Chelwood & Nutley

Chelwood and Nutley sit within the High Weald landscape of Wealden, made up of small villages, farmland, copses and lanes. Houses and cottages cluster around greens and crossroads, with fields divided by hedgerows and pockets of ancient woodland. The southern fringe meets Ashdown Forest; heath and birch carry into the woodlands and provide routes used by walkers and local riders. Farming and smallholdings remain a visible part of land use, with lanes that narrow between banks and oaks.

The villages are linked by narrow roads and community places such as the village hall and a pub, and local events often use the common land and lanes. A post mill perches on a hill above Nutley, its timbers and white sails a familiar sight from the surrounding lanes and fields. Old trackways and irregular field patterns record medieval land use, and scattered ponds and ditches mark historic water management. Everyday life here follows seasonal rhythms tied to farming, forestry and the slow movement of residents between homes and surrounding countryside.