Hailsham

About

Hailsham is a vibrant and historic market town. The Parish of Hailsham is approximately 3 miles in breadth and 4 miles from north to south between its extreme points - approximately 5000 acres.

Standing on rising ground, Hailsham overlooks the historic Pevensey Levels (Ramsar site) where the Romans built a stronghold upon what was then an island (Pevensey Castle). It was on the Pevensey Levels, which extend from Hailsham to the coast that William of Normandy made his historic landing in 1066; for, in those days, the seashore was some distance inland - about halfway between Hailsham and the present beach along Pevensey Bay.

Hailsham has been established as a market town since 1252 and still retains its historic core around St Mary’s Church and the Market Square. Visually the town centre is a delightful mixture of the old and new, having two modern shopping precincts yet retaining some of the character of its past heritage with St Mary’s Church, Fleur de Lys and other buildings dating back to the sixteenth century.

Whilst being largely rural in character, Hailsham still boasts a variety of local and national shops, several supermarkets, a cinema, and leisure centre with swimming pool and bowling alley. Most of the major banks and building societies have premises within the town centre.