Discover Alciston: Tithe Barn, Parish Church and Walk

For planning your trip, you can think of Alciston in terms of two highlights: historic buildings and a countryside walk to Selmeston. The buildings include the medieval tithe barn, the Grade I-listed parish church and the ruins of a square dovecote. The walk leads from historic Alciston to Selmeston churchyard. If you’re looking for a hotel for a trip with Alciston as your destination, this distinction can help you decide whether architectural history or a walk should be the focus of your plans.

Historic buildings in Alciston

Alciston’s medieval tithe barn is over 55 yards (50 m) long and the longest tithe barn in the country. Also known as “Tithe Barn South West of Court House Farm,” it is a Grade I-listed building.

Alciston’s parish church is also a Grade I-listed building. It is built of flint, with some stone details cemented, and has a tiled roof. The nave and west chancel date from the 12th century. The tithe barn and the church offer different points of comparison: the barn stands out for its length, while the church is notable for its combination of materials and the dating of particular parts.

The dovecote and its surviving details

Alciston is home to the ruins of a medieval square dovecote that may date from the 14th century. Its walls are faced with flint, with stone quoins at the corners and nesting boxes made of chalk. An estimated 120 of the original approximately 700 nesting boxes remain. The dovecote brings together several specific features: its square plan, its different materials and its surviving nesting boxes. These offer different points of interest if you’re interested in architectural forms and historic fabric. Compared with the original number, this is roughly one sixth; the approximate figures give an idea of how much remains, but are not an exact count of the dovecote’s nesting boxes.

Countryside walk and seasonal restrictions

The route from Alciston to Selmeston is a countryside walk from historic Alciston to Selmeston churchyard. It crosses pasture and reaches a small stream. This outing is therefore focused not on a single building, but on the route between the starting point in Alciston and the destination in Selmeston. The stream’s water levels can vary depending on the season; take this into account when planning your walk.

Seasonal restrictions apply to the public byways Alciston 11a, 11b and 11c every year from 1 October to 31 March. If you include one of these routes in your plans, take this period into account and check the details for your chosen byway beforehand.

Discover more destinations

Heathfield, Ticehurst, Iden, Nutley, Ewhurst Green, Rye, Hellingly, Piltdown

For the main travel overview: East Sussex.