Sedlescombe is a village and civil parish

Civil parish

In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...

 in the Rother

Rother

Rother is a local government district in East Sussex, England. The district is named after the River Rother which flows within its boundaries.-History:...

 District of East Sussex

East Sussex

East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. The village is located 7 mi (11.3 km) north of Hastings

Hastings

Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....

.

The parish lies within the High Weald

Weald

The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...

 Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...

. The River Brede

River Brede

The Brede is an English river in East Sussex. It flows into the Rock Channel and then onto the River Rother at Rye, Sussex. It gives its name to the village of Brede, which lies between Hastings and Tenterden...

 and its tributary the River Line flow through it; and Powdermill Reservoir

Powdermill Reservoir

Powdermill Reservoir lies to the west of Broad Oak, Brede, East Sussex, England. The reservoir provides water for Southern Water customers.-External links:*...

 is nearby. It has a population of approximately 1,500. The parish church is dedicated to St John the Baptist; there is also a United Reformed Church

United Reformed Church

The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...

 in the village.

The village traces its roots back to Roman times . Indeed, the oldest house in the village (Asselton House) was formerly called Asselton Bath and is reputed to be on the site of a Roman bathhouse. The surrounding area is rich in Roman remains, including the headquarters of the Roman navy in Britain just 4 mi (6.4 km) away at Beauport Park

Beauport Park

Beauport Park is a house near Hastings, East Sussex, England. It is located at the western end of the ridge of hills sheltering Hastings from the north and east.-Early history:...

 in St Leonards-on-Sea

St Leonards-on-Sea

St Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...

.

The village hosts the Pestalozzi

Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi

Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who exemplified Romanticism in his approach....

 International Children's Village, an educational charity set up for children from developing countries to live and study. Originally established during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, it became established in its present form in 1957. The village school is Sedlescombe CE Primary School.

Fifty years ago the village boasted two pubs, a butcher, a bakery, a newsagent, a blacksmith, a garage, two eateries and two general stores. Only the village store remains, although there is an inn, the Queens Head and a hotel called The Brickwall.

The parish includes the settlement of Kent Street

Kent Street, East Sussex

Kent Street is a small ribbon development along the A21, 1 mile north of St Leonards on Sea. It spans 800 yards from Carpenters Barn Farm at the southern end past up to at the northern most end. There is only one road adjacent to Kent street, Bluemans Lane. OS map and...

, located on the A21 road.

Reading

• Twenty Centuries in Sedlescombe: An East Sussex Parish Beryl Lucey 1999, Asselton Books ISBN 0 9534 6950 5
• A Village Where The World is One: The Story of the International Children's Village in England Beryl Lucey 1984