St. Martha's Church

The church sits on a hill overlooking Bexhill-on-Sea, and the walk up is half the appeal. You're climbing through proper Sussex countryside, with views opening out across the town and beyond as you get higher. St. Martha's itself is a modest brick building, nothing fancy, but that's exactly why it works.

Inside, there's genuine warmth to the place. The congregation clearly cares for it - flowers on the altar, everything clean and thoughtfully arranged. It's the sort of church where you can actually sit for ten minutes without feeling rushed, which is rarer than you'd think. The windows let in good light, and if you time it right in the late afternoon, the whole interior glows amber.

This appeals most to walkers and anyone doing the serious exploration of Bexhill rather than just the seafront crowds. It's not a showstopper - you're not coming here for architectural fireworks - but it's genuine community Christianity without the Victorian Gothic drama. The climb itself is worthwhile even if you're not particularly religious. Allow twenty minutes each way from town.

If you're basing yourself at Normans Bay Camping nearby, this makes a good morning outing. Pevensey Bay is a bit further but still manageable. The church is free and unmissable on a quiet day, though opening times aren't advertised online, so you'll want to check ahead or catch a service if you're keen to go inside.