Romantic Sussex Getaways

By Sussex Life on February 2nd 2012

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Eco-Lodge tree houses, near Mayfield, East Sussex

If you’ve always fancied unleashing your inner Tarzan and treating the Jane in your life to a spot of leafy luxury, then Fair Oak Farm near Mayfield, East Sussex has just the thing.

Tucked away among Scots pines and other mature woodland on an idyllic farm in the heart of the Wealden Valley nestle two luxury sustainable tree houses, complete with a queen-size double bed, en-suite wet room, fully-equipped kitchen and sheltered balcony.

The tree houses, which each sleep two people, are the brainchild of Ian and Penny Ledger who, despite no previous experience in the hospitality industry, gambled their life savings to convert the farm buildings on their 12-acre estate into off-beat self-catering accommodation.

“We knew that we didn’t want to be your average holiday cottage where you turn up and find the key under the door mat,” says Ian, who completed the tree houses with the help of a local carpenter last autumn.

“I had the design and layout in my head long before we had even moved in and the method of construction was actually no different to a normal timber-framed structure, though, of course, they’re raised off the ground.”

These tree houses, however, come equipped with a flat-screen LED digital television with built-in DVD, wireless broadband, heating and hot water, a dishwasher, washing machine and cooker. And when you’ve tired of the delights indoors, you can try your hand at archery or falconry on site, or treat yourself to a delicious meal rustled up by the farm’s home chef.

“It’s the ultimate hotel room, but in the trees and on a country estate boasting glorious uninterrupted views,” says Ian. “Just perfect for grown-ups wishing to fulfil their innermost childish dreams.”

The eco-lodge tree houses are available from £340 per week for two people sharing in low season. To book or for further information, visit: www.fairoakfarm.co.uk or ring 01435 884122.

Fox Hall, near Charlton, West Sussex

After a hard day hunting foxes, there was nothing an 18th-Century Sussex nobleman enjoyed more than a jolly knees-up with the boys at Fox Hall near Charlton, West Sussex. And judging by its breathtaking interior, which still survives thanks to the careful restoration work of the Landmark Trust, who can blame them?

“This old hunting lodge may be a plain brick box from the outside, but it features a magnificent room which must be Britain’s premier bedsit – and just perfect if you’re trying to impress a partner,” says Katherine Oakes, communications manager for the Trust.

“Not only is the room lined with beautiful crimson damask and decorated with a stunning gilded ceiling, but the handsome double bed, contained within an imposing alcove where the Duke of Richmond once slept, not to mention the open hearth, make this an ideal venue for cosy, romantic evenings.”

The room is also sprinkled with period details, from the fine hunting pictures lining the walls to the indicator hanging over the fireplace – used to show the direction of the wind and vital information for any fox hunter.

Charlton may be just a small village, but when the Charlton Hunt was famous and fashionable, its name was dear to every sportsman in England. The hunt was founded in the 1670s by the Duke of Monmouth and perpetuated by the Dukes of Bolton and then Richmond.

Fox Hall, a small Palladian building believed to have been designed by Lord Burlington’s assistant Roger Morris, provided visiting noblemen with a space for clubbing, feasting and recounting the feats of the day.

But Valentine’s couples might prefer to enjoy the fine hospitality and real ale afforded at the village pub which is within easy walking distance, though those 18th-Century votaries of the goddess Diana might have taken a dim view of its name – The Fox Goes Free.

Fox Hall sleeps four (double and twin beds) and there’s a garden and adjacent parking. To book or for further details, visit www.landmarktrust.org.uk

Laughton Place, near Lewes, East Sussex

Why not take a step back in time this Valentine’s Day and recreate the life of a 15th Century aristocrat at Laughton Place, near Lewes, once the home of the distinguished Pelham family.

Sadly, all that remains of their grand manor house is the bold brick tower which stood close to the main hall and served as an outlook post. But the tower, which enjoys a set of private rooms, has great charm and is available to let courtesy of the Landmark Trust, which has lovingly restored the building.

“It has an illustrious pedigree, which it wears with the lonely and battered dignity of a nobleman fallen on hard times,” says the Trust’s Katherine Oakes. “From about 1400, Laughton was the chief manor of the Pelhams, and in about 1534 Sir William, who had attended his king at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, remodelled the house on a grand scale.

“All that survives is the tower, despite the best efforts of Henry Pelham, politician and brother to the splendid Duke of Newcastle, who, in 1753, surrounded it with a new Gothic farmhouse. The result was very charming, with a pediment between crenellated side-wings, and pointed windows, but in 1927 this, too, was demolished, leaving just the tower again.

“When the Trust bought it in 1978, it had great cracks in its sides and the floors had fallen in, and much engineering and lime mortar went into its repair. The rooms inside are plain, though there’s a large pine table in the homely ground-floor kitchen and an imposing stone spiral staircase takes you up to charming double and twin bedrooms on the second and third floors respectively, elegantly furnished with antiques.”

There are also period details aplenty, including delightful arabesque terracotta windows and moulded doors featuring the Pelham buckle, the badge won by prowess in the Middle Ages and used as a proud family emblem ever since.

“The tower is situated amid flat farmland and there’s a roof terrace where you can enjoy breathtaking views,” says Katherine. “It’s the perfect romantic getaway.”

The tower sleeps four and dogs are allowed. There is also nearby parking. A four-night, mid-week break costs £446. To book or for further details, visit www.landmarktrust.org.uk

Old Chapel Forge, Lagness, West Sussex

In days of old, chapel visits were perhaps something to be endured rather than enjoyed. But no longer. Well, not if you visit Old Chapel Forge at Lagness, near Pagham in West Sussex, a delightful award-winning B&B run by Sandra and Charles Barnes-Keywood.

This converted flint and stone chapel, built in the grounds of the couple’s home, dates back to 1611 and history suggests that it was still being used as a place of worship for the local farming community until 1847. The house and chapel took on a very different guise during the Second World War, however, when the land was requisitioned by the RAF as part of Operation Hadrian, one of 82 advanced landing grounds used in the run up to D-Day.

“We found this unusual property, which houses three suites with king-size or twin beds, ten years ago,” says Sandra, who was the first B&B owner in Sussex to ‘go green’ and has since won many sustainable tourism awards, not least for her delicious and varied cooked breakfasts, prepared with slow-grown local produce, served in her farmhouse kitchen. “Couples who stay with us love this secluded spot, which overlooks the rolling Sussex Downs, and we’re just a three-minute drive from Chichester and Bognor Regis, as well as several beaches.”

From now on, chapel going need never be restricted to Sundays.

A three-night winter break at Old Chapel Forge costs £210 inclusive. For further information, visit www.oldchapelforge.co.uk

Woodland Shepherds’ Huts, near Bodiam Castle, East Sussex

If chapel-going isn’t quite your thing, then perhaps you’d prefer to go back to nature and woo your loved one in a simple shepherd’s hut in unspoiled Sussex woodland.

At Quarry Farm, just yards from the fairytale Bodiam Castle in East Sussex, Anna and Nick Eastwood, the founders of The Original Hut Company, have fashioned a bucolic idyll in a wooded glade bordering the River Rother.

Inspired by the old cabins traditionally built for itinerant farmhands and shepherds in bygone days, they’ve designed their own unique camping huts, constructed from salvaged and locally-sourced materials.

“Our huts are built using recycled chassis from old touring caravans, which make them considerably more manoeuvrable than those on traditional iron wheels, as well as old corn bins which are used for the roof, and sustainable wood from our farm,” says Anna.

“Each hut is fitted with a double bed and bunk-bed, a fully-equipped kitchen, a small wood-burning stove, solar-powered lighting and a sink with running cold water. A cool box, bed linen and a supply of firewood is provided at the beginning of the stay, and hampers of excellent local produce can be arranged at any time. Each hut also comes with its own fire-pit for warming marshmallows, sausages and storytelling, or guests can amble across the fields to the local pubs.

“We also have another unique selling point – the Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway actually runs through the farm. There’s also Bodiam Castle to explore or you could take the Danny Lee ferry on a trip down the river. Oh, to be lost forever in this little neck of the woods...”

Each hut sleeps up to four and is available from £75 per night (low season) to £295 (peak season) plus £6 per person, with a linen surcharge on stays of fewer than three nights. Open all year round. For further information, visit www.original-huts.co.uk or ring 01580 831845

Romantic Sussex Getaways

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