Sussex is home to so many great towns and villages to visit, and this spot is said to be full of "picture-postcard cottages".
The village of Herstmonceux can be found in the Wealden District in East Sussex.
Sitting "modestly between Wealden hills and marshy levels" in the Sussex countryside, it is full of history.
Here is all to know about this village and why it may just be worth a visit.
History of Herstmonceux
As shared by the 1066 Country website, Herstmonceux may have been inhabited as far back as the Neolithic period, about 5,000 years ago, but the first written evidence of a settlement appears in the Domesday Book of 1086.
The name 'Herstmonceux' comes from the Anglo-Saxon word 'hyrst' meaning 'wooded hill', Visit South East England explains, as well as the name of the Monceux family who were lords of the manor there in the 12th century.
Today Herstmonceux is described as a village with "many claims to fame", including a castle, observatory and being the home for a special type of basket used by royalty.
In the 15th century, Herstmonceux Castle, which is now the oldest brick building of note in the country, was built to replace the existing manor house.
Herstmonceux Castle was dismantled internally in 1776 and was later fully restored as a private home in the first half of the 20th century.
The castle and estate were also once home to the Royal Greenwich Observatory, which relocated from the light and smoke pollution of London to the clearer skies of Sussex.
A group of green copper-domed buildings were built to house the telescopes that moved to the village, which now form part of The Observatory Science Centre.
In 1993, the castle and its estate were gifted to Queen's University in Ontario, Canada, by wealthy former student Alfred Bader, whose wife had a house in nearby Bexhill.
Today, the parks and gardens of Herstmonceux Castle and Place are Grade II* listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
It operates as the Bader International Study Centre and is not freely open to the public; however, guided tours of the castle are offered.
The gardens and grounds are a popular visitor attraction.
Herstmonceux is also famous for its Royal Sussex Trugs. which are wooden baskets, designed for use on farms and in gardens, with Queen Victoria even using them.
They were first made in the village by Thomas Smith in 1829 and are still handmade by craftsmen at Thomas Smith’s Trug Shop.
House prices in Herstmonceux
House prices in Herstmonceux have an overall average of £438,020 over the last year, according to Rightmove.
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The website adds: "The majority of properties sold in Herstmonceux during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £409,545.
"Detached properties sold for an average of £580,786, with terraced properties fetching £340,000.
"Overall, the historical sold prices in Herstmonceux over the last year were 3% down on the previous year and similar to the 2022 peak of £436,358."
Things to do in Herstmonceux
As mentioned previously, Herstmonceux Castle is a great spot to visit in the village, as well as its "550 acres of glorious parkland and superb Elizabethan gardens".
Visit South East England says the castle "embodies the history of medieval England and the romance of Renaissance Europe".
More information on guided tours can be found on the castle website.
The 1066 Country website also recommends the nearby Observatory Science Centre with its "spectacular copper domes" that are home to giant restored telescopes.
It has interactive exhibits, hands-on experiments and an outdoor discovery playground.
If you are looking for things nearby to the village and are willing to travel, other recommendations also include the fully restored Stone Cross Windmill and Michelham Priory, home to England's longest medieval water-filled moat.
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The 1066 Country website adds: "A trip to nearby Pevensey is a must, to see the spot where the Normans landed in 1066 and visit the castle and courthouse. There are lots of great walks around this area.
"If you're visiting as a family, don't miss a trip to the Knockhatch and Drusillas adventure parks, packed with wildlife, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, rides and activities."
There are plenty of places to eat in and around the village, including cafes, pubs and restaurants.
