Staplecross: Historic Buildings, Countryside and Bonfire Tradition

Staplecross combines historic architecture with a distinctive rural landscape and a special date in the annual calendar. Anyone planning a stay involving cultural discoveries and an insight into the history of the place will find several different points of interest here. To the north of Staplecross lies an open field that forms part of a medieval field landscape, known as an assart, with historic field boundaries. This landscape aspect complements the buildings and monuments associated with the village with a much older dimension.

Historic buildings in the village

One of the notable buildings is The Cross Inn in Staplecross. The building is L-shaped and listed Grade II; its north wing dates from the 18th century. The history of Forge House and Forge Cottage can also be traced through several periods. Forge House probably dates from the 17th century, while Forge Cottage was added in the 18th century. Together, they form a single Grade II-listed building.

Wrens Cottage is also among Staplecross’s historic buildings. It is a Grade II-listed building dating from the 18th century or earlier, with weatherboarding. St Mark’s Church, built in the 19th century, provides another indication of the area’s history. The Staplecross War Memorial is a Grade II-listed First World War monument dating from 1921. The result is a villagescape in which different periods are visible alongside one another, without having to combine the individual buildings into a single architectural history.

Bonfire celebration on 31 October 2026

For Saturday, 31 October 2026, the Ewhurst and Staplecross Bonfire Society has announced its Grand Procession and Bonfire. The annual October celebration includes a torchlit procession, a bonfire and fireworks. Alongside the historic buildings, this gives Staplecross a specific, scheduled reason to plan a trip. If you would like to take this date into account, you should treat it as a separate focus of your stay and not equate the event with the historic sites described as being open to interest throughout the year.

Which type of accommodation suits your trip?

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday cottage in Staplecross, it helps to decide first what kind of travel experience you want. For culture-focused days, The Cross Inn, Forge House, Forge Cottage, Wrens Cottage, St Mark’s Church and the War Memorial take centre stage. Those more interested in the landscape and local history can plan to focus specifically on the medieval field landscape north of the village. The announced October date, by contrast, shapes the trip around a special celebration with a procession, bonfire and fireworks.

For families, this allows for a varied stay: different age groups can take an interest in architectural history, the landscape or the event programme without everyone having to choose the same activity. Benedict House and Benedict Lodge are located on Staplecross Road (B2165) and add to the local names encountered when exploring Staplecross.

If you would like to broaden your search to include other destinations, you can also look at Icklesham, Crowhurst, Uckfield, Northiam, Seaford, Ditchling, Westfield and Bexhill-On-Sea.

For the overarching travel overview: East Sussex.