As with many counties in the south of England, East Sussex cannot be described in general terms. The northern areas are within easy reach of London for the commuter whilst the south is far more rural, save for coastal towns such as Eastbourne, Hastings and Bexhill.

For the country house buyer, there is a world of difference between East and West Sussex. Where the more open rolling countryside of the west has traditionally been the preserve of the large estates, with few good-sized family houses or even cottages, the hills and woods of the east have been farmed on a much smaller scale with relatively large villages and towns every few miles – hence a larger number of properties of all types.

In the north-east of the county, villages such as Hartfield and Forest Row have good access to London via trains from East Grinstead (51mins) as well as the amenity of the Ashdown Forest, a popular walking area.

To the south of Tunbridge Wells (London 50mins by train) is the Weald, a richly wooded area that runs east to west through the middle of the county and provides wooded scenery with pretty, small towns and villages, such as Rotherfield and Wadhurst. Oak from the forests was the main building material until the 16th century, often weather boarded or tile hung for extra protection from the elements. In the 17th century many of these houses were encased in Sussex brick.

The south of the county is relatively poorly serviced by main roads with the A21, A22 and A26 all predominantly single-lane. This means that many southern areas, particularly towards Rye in the east, are quieter and more rural.

East Sussex has some wonderful country houses but, in the main, a poor road network has left prices somewhat behind those of its neighbours in Surrey and West Sussex.

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