Church in the Wood, Hollington, East Sussex

The Church in the Wood (St Leonard's Church), East Sussex

Visited July 2021

The Church in the Wood, or to give it it's formal name of St Leonard's Church, is in Hollington, near Bexhill on Sea in East Sussex.

There has been a church here since at least the 11th century, with that one being replaced in the 13th century. Parts of the current church are Medieval, although of course the Victorians got their hands on it and did lots of "restoration". Sadly the church was locked when we were there, but the churchyard alone was well worth a visit. As the name suggests, it's in the middle of a wood (there's a handy car park nearby), and the cemetery feels very wild and remote. Graves are mostly Victorian to modern, but in the trees and with butterflies and bees flying around between the flowers it felt old and remote, like a part of the past hiding in the middle of the present. If you look closely, there are some gravestones going back to the 17th and 18th centuries near the church, but they take some hunting out.

The churchyard backs on to more ancient woodland, and it is all a nature reserve in the borough of Hastings, so hopefully its secluded and peaceful nature will survive for generations to come. If you're in the area, do pay this place a visit. You won't regret it!