Lower Beeding: Forest, Gardens and History

Lower Beeding brings together the woodland landscape of St Leonard's Forest, Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens and historical connections to the area. If you are looking for a hotel in Lower Beeding, these highlights provide a concrete framework for planning your trip: woodland paths and landforms, an extensive garden and evidence of ecclesiastical and industrial history.

St Leonard's Forest: woodland and landforms

St Leonard's Forest covers the northern part of the parish of Lower Beeding and is very densely wooded. Flat ridges alternate with steep-sided ghylls, or deeply incised wooded valleys. This means you experience the forest not just as dense woodland, but also as a landscape of changing forms. Open tracks and paths start at the Roosthole car park. The woodland also has a network of bridleways through varied and scenic woodland habitats. There are different routes through the forest for walkers and horse riders.

Walks with different highlights

The Sussex Ouse Valley Way adds a river route to this perspective. Lower Beeding Village Hall is listed as the starting point for the route. The way offers easy, mostly flat walking alongside the river, particularly on the lower sections. This makes it possible to compare different kinds of routes: in St Leonard's Forest, the setting is shaped by dense woodland, ridges, ghylls and the bridleway network; the Sussex Ouse Valley Way is characterised by the course of the river and mostly flat terrain.

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens in Lower Beeding is a Grade I listed garden. The grounds encompass more than 240 acres of English woodland gardens in a steep valley. Specific features include lakes, woodland and the Rock Garden. The valley, woodland and water shape different aspects of the grounds: the terrain provides the setting, while the lakes and Rock Garden are individual garden features. After being closed for ten years, Leonardslee reopened to the public in 2019.

Church and industrial history

Holy Trinity Church on Plummers Plain in Lower Beeding was dedicated to the Holy Trinity and consecrated in June 1840. The bell tower was added in 1885. The consecration and the later addition of the tower thus mark two milestones in the church's history. Hammer Pond Guest House in Lower Beeding is also protected as a Grade II listed building.

The hammer ponds in the Lower Beeding area were created in the 16th century to supply water to ironworks. Their practical function is central here: the ponds supplied water to the ironworks. The hammer ponds thus add an industrial context to the area's ecclesiastical history, while the dates associated with Holy Trinity Church tell the story of its construction over time.

Discover more destinations: Crawley, Ansty, Boxgrove, Littlehampton, Barnham, Coldwaltham, Birdham, Rusper

For the regional travel overview: West Sussex.