Henry Paddon Contemporary Art

Contemporary art in rural Sussex isn't what you'd expect to find tucked away near Pevensey, yet here it is. Henry Paddon Contemporary Art operates as a proper working gallery space, the kind where you might catch artists mid-project or have a genuine chat about what's on the walls rather than being herded through by staff.

The gallery focuses on contemporary work - painting, sculpture, installation pieces - with a programme that rotates through the year. It's small enough that you won't need more than an hour here, which makes it ideal if you're staying at one of the nearby parks and fancy something a bit different from the usual seaside fare. Families with teenagers interested in art will get more from it than those with younger kids, if I'm honest.

The area around Pevensey itself is fairly low-key - castle ruins, pebble beach, fish and chips - so this gallery works well as part of a lazy afternoon rather than a headline draw. If you're based at Pevensey Bay Holiday Park or the five-star Warren Wood Country Park, both within easy driving distance, it's worth a detour on a drizzly day when the beach isn't appealing.

Contact ahead to check current hours and whether there's an entry fee - details are thin on the ground, but most contemporary galleries like this are either free or charge a modest amount. Worth ringing to confirm what's on too, as the programme varies.