East Sussex : Once was a railway

Every time I visit my friend Jill in East Sussex we go walking along part of the Cuckoo Trail, which runs very near where she lives.

This was once a railway line, running from Heathfield in the north to Polegate in the south, but the line was closed on 13 June 1965, a victim of the Beeching cuts. The railway was known as the Cuckoo Line because of an old tradition, dating back to the 1300s, whereby a cuckoo was released at the Heathfield Fair to celebrate the coming of Spring. The fair continues to this day but now, thankfully, the cuckoo bears more than a passing resemblance to a pigeon! 

As has happened with many of the railway lines that were scrapped as a result of the Beeching cuts, the tracks were removed and the land converted to a now-very-popular walking and cycling trail. And, though the trains are long gone, the Cuckoo Trail still retains many hints as to its former use. These are some of them.

The dotted line on my map marks the approximate route (hand drawn by me, so not entirely accurate). In Hailsham, the Railway Tavern sits opposite where the station used to be and, just along the appropriately named Station Road, is the former Station House, now a private residence.

As you head north from Hailsham, you pass under some of the sturdy old bridges that carried traffic across the railway line.

Concrete bollards can be seen at various places along the trail, some with numbers on top. I’m not sure of their purpose, though I did find one that was definitely a milepost, marking a distance of 21¾ miles from or to somewhere.

At Hellingly, you can see several reminders of the trail’s railway past. A bench has been cunningly crafted using old carriage wheels, and there’s a post with an intriguing jumble of ironmongery attached – purpose unknown.

Through the scrub and small trees, you can catch glimpses of the former Hellingly Station building, now a private house, and part of the old platform remains.

As far as I’m aware, the old location where the full platform has been retained, at least on one side of the track, is further north at Horam. Here, there is another fine old brickwork bridge and more old paraphernalia – perhaps this post held lights or a signal of some kind.

I haven’t yet walked the full 11 miles of the Cuckoo Trail but, if I do, I’ll certainly be on the lookout for more fascinating paraphernalia and interesting signs of the trail’s past life as a busy railway line.

East Sussex: a little cuckoo

I’ve just returned from a short holiday, staying with my friend Jill in East Sussex. It was a wonderful few days of walking and talking, delicious food and excellent company, with visits to some of the local scenic attractions.

When I arrived late Monday afternoon, after 3½ hours in a bus from Cardiff to London, followed by another 3 hours and two trains making my way south during the Southern Rail strike, I was in desperate need of some fresh air and exercise so we had an early dinner and headed out for a wander.

Jill lives very near part of the Cuckoo Trail (a former railway line, see more here) so we followed that for part of our walk and also meandered along a local footpath that took us near some wonderful old buildings – barn conversions; a rather posh old house with its own moat; an old mill now converted to a house. 

We  also walked through the delightful and extremely picturesque little village of Hellingly, with its old church surrounded by a graveyard-come-village green, edged by lovely old houses.

The architecture in this area is simply stunning: the steep ski-slope-shaped rooves clad in lichen-covered terracotta tiles, the rustic red brick, the traditional exposed timber framing, the flint-encrusted stone walls.... These are just a few photos from our evening stroll.