The long, straight seafront promenade is a distinctive starting point for exploring Bexhill-on-Sea: you can walk, jog or roller-skate here. Art, architecture and local history are also at the heart of many other discoveries. This means your trip can combine specific coastal experiences with a varied cultural offering.
Coast and Exercise
The seafront promenade is suited to different kinds of exercise, from walking to jogging and roller-skating. There are also sailing clubs along it; Bexhill is popular with sailors and rowers. West Parade offers another perspective on the design of the coastal surroundings: the planting there is adapted to this environment.
If you prefer a walk in a park, you can stroll around the lakes in Egerton Park. This gives you a choice of two different ways to spend time outdoors: the long, straight promenade and the paths around the lakes in the park.
Architecture and Culture by the Sea
The De La Warr Pavilion stands on the seafront promenade. The modernist pavilion dates from 1935 and is listed as a Grade I building. Its offering includes live performances, a learning and participation programme, and indoor and outdoor events. Event spaces are also available for hire. Architecture and a cultural programme come together here in a named location; events take place both indoors and outdoors.
Flatland Projects, a contemporary art organisation based in Bexhill-on-Sea, offers more contemporary art. It commissions and presents ambitious exhibitions. Its activities also include artist development programmes, research activities and community engagement initiatives. Research is one of the organisation’s activities; its exhibitions and other programmes offer a concrete insight into its work.
The Coastal Culture Trail also places Bexhill’s art offering in a broader cultural context. It connects Towner Gallery in Eastbourne, the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea and Hastings Contemporary in Hastings. This means that three cultural venues in three named towns are part of the same trail.
Museum and Traces of History
The collections at Bexhill Museum cover an unusually wide range of subjects, including dinosaur footprints, the history of the De La Warr Pavilion and Suzy Eddie Izzard’s model railway collection. The Costume Gallery complements these collections with fashion and costumes from the 17th century to the present day. History enthusiasts can therefore distinguish between geological history, the history of a distinctive building and a costume collection spanning a broad period.
Bexhill Old Town is home to outstanding examples of Georgian architecture. Another historical trace is the ancient St Peter’s Church in Bexhill, whose origins date back to Saxon times. The ruins of the Manor House in Manor Gardens recall the roots of Bexhill Old Town in the 13th century. These references represent different historical periods; the church’s Saxon origins should be distinguished from the reference to the Old Town’s roots in the 13th century.
Getting There and Taking a Break
Direct train services connect Bexhill-on-Sea with London Victoria, Brighton and Ashford. As train services can change, check the latest connections before travelling. For a break, the café-bar at the De La Warr Pavilion serves freshly prepared lunches and sandwiches made with locally sourced ingredients, as well as homemade cakes and scones. As food and drink offerings can change, check the latest information before planning a visit.
Discover more destinations: Maresfield, Staplecross, Mayfield, Brede, Nutley, Hastings, Ninfield, Hurst Green.
For the overview of the wider region: East Sussex.
