Steyning Area Guide

Historic Steyning is a highly desirable rural market town of more than 5,500 people, nestling against the inspiring landscape of the South Downs, well known as one of the most picturesque towns in Sussex. Located 10 miles from Brighton and 4 miles from the coast, it has more or less everything - a fine high street, historic buildings, good shops and lovely countryside nearby.

In a Times survey of the UK’s top 23 towns Steyning was named as one of the best places to live in the UK, given acclaim for its 'vibrant village atmosphere’.

Steyning has existed since Anglo-Saxon times. Legend has it that St Cuthman built a church, at one time dedicated to him, later to St Andrew, and now jointly to St Andrew and St Cuthman, where he stopped after carrying his mother in a wheelbarrow. Several of the signs that can be seen on entering Steyning bear an image of his feat. King Alfred the Great’s father, AEthelwulf of Wessex, was originally buried in that church, before being transferred to Winchester – a Saxon grave slab (possibly his) remains in the church porch.

Steyning is rich in history, with scores of timber-framed buildings in and around the ancient High Street, and its excellent museum. In the early middle ages it was a trading powerhouse on the then navigable estuary of the River Adur, acting as a river port for the downland wool trade. It has retained a lot of its charm due to its economic development being halted by the silting up of the river – the Black Death and competition from other ports didn’t help either. Steyning was prized by the Normans; their legacy today includes the magnificent parish church and the ruins of the castle in nearby Bramber.

There have been some notable residents of the town, Olympic gold medallist and OBE Sally Gunnell once called the West Sussex town home, before moving to nearby Fulking. Legendary British actor Lawrence Olivier lived in the nearby village of Ashurst, and the Irish poet W.B Yeats stayed at the Chantry House in his later years with his mistress Edith Shackleton Heald.

With the closure of the railway station in the late 1960s and the town bypass and infill development in the late 1980s, Steyning has largely been contained and served by its diverse mixture of different housing dating back to the medieval period or earlier. Unlike many bypassed settlements, the town has still retained a strong beating heart with the historic High Street at its core.

Property

The town includes a diverse and vibrant population from young professionals to families and the actively retired, creating an interesting mix of interests and homes for all, from flats and apartments to beautiful listed houses, cottages and homes from all different periods of construction. You name the period, there’s a house to fit every requirement: medieval hall houses with inglenooks, Georgian rectories, thatch, flint and modern. There are older very well preserved Tudor style half-timbered houses, timber-framed medieval houses and historic cottages, alongside some very smart Georgian town houses as well as semis, terraced and detached properties. Others are flint-walled or tile-hung, indicating the Sussex building vernacular. The town has more than 125 listed buildings.

Education

The local schools and nurseries are amongst some of the best in Sussex. The town is home to Steyning Grammar School, a co-ed Comprehensive day and boarding school of 2,500 pupils, with a sixth form comprising over 400 pupils. Steyning C of E primary school is another excellent choice for younger children.

Notable independent Lancing College is a short drive away as is Shoreham College and Brighton College is very accessible.

Shopping

Shopping in Steyning is a pleasure with independent retailers running almost every shop in its thriving High Street, selling a wide range of products from books, fashion, interiors and antiques through to gifts, dolls houses, toys and luxury produce. There is also a village supermarket and Cobblestone Walk, a fascinating range of tiny outlets and tearooms in a cobble stone yard accessed via pretty arched walkways, here an eclectic choice of goods are available from jewellery to health products, crafts, toys and dog accessories to magical faeries and angels, there really is something for everyone. Shopping in Steyning is easy paced and enjoyable as a consequence of a variety of old-fashioned and more modern small shops.

The High Street is also home to a number of traditional teashops, cafes, public houses and restaurants offering delicious food and drink.

An award-winning Farmers Market is a regular occurrence on the first Saturday of every month selling high quality local produce.

Entertainment

Rightfully known as a great destination for walkers, Steyning provides easy access to beautiful countryside, the South Downs Way and to other long distance paths. There are also excellent local routes to the mysterious Chanctonbury Ring, the Iron Age hill fort at Cissbury Ring, and delightfully gentle walks through the Adur Valley. Historic Bramber Castle is great for a picnic on a summer’s day.

Steyning Museum celebrates the rich history of the village. The interior of the St Andrew's Church is also interesting with Norman carvings and other treasures on show.

There are some excellent pubs, cafes, restaurants and tearooms to be enjoyed in addition to an award-winning Farmers Market selling high quality local produce including a delicious selection of vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, bread and cakes, fruit juices and dairy products etc. on the first Saturday of every month.

Annual festivals including an amazing Christmas event taking up the entirety of the High Street and including an impressive funfair are not to be missed. Nearly every West Sussex town now has some sort of art festival or another and Steyning is no exception it has one of the best small arts festivals around.

The village is home to many arts and crafts workshops and exhibitions plus a friendly, welcoming local amateur dramatic society. There’s something for everyone and all set against the backdrop of a picturesque village with a true sense of community.

Travel

Steyning is surrounded by the South Downs National Park yet has good connections to the rest of Sussex and beyond. The nearest railway station is Shoreham-by-Sea, about six miles away on the A283, which has a good service to London, Brighton and Portsmouth. Horsham is a half-hour's drive on the A24. Brighton & Hove Buses' number 2 service takes around 50 minutes. Compass Travel's 100 Burgess Hill-Horsham line stops in Steyning too. The A283 connects within a few miles to the A24 heading north towards Horsham, Dorking & the M25 and the A27 to the south.

There are excellent transport links to Worthing, Brighton, London and Gatwick via road.

Nearby, Shoreham is known for its Art Deco airport. With its Grade 2 Listed art deco terminal building, Shoreham Airport is the oldest licensed airfield in the UK. It is a growing centre for private aviation but also offers scheduled flights to the Channel Islands and northern France.