Pictures of Wilmington

About Wilmington

This little village takes its name from an old Saxon word meaning the homestead of Wine and this is how it is recorded in the Doomsday Book.

It is a village with a long history, and has been inhabited since Saxon times as proven by the discovery of Saxon burial barrows on the Downs above the village. At one time all the land in the area was the property of Earl Godwin, father of Harold II who was King at the time William conquered England. William was responsible for the murder of Harold.

These days Wilmington is best known for the "Long Man" a giant carving on the north side of Windover Hill. The figure is generally thought to have first appeared in medieval times, but theories abound that it may have been there since the Iron-Age. Whatever the answer, the figure is major attraction that draws the crowds.

The village church is thought to date from around the 12th-century. This is dedicated to St.Mary and St.Peter, it has two original Norman windows and a font of the 13th-century. The church remained largely untouched until the 19th-century when there was much restoration work of the Victorian period. The church stands surrounded by a tree lined, grassed churchyard covered by graves and tombs of many centuries.

Wilmington is a quiet village, it lies in a patchwork of rural countryside close to the sedate coastal town of Eastbourne. It is a pleasant place to amble around, with a friendly pub offering a warm welcome to visitors.