East side story

John Spencer detects something of Massachusetts in East Sussex.

After a few sips of the crisp white wine nurtured on the hillsides a few miles down the road, I could feel the stresses of work begin to melt away. My holiday home was flanked by Shaker-style clapboard houses, each with neat, white picket fences. A nod to the glamorous Long Island retreats where harassed New Yorkers have long headed to recharge their batteries. The name of the home – Nantucket Cottage – further encouraged such parallels.

Camber Sands, just outside the historic centre of Rye, may have more boarded-up businesses than a visitor might ideally like, but the opportunity to spend in pounds rather than euros is only one of the reasons my partner and I chose Sussex by the sea for a break this year.

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During our short holiday, the weather was sweltering – but the breezes made it ideal for walking and even lounging on the sands. The beach seemed to go on for ever, backed by rolling sand dunes, and, even in May, plenty of hardy souls were brave enough to plunge, not merely paddle, in the sea. Half close your eyes, and you really could be on one of the beaches of Cape Cod – although here fish and chips substitutes for the similarly calorie-packed clam bakes. Not far away is Battle, the location for the Battle of Hastings, 1066 and all that. And a walk through the winding streets of Rye, up cobbled lanes, past ancient buildings, is a history lesson in itself.

Strategically positioned at the top of the town, the church and the remains of the castle are visible from miles around – no accident when trade and commerce was more likely to move by sea than by land.

The modern visitor has this prestigious and wealthy past to thank for the marvellous timber-framed buildings, many now serving as restaurants, guest houses or tea shops, which give Rye such character. As well as places to eat and drink, there are antique shops, bookshops and delicatessens, where the spectacular choice of English cheeses include several made nearby. Rye looks like a high street used to look, before the supermarkets took over.

Just across the border in Kent, Tenterden is a centre of almost equal style and elegance, and has the added attraction of the Chapel Down Winery – a corner of Burgundy on this side of the English Channel. More than 22 acres of vineyards make Chapel Down the centre of the English wine trade.

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Visitors stroll in the herb garden (licensed for civil wedding ceremonies), follow vineyard maps and trails, and join guided tours to see how a vineyard actually works.

Guided tours of Chapel Down run daily throughout the summer, and at weekends only in May and October. And another attraction is the fine restaurant run by Richard Phillips, who has other restaurants in Kent and Sussex.

One of the great things about having a holiday cottage, no matter how comfortable a hotel or guest house, is the ability to unwind at the end of a busy day of sightseeing or beachcombing in your own space. Our home, far better equipped than anywhere I've stayed on old Cape Cod itself, included two generously-sized bedrooms and a good, high-spec kitchen. The lounge/dining room had a state-of-the-art television, DVDs and local guidebooks. A small rear garden completed the package.

What impressed me most was the attention to detail, including a welcome package of goodies in the fridge – essential for that late first-night arrival after a long journey.

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There were board games, baby-friendly toys and other equipment and even umbrellas for those inevitable rainy days. When the weather is fine, this piece of rural England is a delight.

Away from the marvellous coastline there are lovely villages to explore, some very stately homes and – best of all in my view – tremendous gardens. Pride of place in this category must be Sissinghurst Castle near Cranbrook in Kent, about half an hour's drive from Camber Sands. Formerly the home of Vita Sackville-West, and her husband Sir Harold Nicolson, the gardens are now in the hands of the National Trust.

This is a gem with colour-themed "rooms" leading from one delight to another.

A few miles away is another National Trust property – much more child-friendly this one – Bodiam Castle. It's a storybook medieval castle with a carp-filled moat, drawbridge, murder holes and all the other elements needed to set the mind racing. The best way to get there is by using the Kent and East Sussex Railway, hopefully pulled by one of their sturdy steam locomotives.

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The service runs from Tenterden to Bodiam, so take a picnic for a wonderful day out. Close to Bodiam is another great garden, this time the life work of another green-fingered great, Christopher Lloyd. His garden at Great Dixter, the Edwin Lutyens-designed home he inherited from his father, is a treat for even the most jaded horticultural palate.

Forget the Channel Tunnel and the delights across the water, and settle

for Blighty and all that's good about England.

Sussex holiday facts

John Spencer was a guest of Bramley & Teal, which offers holiday rentals of privately-owned homes in coastal and countryside locations in Kent, Sussex, Suffolk and southern Ireland. Two-night breaks at Nantucket Cottage 318 (mid-season) and 342 (mid-high season). Four-night prices 330, 398 and 428 respectively. 01580 860840 and www.bramleyandteal.co.uk

YP MAG 17/7/10