Cuckfield Baptist Church

The red-brick Baptist chapel on School Hill in Cuckfield is a proper Victorian workhouse of a building - all solid construction and no-nonsense architecture. It dates back to 1866 and sits quietly in this small Sussex village just south of Haywards Heath, a place most people only pass through on their way somewhere else.

Inside, it's straightforward nonconformist chapel fare: wooden pews, a simple pulpit, decent stained glass. There's nothing showy about it, which is rather the point. The congregation has been meeting here for near enough 160 years, and the building wears that longevity well - maintained without being fussed over.

It's worth a quick look if you're interested in Victorian religious architecture or local heritage, though you'll spend maybe twenty minutes max wandering around. The real appeal is seeing how ordinary communities actually worshipped, away from the grand parish churches that dominate most village skylines. The graveyard out back tells its own story too, if you're the type to read inscriptions.

Campsite-wise, you're well positioned here. Sunset Tree Camping lies just 2.9 miles away and gets top marks from visitors - proper facilities without being overdeveloped. Wild Boar Wood Campsite (4.7 miles) and Worth Forest Glamping (4.9 miles) offer alternatives if you want something more upmarket. The village itself has a few decent pubs and a pleasant enough high street, making it a reasonable base for exploring the Sussex countryside.