<br />

Murder on the Orient Express and is the author of<br />

the Tony Award-winning Lend Me a Tenor.<br />

www.cft.org.uk<br />

Jazz, Gin and Blues Festival<br />

31st July, 12 noon until 8 pm. Loxwood<br />

Meadow, Loxwood, West <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Celebrating a third year of gloriously indulgent<br />

Jazz, Gin and Blues, this boutique festival which<br />

is held at the tranquil Loxwood Meadows, home<br />

of the Loxwood Joust, will once again be hosting<br />

an intimate crowd of just 500 people.<br />

A stellar line-up of jazz and blues artists will be<br />

performing live. Curated by Simon Bates the<br />

founder and organiser of the legendary Loxwood<br />

Jazz Club, the new line-up is impressive, and<br />

includes artists such as the Alexandra Ridout<br />

Band, The Simon Bates Organ Trio, the Julian<br />

Burdock Trio and Spice Fusion, with more special<br />

guests still to be announced.<br />

www.jazzginblues.co.uk<br />

Shanty Sundays - Food, Wine &<br />

Music!<br />

10th July, 14th and 28th August, and<br />

18th September. Charles Palmer Vineyard,<br />

Winchelsea, East <strong>Sussex</strong>x<br />

Kick off your Sunday Sesh in style with a Shanty<br />

Sundays pop-up seafood and wine event at the<br />

gorgeous Charles Palmer Vineyards: an afternoon<br />

of live music by the Rye Bay Crew, delicious local<br />

seafood platters, English wines and self-guided<br />

tours of the vineyard.<br />

www.vineandcountrytours.co.uk/<br />

57


Steampunk at Amberley Museum<br />

13th to 14th August. Amberley, West <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Steampunk returns to Amberley Museum for<br />

another weekend of anachronistic madness!<br />

There will be performers providing entertainment<br />

throughout the weekend and plenty of photo<br />

opportunities. You’ll also have the chance to visit<br />

a number of Steampunk traders and indulge in a<br />

little retail therapy. Steam trains and regular buses<br />

will also be running all weekend.<br />

www.amberleymuseum.co.uk/whats-on/<br />

steampunk/<br />

Airbourne - Eastbourne<br />

International Airshow<br />

18th to 21st August. Eastbourne Seafront,<br />

East <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Airbourne will celebrate 28 years of airshow<br />

excellence in <strong>2022</strong>. Attracting huge crowds,<br />

Eastbourne’s International Airshow boasts a<br />

2-mile flying display line along Eastbourne<br />

seafront.<br />

Early confirmed displays for <strong>2022</strong> include the<br />

RAF Red Arrows, RAF Typhoon and Battle of<br />

Britain Memorial Flight.<br />

www.visiteastbourne.com/airshow<br />

Bubbles and Botanicals<br />

19th November. South Lodge, Horsham,<br />

West <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

A celebration and chance to taste, test and buy<br />

some of the region’s best sparkling wines and local<br />

craft gins. Pop the date in your diary as tickets go<br />

on sale soon.<br />

www.bubblesandbotanicals.net/<br />

Brighton Pride <strong>2022</strong><br />

6th to 7th August. Brighton and Hove, East <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Brighton Pride is one of the best international pride festivals, and is a<br />

fantastic and glittering celebration and an unforgettable day of Pride. The<br />

main stage artists this year will star the likes of Christina Aguilera, Paloma<br />

Faith and Sophie Ellis Bextor and there will be popular favourite attractions<br />

including Cabaret Tents, Queer Town, the QTIPoC stage, dance tents and a<br />

host of new, diverse and immersive experiences.<br />

Described by The Guardian as “the country’s most popular LGBT event,”<br />

the Brighton & Hove Pride Festival is a vibrant celebration of all that is<br />

wonderful about the city’s diverse community, with visitors from across the<br />

globe enjoying its spectacular celebrations.<br />

www.brighton-pride.org/pride-festival/<br />

58 | sussexexclusive.com


59


Feng Shui<br />

Your Garden<br />

Feng Shui Consultant Janine Lowe<br />

explains how to Feng Shui<br />

your garden in time for<br />

summer garden party season<br />

It’s garden party season and this year we can<br />

enjoy bringing as many people as we like<br />

into our homes and gardens. So here are my<br />

top tips for garden prosperity.<br />

Find the centre of your garden<br />

You need to find the centre of your garden and<br />

stand with a compass in your hand with no<br />

jewellery on. I always find the old-fashioned<br />

compasses work better but if you only have an<br />

iPhone that will do.<br />

How do you find the centre of the garden? Walk<br />

the length of the garden counting your steps, for<br />

example 14 steps. Then walk the width of the<br />

garden and count the steps, for example 10 steps.<br />

Then all you have to do is walk seven steps from<br />

the edge of the garden from the left and then five<br />

steps from the edge of the garden width and there<br />

you have it, you now know where to stand.<br />

Find the south<br />

Find the south which is at 180 degrees. This<br />

is an auspicious / favourable area this year and<br />

the perfect place to position your BBQ. A good<br />

colour for this area is red. Fill it full of red plants<br />

with big round green leaves and small trees if<br />

the area allows. I find using pots is the easiest<br />

thing to do especially if you have a small garden.<br />

Ensure the chef has a red apron to enhance their<br />

luck working in this area. And if you want some<br />

extra good fortune, spend time with the chef<br />

when he is cooking and make sure he / she is<br />

well looked after.<br />

Head northeast<br />

If you’d like more wealth / knowledge (and who<br />

wouldn’t), you’ll find this in the northeast of<br />

your garden. Spend time in this area and design<br />

it as an area of contemplation. Add a chair and<br />

/ or a water feature, make this area lush with<br />

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colours of dark red, terracotta, orange, and<br />

yellow flowers. Another good tip for this area<br />

is to have a statue the resembles wealth, such as<br />

tigers (this year, as this is the year of the Water<br />

Tiger), tortoises, swans, or money Buddhas. Or<br />

place eight x £1 coins in a pot.<br />

While you are placing these items, don’t forget<br />

to manifest wealth. Manifesting is about<br />

feeling, thinking, and actioning ways to bring<br />

in wealth and if you’d like to know more about<br />

manifesting, try reading The Secret.<br />

Next travel northwest<br />

The next auspicious / favourable area is the<br />

northwest. This year the key to this area is<br />

“helpful people”. We all need those special<br />

people in our lives. This is the area to place<br />

a mirror that reflects either the south or the<br />

northeast. Another Feng Shui tip for this area is<br />

to place six round metal balls that are touching<br />

each other in this area or ornaments such as a pig<br />

or a dog.<br />

Place a white table and chairs in this area and<br />

have coffee with your friends and family. By<br />

spending time in this area, you will activate the<br />

positive chi / energy that will enhance your noble<br />

people to come in.<br />

Finally, turn southeast<br />

The final area of your garden to enhance is the<br />

southeast which this year has the “four star”<br />

which is the good fortune star.<br />

In my house, I have a pond with lots of goldfish<br />

to stir up the energy to bring in happiness, wealth<br />

and of course good fortune. I know not everyone<br />

can put a pond there, but you might be able to<br />

put a water feature there.<br />

I am often asked whether you can use a solar<br />

water feature? And the answer is unfortunately,<br />

no, unless it has a backup of batteries. The idea<br />

of a water feature is that it is continuous moving<br />

water. Feng Shui means wind and water and that<br />

is why we use water to activate areas. I know<br />

some people use windchimes but unless it is<br />

windy, they don’t chime.<br />

In the southeast, you can place blue and green<br />

flowers, the larger the better and again using pots<br />

is a great idea.<br />

Spending time in this area is positive Feng Shui<br />

and as it is so close to the BBQ in the south, I<br />

would place your outdoor dining area here. Place<br />

hanging candles or stand-alone candles around<br />

your dining area, and what about one of those<br />

outdoor clocks perhaps?<br />

That leaves the north, east, southwest and west<br />

with nothing for you to do, well this year at least.<br />

The centre of your garden should be left clear too,<br />

to enhance your health.<br />

You can download my free pocket guide to all<br />

the Chinese Animals for <strong>2022</strong>, click here, NOW.<br />

www.janinelowe.com<br />

If you’d like<br />

more wealth /<br />

knowledge<br />

(and who<br />

wouldn’t),<br />

you’ll find this<br />

in the northeast<br />

of your garden.<br />

Spend time<br />

in this area<br />

and design it<br />

as an area of<br />

contemplation.<br />

61


A New Era for<br />

Estate Agency<br />

And Why It Matters<br />

Estate agency isn’t and shouldn’t be just about buying and selling homes<br />

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Whilst sustainability isn’t<br />

necessarily the first thing you think<br />

of when you think about estate<br />

agency, the At Home team have<br />

put it at the very heart of what<br />

they do.<br />

At Home Estate & Letting Agency<br />

is moving to new premises in<br />

the Carfax in Horsham with an<br />

increased focus on sustainability,<br />

responsibility and leaving a positive<br />

legacy. This comes just over a<br />

month after At Home also opened<br />

new offices with a fresh new look<br />

at what was (until January this<br />

year) Clarke and Charlesworth in<br />

Storrington.<br />

Both new offices reflect the<br />

determination of the At Home<br />

team to have a positive impact<br />

on their community and put<br />

sustainability at the heart of what<br />

they do. Suppliers sourced for the<br />

renovations were carefully selected<br />

for their use of 100% renewable<br />

energy, recyclable materials<br />

and low impact credentials,<br />

demonstrating a clear commitment<br />

to reducing At Home’s carbon<br />

footprint.<br />

The move towards sustainable<br />

practices builds on the support<br />

that At Home already provide to<br />

their local community in the form<br />

of Community Chest schemes and<br />

Positivity Projects (a direct way<br />

of giving back). The team is often<br />

seen out and about supporting<br />

local events.<br />

Owner and Director, Paul Davies,<br />

explains why sustainability and<br />

community are so important to the<br />

At Home team and to the estate<br />

agency sector,<br />

“As an estate agent, I feel<br />

very strongly that we have a<br />

responsibility to our community.<br />

Estate agency isn’t and shouldn’t<br />

be just about buying and selling<br />

homes. It’s about helping people<br />

achieve their aspirations so they<br />

can create a positive lifestyle, and<br />

that goes much deeper than bricks<br />

and mortar. It also means doing<br />

what we can to leave our own<br />

positive legacy.<br />

We are trying to live and work<br />

by our values and set a good<br />

example. We’ve been working<br />

with a Sustainability Consultant to<br />

ensure we are conscious across all<br />

business operation. We know we’re<br />

not perfect and there’s a lot to do<br />

but we are determined to be part<br />

of a new and more responsible era<br />

of estate agency.”<br />

The new premises in the Carfax<br />

will be opening on the 18 th July,<br />

and visitors are welcome. At<br />

Home are launching a new website<br />

demonstrating their values<br />

and approach. They have been<br />

represented through the branding<br />

as Runic symbols. To learn more<br />

about their Runes and services<br />

visit their website:<br />

www.athomeestates.co.uk<br />

63


HEALTH<br />

Ready to<br />

Wage a War?<br />

Let go of preconceptions about exercise and<br />

become an “Everyday Athlete”<br />

High-performance coach Alan Dean explores<br />

what it means to get active<br />

Are you ready to wage a war?<br />

… a war on inactivity!<br />

An everyday<br />

athlete is a<br />

person who<br />

makes the<br />

most of their<br />

life...<br />

The UK’s government guidelines of<br />

30 minutes of moderate activity<br />

each day, in the form of a brisk<br />

walk or exercise session, is the bare<br />

minimum.<br />

Yet, the Office for National Statistics (ONS)<br />

physical activity results for 2020 indicate that<br />

approximately 40% of the population do not<br />

achieve even this modest level of activity. Add in,<br />

that only 20% of the 18-64 age group engage in<br />

“adequate exercise”, it’s not surprising we’re seeing<br />

a rise in obesity.<br />

What does “adequate exercise”<br />

actually mean?<br />

There is a lack of consistency in UK government<br />

advice as to what constitutes an adequate exercise<br />

level. There is no clear guidance on the level of<br />

intensity to which we should be exercising, how<br />

often we should exercise, and what exercise is best<br />

for varying demographics.<br />

Even the basics of a walk or a light exercise class<br />

aimed at improving bone density and strength<br />

development are vague. Unfortunately, this<br />

approach isn’t very helpful.<br />

As a Professional Sports & Performance Coach,<br />

I can confidently tell you that 30-minutes of<br />

moderate activity is not adequate exercise.<br />

Consider the quality of life you would like to<br />

attain or maintain; whether it’s playing with your<br />

children or grandchildren without running out of<br />

breath or feeling physically fit and able to enjoy<br />

everyday pursuits and activities. It’s painfully<br />

sad when I see people unable to enjoy physical<br />

activities, that once they wouldn’t have thought<br />

twice about.<br />

I feel passionate about changing this and as a<br />

collective group of everyday athletes, we each<br />

have a responsibility to encourage others to step<br />

up to join our humble society.<br />

How to break into the “Active<br />

Group”<br />

This group I’ll rename the “Everyone’s an Athlete<br />

(EAG) Group”.<br />

An everyday athlete is a person who makes the<br />

most of their life, taking opportunities to live<br />

life to the fullest. To be alive, to be mindful<br />

of the opportunities they have to express<br />

themselves physically. They are action-orientated<br />

and motivated to be the best they can be right<br />

now and in the future. They do not give up,<br />

irrespective of age.<br />

Physical activity is a massive part of an everyday<br />

athlete’s life. It is engrained into their daily life, it<br />

defines them. An EAG athlete seeks to challenge<br />

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HEALTH<br />

themselves physically, mentally, emotionally - all<br />

in the name of personal growth. It’s not about<br />

being elite, or championships. The competition<br />

they face stares back at them every day in the<br />

mirror. An athlete’s biggest rival is him or herself.<br />

The aim of the Everyone’s an Athlete Group is<br />

to inspire and motivate others, to live their best<br />

lives, and to become everyday athletes themselves.<br />

The everyday athlete looks to stretch themselves<br />

and inspire others to do the same.<br />

We all know someone who has perhaps led a<br />

sedentary life in the past, but who took decisive<br />

action to start doing something physical. Maybe<br />

it was to start running, enter a virtual race, get<br />

into cycling or engage in on-demand exercise<br />

sessions.<br />

They refused to allow themselves to be trapped<br />

in their former selves. Each and every everyday<br />

athlete is a work in progress, seeking to find the<br />

best physical versions of themselves. Not to be<br />

bound by other people’s views or disdain.<br />

This could see them strength training, playing<br />

football, climbing and bouldering, or trying<br />

something new, not confined to the stereotypical<br />

gym or health club. The gym is but a small tool in<br />

the everyday athlete’s toolbox.<br />

Cultivating an athlete’s mindset is about living<br />

life to the full and being present, never saying “I<br />

wish I could … but I am too old, too unfit, not<br />

enough time or money”. The everyday athlete<br />

defines what living their fullest life means to them<br />

and they challenge themselves to achieve it.<br />

The key driver to the everyday athlete is health,<br />

engaging in activities that promote their best<br />

health, physically and mentally.<br />

The everyday athlete also considers society and<br />

the impact that they have on developing the<br />

health of others and the community at large, in<br />

the long term.<br />

So, the question to be asked: Are you an EAG<br />

athlete or do you aspire to be one, in the war<br />

against inactivity?<br />

Join the movement and let’s embrace life as an<br />

athlete.<br />

Cultivating<br />

an athlete’s<br />

mindset is about<br />

living life to the<br />

full and being<br />

present, never<br />

saying “I wish<br />

I could … but<br />

I am too old,<br />

too unfit, not<br />

enough time or<br />

money”.<br />

I’m Healthy<br />

But I’m Yet To Find<br />

My Wellbeing<br />

Wellbeing and resilience coach Lucy Batham Read explores<br />

what it means to enjoy a sense of wellbeing<br />

When I was given the title for<br />

this article my immediate<br />

thought was, Great, at last an<br />

opportunity to start to debunk<br />

the myth we seem to buy into<br />

and the wellness industry’s obsession with green juice<br />

and turmeric being the answers to living well.<br />

Mix these beliefs with the press’s obsession with<br />

constantly giving us updates on what we need to<br />

take out of our lives, it appears we are abstaining<br />

from more and more … as opposed to simply<br />

trusting life more than we fear it whilst equally<br />

keeping our feet on the ground and making<br />

choices now that play both our body chemistry<br />

and reality forward well.<br />

Don’t get me wrong I grew up with a weak<br />

immune system and an unregulated nervous<br />

system, but it didn’t stop me running a software<br />

house, travelling the world and being lucky<br />

enough to marry and have three children.<br />

When change is needed<br />

But, and it’s a big but, in between my second<br />

and third child things got a bit hairy in more<br />

65


HEALTH<br />

Our kids watch<br />

what we do<br />

far more than<br />

anything we<br />

ever say,<br />

although<br />

they are also<br />

our greatest<br />

teachers if we<br />

are willing to<br />

listen without<br />

being triggered<br />

by what they<br />

are showing us.<br />

ways than one and change was needed, including<br />

changes in my belief systems and new boundaries.<br />

20 years later, I feel healthier than I ever have<br />

with no signs of any immune conditions and a<br />

trust in life that has baffled me more often than<br />

not.<br />

These days, I allow a “wealthy life” to be about<br />

allowing the good and the bad into my life<br />

without predetermining which is which and<br />

being bold enough to know that we don’t make<br />

mistakes, we simply make choices (albeit some<br />

conscious some not). But we own those choices<br />

and our goal in life should surely be about getting<br />

to the end knowing we were mostly true to<br />

ourselves and we lived with less regret and much<br />

more heart and soul. It enables the dirt paths,<br />

the bumps and the joy to all be about living, not<br />

just existing within this game called life. It also<br />

enables the kind of peace with life that allows us<br />

to sleep like a baby and wake up ready to take on<br />

the challenges life will always bring.<br />

What is wellbeing?<br />

So back to the title, are you yet to find your own<br />

wellbeing? What changes need to happen that<br />

you are ignoring?<br />

Did you know that the World Health<br />

Organisation’s definition of wellbeing is far less<br />

about the absence of disease and much more<br />

about the mind, body, spirit connection?<br />

It requires us to resist the cognitive bypassing<br />

of being grateful for the good bits and it means<br />

we need to get into self-responsibility and selfawareness.<br />

It is here we learn to surrender to what<br />

is but equally shift our perceptions enough to<br />

allow what will be.<br />

It also requires us to understand that although we<br />

can eat the green juice and do the yoga, if we are<br />

still stuck in the mind, we are no nearer to peace<br />

than our friend who eats and drinks what they<br />

want and lives as if today is their last day.<br />

Conscious thought and<br />

observation<br />

From experience working in the mental health<br />

arena for the last 15 years, conscious thought is<br />

vital these days just as is knowing our own minds<br />

and trusting life just that little bit more than we<br />

fear it.<br />

Coming out of the mind is important but hard.<br />

Mindfulness automatically tells us to think about<br />

the mind and yet coming out of the mind and<br />

into our bodies is one of the most important<br />

things we can do in order to sleep like a baby and<br />

live as only we can.<br />

Empathy for ourselves<br />

Shakespeare famously said thoughts are neither<br />

good nor bad only thinking makes it so.<br />

Brene Brown says put shame into a Petri<br />

dish, and it only needs three things to grow<br />

exponentially: secrecy, silence and judgement. If<br />

you put the same amount of shame in a Petri dish<br />

and douse it with empathy, it can’t thrive.<br />

Being human is as simple as it is complicated but<br />

if you want to find peace it begins with kindness,<br />

especially with ourselves. But mix that with selfresponsibility<br />

and we begin to know we can do<br />

hard things even when we have no idea how.<br />

Pass it on<br />

Learn this by osmosis and life is very possible and<br />

the gap between dreams and reality becomes a<br />

series of stepping stones during which we are able<br />

to adjust our lens at any time to learn the lessons<br />

and thrive at the same time, without becoming<br />

addicted to destinations or living in fear of the<br />

proverbial tap on the shoulder.<br />

Learn this as an adult and it’s a powerful<br />

motive to raise generations who learn to smash<br />

glass ceilings without the fear of never being<br />

enough. Our kids watch what we do far more<br />

than anything we ever say, although they are also<br />

our greatest teachers if we are willing to listen<br />

without being triggered by what they are showing<br />

us. That’s not always easy but then being human<br />

isn’t easy. Do the work however and watch them<br />

thrive and grow.<br />

None of this is a quick fix or an easy lesson. Like<br />

all things worth the weight, it takes time and<br />

conscious thought as well as practice. But if you’re<br />

looking for a sense of wellbeing, start by looking<br />

within, because you almost certainly have it<br />

already, you just need to uncover it.<br />

66 | sussexexclusive.com


HEALTH<br />

Optimise Your<br />

Immune System<br />

<strong>Sussex</strong> health expert, Dr Tracy S Gates of Pure Bio, provides valuable<br />

advice of natural ways to improve your immune system<br />

Optimising your immune function<br />

seems like an obvious course<br />

of action. However, boosting<br />

your immune system is actually<br />

much harder to accomplish<br />

than you might think. Your immune system is<br />

incredibly complex: it needs to be strong and<br />

active enough to fight off a variety of illnesses and<br />

infections, but not so strong that it overreacts<br />

inappropriately, leading to allergies and other<br />

autoimmune disorders.<br />

However, there are everyday dietary and lifestyle<br />

changes that will invariably support your immune<br />

system against infection or illness.<br />

Maintain a healthy diet - eat plenty of<br />

vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and<br />

lean protein. As well as providing energy, healthy<br />

eating will provide sufficient amounts of the<br />

micronutrients that play a role in maintaining<br />

your immune system, including vitamins C, E<br />

and B6. Vegetables are also rich in antioxidants<br />

which protect the body against inflammation.<br />

In addition, the fibre content of vegetables feed<br />

your gut bacteria and maintain a healthy gut<br />

microbiome, which further protects against<br />

invasion of harmful bacteria and viruses.<br />

Eat more healthy fats - healthy fats, such as<br />

those in olive oil, fish, chia seeds and avocado,<br />

boost the body’s immune response to potential<br />

infection by decreasing inflammation.<br />

Avoid sugar - All forms of sugar (including<br />

honey) interfere with the ability of white blood<br />

cells to destroy bacteria. Studies show that diets<br />

high in sucrose (refined sugar) impair certain<br />

aspects of immune function.<br />

Alcohol intake - including occasional episodes<br />

of modest consumption, interferes with a wide<br />

variety of immune defences.<br />

Exercise regularly - As well as maintaining<br />

muscle strength and helping to reduce stress,<br />

exercise is also an important part of supporting<br />

a healthy immune system. In fact, studies have<br />

shown that just 30 minutes of moderate exercise<br />

every day helps stimulate your immune system.<br />

Stay hydrated - Adequate levels of water in your<br />

body is key to a healthy immune system. Lymph<br />

- largely made up of water - carries lymphocytes<br />

(white cells that fight infection) around your<br />

body. Dehydration slows down the movement<br />

of lymph, which can impair immune system<br />

function.<br />

Get plenty of sleep - Important infectionfighting<br />

molecules are created while you sleep.<br />

Minimize stress<br />

- Response to<br />

stress – whether<br />

acute or more<br />

prolonged -<br />

suppresses<br />

your immune<br />

system, which<br />

increases the<br />

risk of infection<br />

or illness.<br />

67


HEALTH<br />

Studies have shown that people who don’t get<br />

enough good quality sleep are more prone to<br />

becoming infected when exposed to viruses.<br />

Minimize stress - Response to stress – whether<br />

acute or more prolonged - suppresses your<br />

immune system, which increases the risk of<br />

infection or illness. Long term stress also increases<br />

inflammation, which in turn also suppresses<br />

the immune system. Finding ways to deal with<br />

inevitable stress is key – including meditation,<br />

moderate exercise, finding a hobby, or consulting<br />

a professional.<br />

Nutritional supplement treatment options<br />

Multivitamins - most double-blind studies have<br />

shown that elderly people have better immune<br />

function and reduced infection rates when taking<br />

a multiple vitamin-mineral formula.<br />

Zinc - affects multiple aspects of the immune<br />

system, from the barrier of the skin to the<br />

regulation of white blood cells. Zinc is crucial<br />

for the normal development and function of<br />

cells that are involved in general immunity.<br />

Zinc supplements have been shown to increase<br />

immune function.<br />

Beta-glucan - is a fibre-type polysaccharide<br />

(complex sugar) derived from baker’s yeast,<br />

oat and barley fibre, and many medicinal<br />

mushrooms such as maitake, reishi and shitake.<br />

Numerous studies have shown that betaglucan<br />

can activate white blood cells. In fact,<br />

there have been hundreds of research papers<br />

on beta-glucan since the 1960s. The research<br />

indicates that beta-1,3-glucan, in particular,<br />

is very effective at activating macrophages and<br />

neutrophils (important immune cells). A betaglucan–activated<br />

macrophage or neutrophil can<br />

recognize and kill tumour cells; remove cellular<br />

debris resulting from oxidative damage; speed up<br />

recovery of damaged tissue; and further activate<br />

other components of the immune system.<br />

Vitamin D - has numerous effects on cells within<br />

the immune system and is therefore essential for<br />

the normal functioning of the immune system<br />

(including the inflammatory response to wounds<br />

and infection). Vitamin D is also known to play a<br />

role in autoimmunity.<br />

Vitamin E - enhances some measures of immunecell<br />

activity in the elderly. According to doubleblind<br />

research, this effect is more pronounced<br />

with 200 IU per day compared to either lower or<br />

higher amounts.<br />

Beta-carotene - and other carotenoids have been<br />

shown to increase immune cell numbers and<br />

activity.<br />

Vitamin C - stimulates the immune system by<br />

both elevating levels of immune system proteins<br />

68 | sussexexclusive.com<br />

and enhancing the activity of certain immune<br />

cells.<br />

Vitamin A - plays an important role in immune<br />

system function and helps mucous membranes<br />

(including those in the lungs) resist invasion by<br />

micro-organisms.<br />

Colostrum - can be effective as a means<br />

of providing passive immunity to protect<br />

against disease. The immune-boosting effects<br />

of colostrum are mostly due to its high<br />

concentration of the antibodies IgA and IgG,<br />

which are proteins that fight viruses and bacteria.<br />

Probiotics or Prebiotics - (growth factors that<br />

encourage the development of healthy bacteria<br />

in the gastrointestinal tract) may help protect the<br />

body from harmful organisms in the intestine<br />

that could cause local or systemic infection.<br />

Botanical treatment options<br />

Echinacea - human studies have found that<br />

echinacea taken orally stimulates the function of a<br />

variety of immune cells, particularly NK (natural<br />

killer) cells. Studies also suggest that echinacea<br />

speeds recovery from the common cold, via<br />

immune stimulation (as opposed to killing the<br />

cold virus directly).<br />

Asian (Panax) Ginseng - has a long history of<br />

use in traditional herbal medicine for preventing<br />

and treating conditions related to the immune<br />

system.<br />

Eleuthero (Siberian ginseng) - has also<br />

historically been used to support the immune<br />

system. Research has shown that healthy people<br />

given eleuthero tincture had an increase in certain<br />

lymphocytes important to normal immune<br />

function.<br />

Ashwagandha - is considered a general stimulant<br />

of the immune system and is known as an<br />

adaptogen —a herb with multiple, non-specific<br />

actions that counteract the effects of stress and<br />

generally promote wellness.<br />

Astragalus - contains complex polysaccharides<br />

that act as “immunomodulators”. Studies indicate<br />

that it can prevent white blood cell numbers<br />

from falling in people given chemotherapy and<br />

radiotherapy and can elevate antibody levels in<br />

healthy people.<br />

Cat’s Claw - contains substances called<br />

oxyindole alkaloids that have been shown to<br />

stimulate the immune system.<br />

Green tea - has very high levels of antioxidants,<br />

which facilitate its immune-boosting and antiinflammatory<br />

properties. Several studies have<br />

also shown that green tea has antimicrobial<br />

properties that inhibit the growth of bacteria<br />

and viruses.<br />

Article contributed<br />

by Dr Tracy S Gates,<br />

DO, DIBAK, L.C.P.H.,<br />

Consultant,<br />

Pure Bio Ltd.<br />

© Pure Bio Ltd 2021.<br />

All rights reserved<br />

Pure Bio Ltd are a<br />

leading UK supplier<br />

of the highest quality<br />

PURE nutritional<br />

supplements,<br />

based in Horsham,<br />

West <strong>Sussex</strong>.


PURE BIO Ltd is a leading UK supplier of the highest<br />

quality PURE nutritional supplements, organic toiletries and<br />

healthy lifestyle alternatives.<br />

HEALTH<br />

Pure Bio is based in Horsham West <strong>Sussex</strong> and was<br />

conceived in 2000 by practitioners to provide top quality<br />

products at competitive prices.<br />

We only sell products that have been carefully selected<br />

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VITAMIN D3 1000 iu – £22.50<br />

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69


Getting Motivated<br />

to Improve<br />

Your Physical &<br />

Mental Wellbeing<br />

If You Are a Disabled Person<br />

70 | sussexexclusive.com


So just don’t<br />

sit there. Start<br />

readying your<br />

mind and get<br />

motivated.<br />

And finally,<br />

just remember,<br />

there is<br />

somebody<br />

ALWAYS<br />

worse off<br />

than yourself.<br />

Chris Smith (not his real name), a<br />

former Paratrooper, was injured<br />

during active service and lost his<br />

sight in 2001. Battling depression,<br />

he took up exercise and, in his<br />

words, “discovered a new me”. Still active, he<br />

shares his thoughts on how to get started.<br />

Motivation can be defined as the force that<br />

energises and directs behaviour, but all said and<br />

done, if you are disabled, you still have to feel<br />

the need to energise yourself to improve your<br />

mental and physical abilities and to extend your<br />

independence. So basically, it comes down to<br />

the fact that you have to be in the right frame<br />

of mind to initiate a course of suitable fitness<br />

depending on your disability.<br />

Consult your doctor<br />

This first action is always a priority, and you<br />

should consult your doctor to ensure your blood<br />

pressure and heart are functioning correctly and<br />

within limits and to take advice about what is<br />

possible for you. Your physical instructor will<br />

need to know your limitations so a programme of<br />

fitness can be structured around them, whatever<br />

they may be. Additionally, if you are a diabetic,<br />

you should make sure your bloods are in the<br />

green zone. But the positive aspect of having<br />

diabetes is that you can turn the sugar in your<br />

blood into energy which will reduce your blood<br />

sugar levels and any need for insulin or tablet<br />

medication. Although as always, discuss this with<br />

your instructor and doctor.<br />

Work with a physical instructor<br />

A lot of exercises are or should be supported<br />

by good breathing and the regulation of your<br />

vascular system. Before committing to any<br />

exercise regime, you must get a feel for your vital<br />

signs and ensure they are all in the green, then<br />

your instructor will focus on the most relevant<br />

part of your body that needs improving, for<br />

example a limbless person might spend time<br />

concentrating on upper body strength in order<br />

to enable them to manage themselves on and<br />

off various platforms. A person who is severely<br />

sight impaired has to be managed on and off<br />

any exercise equipment and be monitored by<br />

instruction or staff while they are exercising.<br />

Setting goals<br />

When one is physically disabled, or sight<br />

impaired it is very difficult to motivate<br />

oneself into thinking about trying to get fit or<br />

improving one’s overall mobility. Being blind<br />

and physically disabled myself through military<br />

service, I got to the point where I needed to<br />

make certain changes to improve my overall<br />

ability and general wellbeing. It was hard<br />

enough just thinking about it let alone doing<br />

it, but I managed to set myself small objectives<br />

and gradually went from strength to strength<br />

as I started achieving them. Again, I stress it’s<br />

important to take advice from a professional<br />

instructor so you can comfortably work within<br />

an envelope of your capability, without causing<br />

stress or pain to an existing disability (your<br />

limitations). But by setting yourself objectives<br />

and reaching them, as you progress it’s very<br />

satisfying and soon, you start to see the benefits<br />

of the exercise that you have undertaken.<br />

Getting motivated<br />

In the military it was always mind over matter<br />

(we don’t mind, and you don’t matter). And this<br />

holds firm, as we all know the mind controls the<br />

body and it’s important to get that balance right.<br />

To generate the right motivation, you have to<br />

want to improve your overall wellbeing and<br />

mobility and in turn improve your overall<br />

confidence and stress levels, making it possible<br />

for you to achieve more.<br />

But what triggers motivation? A look in the<br />

mirror or weighing yourself is a norm for a<br />

reasonably healthy person, but if you’re disabled<br />

that often doesn’t apply. Your motivation will<br />

need to come from your own determination<br />

to improve your overall wellbeing and<br />

independence, without relying on anybody<br />

else for your daily routine unless it’s absolutely<br />

necessary. This comes from deep within.<br />

But once the mind is switched on it enables you<br />

to focus on the programme of fitness that has<br />

been designed specifically for your disability,<br />

and this will allow you to set your objectives<br />

and achieve them. Gradually, and over time,<br />

you will be able to extend your objectives as you<br />

progress. You will of course, encounter pain and<br />

exhaustion to begin with but they say there is no<br />

gain without pain. As you find yourself getting<br />

more flexible, there are other options you may<br />

look at too, like Yoga and Pilates, which involves<br />

using muscles that you never knew you had and<br />

I have found personally this has worked wonders<br />

for me.<br />

Working with others<br />

You may also find it helpful to join a group<br />

which can work quite well and injects fun into<br />

the activity. As the saying goes, together, we<br />

can do more.<br />

So just don’t sit there. Start readying your<br />

mind and get motivated. And finally, just<br />

remember, there is somebody ALWAYS worse<br />

off than yourself.<br />

71


A Mini Break in<br />

Marrakesh<br />

Discover the souks of the Medina and the exotic<br />

palaces and gardens of Marrakesh<br />

72 | sussexexclusive.com


Morocco is only a threehour<br />

flight from Gatwick,<br />

making it a great mini<br />

break destination. Despite<br />

its proximity to <strong>Sussex</strong>, the<br />

hot, pulsing streets of the Marrakesh Medina<br />

couldn’t be more different to the sleepy slopes<br />

of the South Downs, giving you something<br />

totally different from the norm.<br />

Where to stay<br />

The big decision to make is whether you want<br />

to stay within the Medina. Staying outside<br />

means you can escape the hustle and bustle and<br />

your hotel might be a bit more spacious (with<br />

room for that all important pool perhaps) but<br />

you will have to either walk or catch a taxi into<br />

the centre. Staying in the centre means you’ll be<br />

right in the heart of the action. Or you could<br />

combine space and place by staying in one of<br />

the super swanky central hotels.<br />

We stayed in the Amani Hotel which is not far<br />

from the railway station and theatre and had a<br />

pool, and spa. Shop around for the best price<br />

but I found a double room in September for<br />

less than £85 for two nights.<br />

Things to do in Marrakesh<br />

There is so much to do in Marrakesh, and you<br />

won’t have time to see it all, especially if you<br />

want to fit in some rest and relaxation.<br />

The Medina<br />

Inevitably, your stay is going to be focussed on<br />

the magnificent Medina.<br />

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the<br />

Medina is the old, historic part of town<br />

surrounded by high stone walls. It was founded<br />

in the 11 th century and is a rabbit warren of<br />

narrow streets, covered alleyways (derbs) and<br />

hidden courtyards, all centred around the large<br />

central square, the Jemaa El Fna. This is where<br />

you’ll find snake charmers, monkeys, stilt<br />

walkers and a whole host of street entertainers,<br />

especially at night.<br />

The Medina is a brightly coloured, full-on<br />

assault on the senses whether you visit day<br />

or night, with hawkers, bikes, carts, fabrics,<br />

pottery, lamps, spices, livestock, pastries and<br />

more all trying to grab your attention. Any trip<br />

to Marrakesh demands that you spend at least<br />

half a day here.<br />

Top tip: if you’re apprehensive, visit early in the<br />

morning when it’s at its quietist and use the 12 th<br />

century Koutoubia Mosque as your way marker<br />

(you can see it from the plane as you land and it’s<br />

in the Medina).<br />

73


...originally<br />

designed to<br />

house a harem,<br />

with a central<br />

courtyard and<br />

surrounding<br />

rooms for the<br />

concubines!<br />

Bahia Palace<br />

A little to the south east of the mosque is this<br />

stunning 19 th century palace with marble<br />

courtyards, stuccos, mosaics, intricately engraved<br />

wood and plasterwork and little oases of floral<br />

calm. It feels tranquil and cool after the bustle of<br />

the Medina and it’s easy to understand why the<br />

King of Morocco used it as a palace.<br />

But it’s also worth bearing in mind that it was<br />

originally designed to house a harem, with a<br />

central courtyard and surrounding rooms for the<br />

concubines! It gets busy but there are still some<br />

excellent photo opportunities.<br />

Le Jardin Secret<br />

Another perfect escape from the madness of the<br />

Medina is this magnificent palace and gardens<br />

that date back to the 16 th century and has been<br />

home to some of the great and the good of<br />

Morocco. There are two main buildings namely<br />

the riad and the tower, with inlaid cedar wood,<br />

hand-carved stuccos and geometric designs with<br />

two main gardens, namely the Exotic Garden and<br />

the Islamic Garden.<br />

La Mamounia<br />

There are a number of exceptional hotels in<br />

Marrakesh, but if you want outstanding opulence<br />

and luxury, head to the La Mamounia, favourite<br />

hangout of Winston Churchill and set in its own<br />

17 acres of grounds in the Medina. If you can’t<br />

afford to stay here you might want to pop in for<br />

a pre-dinner drink, but beware there is a dress<br />

code, and a single drink is likely to set you back<br />

at least £20.<br />

The Jardin Majorelle<br />

Just outside the Medina, to the north east, The<br />

Jardin Majorelle is both exotic and evocative. You<br />

can book online in advance, but we didn’t and<br />

didn’t have to queue for long.<br />

The French painter Jacques Majorelle began<br />

planting here in 1922, with botanical specimens<br />

from around the world. Yves Saint Laurent and<br />

Pierre Bergé bought the gardens in 1966 and these<br />

days they are a heady combination of exotic plants,<br />

bold colours and Art Deco style with the feel of an<br />

oasis. It’s also home to The Pierre Bergé Museum of<br />

Berber Arts (there is an additional fee for this).<br />

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Relax with a Hammam<br />

This is another must do when in Marrakesh.<br />

A Hammam is a type of traditional Moroccan<br />

bath which has developed into a spa treatment.<br />

Practises vary but generally this relaxing and<br />

invigorating treatment includes a dry hot room, a<br />

hot steam room and a thoroughly vigorous scrub<br />

down and massage.<br />

Top tip: ask your hotel to recommend somewhere<br />

rather than just visit one off the street.<br />

Places to eat<br />

Wherever you go in central Marrakesh, you are<br />

spoilt for choice when it comes to places to eat,<br />

whether it’s street food or posh nosh that you’re<br />

after!<br />

Dar Essalam<br />

Dar Essalam is in Rue Zitoun Kedim (just off<br />

the main square). This restaurant is phenomenal<br />

and a perfect summary of hedonist Marrakesh.<br />

It was once the haunt of the likes of Winston<br />

Churchill, Charles Trenet, Alfred Hitchcock,<br />

James Steward and Doris Day and it’s set in a<br />

magnificent 17 th century palace. Think beautiful<br />

fountains and tiles, fine engravings and marble<br />

work and Arab-Andalusian art. In addition to<br />

a traditional menu, the entertainment includes<br />

belly dancing, head wobbling and traditional<br />

music. An evening you won’t forget.<br />

Koulchi Zine<br />

Just a short walk from Dar Essalam (in the same<br />

road) Koulchi Zine is a great place for lunch. It<br />

has a roof top restaurant, a cool vibe and some<br />

great smoothies, local pastries and vegan options.<br />

You feel cool, calm and collected up above the<br />

souks and as you recuperate over a long and<br />

lingering lunch here.<br />

Le Marrakchi<br />

Just off the main square we stumbled in here<br />

because we were looking for somewhere that<br />

served alcohol during Ramadan. Call us heathens<br />

but we’d just come from the desert. It’s got a<br />

buzzing atmosphere, a terrace overlooking the<br />

main square, lots of local dishes and cocktails.<br />

Flights<br />

There are frequent flights from Gatwick<br />

including a red eye service which will have<br />

you in Marrakesh as early as 10am on a Friday<br />

morning (the Saturday flights are generally a bit<br />

later). Depending on when you travel, there’s<br />

also a good choice of return flights that allow<br />

you to return either Sunday afternoon<br />

or evening.<br />

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Horsham Speakers Club<br />

Does public speaking bring you out in a<br />

cold sweat? Perhaps working from home<br />

has knocked your confidence?<br />

Do you know you need to improve, but<br />

you’re not sure where to start?<br />

Horsham Speakers Club is a Chartered Member<br />

of the Association of Speakers Clubs and offers<br />

a relaxed, friendly and supportive place for you<br />

to come and improve your public speaking skills.<br />

• Our diverse membership includes speakers<br />

of all abilities.<br />

• We have a structured education programme,<br />

and you learn at entirely your own pace.<br />

• The Club meets twice a month. Your first<br />

meeting is free, and you don’t have to say<br />

a word if you don’t want to.<br />

• Guests are always welcome.<br />

Why not join us for a meeting and see what<br />

we do. Contact us for more details and to<br />

arrange a visit!<br />

www.horshamspeakers.org.uk<br />

horshamspeakers@gmail.com<br />

76 | sussexexclusive.com


Welcome to<br />

THE ARTISAN BAKEHOUSE<br />

A country retreat like no other, where you’ll learn<br />

the art of artisan bread making in the heart of the<br />

beautiful <strong>Sussex</strong> countryside.<br />

BAKE<br />

Learn to bake bread by the glow of a wood oven<br />

in our traditional bakehouse. Experience making<br />

various breads from around the world with our<br />

hands on and small group workshops. Or you can<br />

join a range of 40-minute online breadmaking<br />

masterclasses if you prefer.<br />

ENJOY<br />

Take away skills for life and a renewed love of<br />

baking with recipes and techniques you can enjoy<br />

at home.<br />

RELAX<br />

Suitable for any level of experience, hone your<br />

baking skills in a relaxed, informative and fun setting<br />

at the foot of the stunning South Downs. Come for<br />

the day or you can ‘stay and bake’ in one of our<br />

gorgeous holiday cottages or luxury shepherd’s hut.<br />

Browse our award-winning workshops and<br />

Use the booking code: “Gourmand” for a 10% discount off workshops<br />

www.theartisanbakehouse.com<br />

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Award winning sparkling wine from<br />

East <strong>Sussex</strong><br />

Exceptional wine, lovingly grown<br />

We hand craft wines that reflect and celebrate the natural<br />

environment. With just 5 acres of north facing slopes on<br />

the edge of the <strong>Sussex</strong> Weald, we like to do things a little<br />

bit differently and allow each wine to tell its own story.<br />

As well as our online shop, this summer we have opened<br />

our cellar door. Now you can drop in on Saturdays to buy<br />

your favourite still or sparkling from our award-winning<br />

range. Once a month we give vineyard enthusiasts the<br />

opportunity to see behind the scenes with a tour and<br />

sample 2 sparkling and 1 still wine. We continue to offer<br />

bespoke private tours with a selection of deli style platters<br />

and homemade scones to accompany our range of 8 wines.<br />

To book or shop, please visit:<br />

www.tickeragewine.co.uk • or contact Anthony@tickeragewine.co.uk<br />

VISIT HEPWORTH’S SHOP<br />

Open 10-5.30 Monday to Friday<br />

and Saturday 10-4pm<br />

• 45 beers and more<br />

• Range of wines, English<br />

award winners and selected<br />

world wines<br />

• Fine boutique gins<br />

• Local ciders<br />

Plenty of Parking<br />

• Cocoa Loco chocolate,<br />

Gingerbread, jams and<br />

marmalade<br />

Stane Street, Pulborough, West <strong>Sussex</strong> RH20 1DJ<br />

www.hepworthbrewery.co.uk • 01403 269696<br />

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The<br />

Last Word<br />

The last word this month goes to local historian, Peter Benner,<br />

who looks back on some 70+ years of living in <strong>Sussex</strong> and beyond<br />

Chailey windmill Halnaker windmill Jill windmill Rye windmill<br />

Mills on the Move<br />

There was a time, up to about 150 years ago, when to mount any eminence in <strong>Sussex</strong>, particularly<br />

the South Downs, one could spot (in addition to the church towers which so infuriated the devil<br />

and set him “a digging of his Dyke”), a selection of mills. Particularly the white post and smock<br />

mills which stood out against the green of the Weald.<br />

Many of these have disappeared, through wind or fire (they are prone to overheating) but those that have<br />

not suffered destruction, were often not quite as permanent as you might assume and many of them were or<br />

are not in their original locations.<br />

Indeed, a complete smock mill was moved to Dyke Road in Brighton from what is now Regency Square.<br />

This was achieved using a team of 30 yoke (or more) of oxen. Jill, the white smock mill of Jack and Jill at<br />

Clayton was similarly moved across the Downs from Brighton. The present mill on Chailey Common, said<br />

to mark the central point of <strong>Sussex</strong>, is actually a reproduction of a previous mill destroyed by fire but that in<br />

turn had been moved from Highbrook whilst another mill was transported whole to Newhaven.<br />

What was Lowfield Heath mill, on the county boundary near Gatwick, was in the last century removed<br />

into Charlwood in Surrey. But when the Jolesfield mill at Partridge Green collapsed, its working parts were<br />

re-assembled in the grounds of Gatwick Manor hotel. A dear friend of mine, Rodney Little, not only claims<br />

to have visited every surviving windmill in England and Wales but has also built a half sized working mill in<br />

his garden.<br />

Many are the trusts and bodies of volunteers to whom we are indebted for painstakingly preserving and<br />

rebuilding these striking landmarks and reminders of the essential providers of our daily bread in years past.<br />

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