Wealden

Wealden district in East Sussex occupies a large area of the Low and High Weald in South East England. Its towns include Hailsham, Uckfield, Crowborough and Heathfield, set among a pattern of small farms, woodlands and hedged lanes. Large tracts of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty fall within the district and the northern heaths include Ashdown Forest, the landscape that inspired A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and locations such as Poohsticks Bridge. Remains of the historical Wealden iron industry can still be seen in hammer ponds and furnace sites scattered through the woods.

Local economy combines market towns, agriculture, small businesses and visitor services linked to walking and local history. Rail and road connections provide links to the coast and to larger urban centres beyond the district. Conservation designations and a network of public footpaths shape planning and land management, while village centres retain parish churches, village greens and local shops that serve surrounding rural communities.