castle
Bodiam Castle
A 14th-century moated castle in East Sussex, renowned for its picturesque setting and well-preserved exterior.
9 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Flimwell
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Flimwell
Flimwell works well as a base: 10 minutes from Hawkhurst, 9km from Bodiam Castle.
Flimwell is in England, United Kingdom, with about 1,100 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Hawkhurst, about 5 km away.
Flimwell is a village in the civil parish of Ticehurst, in the Rother district of East Sussex, England. It is located close to the border with Kent at the junction of the A21 road with the A268 and the B2087. The village is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near Bewl Water and Bedgebury Pinetum, andRead more
neighbouring villages include Ticehurst, Hurst Green and Hawkhurst.
The origin of the place-name is from the Old English words fliema and wella meaning the spring of the fugitives. The placename appears as Flimenwelle in 1210.
The village is linear in shape and the largest of a group of settlements, some of which contain large residential properties, to both the west and east of the A21. Other settlements are Union Street and Dale Hill to the west, and Seacox Heath to the east. Including the surrounding woods and fields, Flimwell covers an area of approximately 1.35 square miles (3.5 km2), of which only approximately 5% is built-up.
A new village hall was completed in 2020. There are a number of businesses & facilities in and around the village, including an award-winning smokery and wine store, pub, motel, pine furniture shop, church, cricket ground with pavilion, playground, a park with a café and offices, and various other businesses.
Flimwell parish church is dedicated to St Augustine of Canterbury.
In the 16th century, Flimwell was one of the stages on the post road from London to Rye.
On the eastern edge of the village lies Seacox Heath, a dacha owned by the Russian Embassy and used by its staff. Built in 1871 by architects Carpenter and Slater, it is a Grade II listed building in the style of a French chateau. The dacha was the subject of news reports in 1999, when dogs from the estate were said to have 'killed approx. 50 ewes and attacked 100 others'. The British Government is considering gifting the property to the Ukrainian Government as compensation for the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Where to Stay in Flimwell
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Flimwell?
Within an hour or so of Flimwell: Bodiam Castle (9 km), Bodiam Castle (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) (9 km), Mermaid Street, Rye (23 km), Rye (23 km).
Are there any good drives near Flimwell?
The nearest famous roads are Crystal Palace Circuit, Goodwood Festival of Speed and Military Road, Isle of Wight.
Where is Flimwell?
Flimwell is in England, United Kingdom, about 5 km from Hawkhurst.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 1,100
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 51.0550, 0.4453
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Flimwell
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
film location
Bodiam Castle (Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
The moated East Sussex castle used in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and many period productions.
9 km · about 15 min drive
photogenic
Mermaid Street, Rye
Cobbled hill of half-timbered houses in the ancient Cinque Port of Rye, crowned by the 15th-century Mermaid Inn with its smuggling-era cellars. Houses carry names like 'The House with Two Front Doors'.
23 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Rye
A hilltop town of cobbled streets and timber-framed houses, once a Cinque Port and now stranded two miles inland.
23 km · about 25 min drive
castle
Leeds Castle
A castle on islands in a lake formed by the River Len in Kent, often called the loveliest castle in the world.
25 km · about 30 min drive
castle
Hever Castle
Romantic 13th-century double-moated castle that was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, set within award-winning gardens and a 38-acre lake.
27 km · about 30 min drive
racetrack
Brands Hatch Circuit
Legendary undulating British racing circuit in Kent hosting major motorsport events and offering car racing experiences.
36 km · about 40 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Beachy Head
The highest chalk sea cliff in Britain at 162 m, with a red-and-white lighthouse standing on the shore below.
38 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near Flimwell
- 38 kmBeachy HeadThe highest chalk sea cliff in Britain at 162 m, with a red-and-white lighthouse standing on the shore below.
- 38 kmCuckmere HavenA meandering river valley meeting the sea beneath the Seven Sisters, giving the classic view of the cliffs and coastguard cottages.
- 50 kmChannel Tunnel (Eurotunnel)50 km tunnel under the English Channel - drive your car on the train
- 54 kmCrystal Palace CircuitA parkland racing circuit in south London that ran until 1972 and still hosts occasional sprint events. Sections of the old track survive as park roads and footpaths, complete with original kerbing among the Victorian terraces.
- 57 kmBox HillA steep chalk escarpment above the Mole valley, the Zig Zag Road on its flank made famous by the 2012 Olympic road race.
- 59 kmLeith HillThe highest point in south-east England at 294 m, its 18th-century tower taking visitors just above the 1,000-foot mark.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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