The Alfriston hotel, a property in England’s South Downs village dating back to the 16th century, reopened this spring under new ownership.Rob James/Supplied
Once a hub for smugglers and an intersection for pilgrims bound for Chichester Cathedral, and then a destination for the free-thinking, postwar Bloomsbury Group of artists, writers and philosophers, the medieval village of Alfriston has entered a new era.
The South Downs village is a few miles inland of England’s south coast, an hour’s drive from London and 35 minutes from Brighton. Dating back to Saxon times, quaint and historic Alfriston (pronounced all-friston) brims with centuries-old flint and timber-framed buildings housing shops, restaurants and art galleries lining a crooked main street. One block behind sits the 14th century St. Andrew’s Church, overlooking the windy Cuckmere River and large green space, which has appealed to visitors.
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Reborn with the creation of the South Downs Way trail in 2010, Alfriston has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity among hikers and nature lovers. At the same time, the chalky, rolling hills of the South Downs have built a reputation for producing sparkling wine of such high quality that many sommeliers compare it to the Champagne region in France.
At the edge of all this a new hotel sits proudly – the Alfriston – which reopened this spring after a year-long refurbishment under new owners.
The 38 bedrooms in the Alfriston are individually styled to look like English country homes, with upcycled antiques, warm colours and bold prints.Rob James/Supplied
Why you should visit
Husband-and-wife team Hector and Samantha Ross specialize in turning historic buildings into destination hotels, with three other properties dotted around England.
The Ross’s team spent a year rebuilding the property, which dates back to 1554, installing a spa with sauna, steam room and three treatment rooms and adding seven extra bedrooms – bringing the overall tally up to 38. They knocked down walls, flooding previously gloomy rooms with light and, with a nod to the artistic creativity of Bloomsbury Group, painted murals around a new orangery (which doubles as a breakfast room) and a wooden dresser in the reception area.
Expect warm, playful colours with upcycled antiques, richly textured fabrics and boldly printed wallpapers to create individually styled bedrooms that feel like an English country home. There’s a purple flowering wisteria wound around the front door, a flagstone floor and timber-beamed bar plus a 70-seat brasserie serving locally sourced fish, meat and drinks – including sparkling wine from Rathfinny and hoppy ales from the nearby Long Man Brewery. Keep an eye on the cabinets in every corridor – they are stocked with complimentary candy and chips.
The Alfriston’s heated outdoor pool is newly paved, as part of the hotel’s year-long refurbishment.Rob James/Supplied
Room for improvement
Despite the modern design, the bedrooms lack hooks, hangers and much hanging space at all – not ideal for stays of longer than a night or two. The newly paved heated outdoor pool is both eye-catching and divine but more attention could have been paid to sound insulation in the newer section of the hotel – no one likes to be kept awake by noise.
Since you’re in the neighbourhood
There is almost too much to do. Begin with browsing the village – ensuring you don’t miss the stone market cross, which served as the key location for traders in medieval times and allegedly the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s poem A Smuggler’s Song. Much Ado Books is the perfect place to while away an hour (with homemade lavender shortbread for those who purchase a book) and stop for lunch at the Star, a pub-cum-luxury hotel that was originally built by monks and thought to date back to 1345.
This pocket of Sussex abounds in historical and cultural properties, beginning with the Clergy House, an early 15th century building sitting beside the church and the very first property purchased (for £10) by the National Trust, in 1896. Explore the homes of the Bloomsbury Group in nearby Charleston and Rodmell or treat yourself to a tour of the house and gardens of Firle Place where, in summer, you could catch a game of cricket, too. The world-famous Glyndebourne opera house, with its annual festival, is just a 15-minute drive away.
Don’t miss the chance for a stroll. As the last stop on the South Downs Way (a week-long hike from Winchester to Eastbourne), Alfriston is awash with magnificent walks along the Cuckmere River, through tiny villages with such delightful names as Litlington and Lillington, and along the chalky cliffs of the Seven Sisters.
The hotel can organize paddleboarding and canoe trips from Cuckmere Haven, a beach made famous in the Oscar-nominated film Atonement and just a ten-minute drive away.
Finally, taste some of the world’s finest sparkling wines on the neighbouring, family-owned Rathfinny Estate, sprawling across the south-facing slopes of the South Downs National Park, land that teems with wildlife from corn buntings and skylarks to the Adonis blue butterfly and large brown hares.
The take-away
Guests can enjoy afternoon tea, featuring classic offerings like finger sandwiches and scones, on the hotel’s patio.Rob James/Supplied
The Alfriston is a great base to explore this historic corner of Sussex. Order afternoon tea with delicate sandwiches, crumbling scones and thick, oozing cream to enjoy on the patio overlooking the croquet lawn for a hit of quintessential England.
The hotel also makes it easy if you arrive in classic British weather: A selection of Muck Boot wellies is free for guests to borrow for rainy walks.
- The Alfriston, Seaford Rd, Alfriston, South Downs. Rooms start at £150, including breakfast. There is plenty of parking on site. For more, thealfriston.com
The writer was a guest of hotel. It did not preview or approve the copy prior to publication.
