Nestled between the sea and the South Downs, East Sussex’s coastal villages – Rottingdean and Saltdean – provide a charming antidote to the hustle and bustle of neighbouring Brighton, says Rebecca Pitcairn…
A couple of miles east from the city of Brighton, you’ll find the quaint seaside village of Rottingdean and the sleepy suburb of Saltdean. Nestled between the sea and the South Downs National Park, these two villages offer a slice of coastal life far slower – and more affordable – than their busy metropolitan neighbour. Consequently, the area is popular with families and the older generation looking for a thriving community.
Rottingdean, with its flint cottages, village green, duck pond, Saxon church and plentiful pubs, ticks all the boxes when it comes to a traditional English village and is steeped in history. Originally a village built around agriculture, Rottingdean was a smugglers’ haven in the 17th and 18th centuries; the high cliffs shielded the village from prying eyes and a network of hidden tunnels enabled contraband to be moved quickly inland, while the sails of the famous windmill, which sits atop Beacon Hill, were used to signal when the coast was clear.
In more recent history, the picturesque village has been the inspiration for many creative minds; The Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling rented a home here between 1897 and 1902, when he wrote many of his Just So stories, and the pretty walled gardens in the centre of the village are named in his honour.
Anthony Ernest Pratt, the creator of Cluedo, is also reputed to have based the classic board game on a Tudorbethan-style mansion and former hotel, Tudor Close, on Deans Court Road.
Grand Crescent has some of Rottingdean’s larger properties. Credit: Jack Beard at The Light Room Media
Until the 20th century, there was little more than a few farmhouses and a row of coastguard cottages on the open downland that is now Saltdean. Property entrepreneur Charles Neville was responsible for the development of the sprawling housing estate that you see today after he acquired the land in the 1920s as part of his dream to develop all the land between Rottingdean and Newhaven.
In a bid elevate Saltdean’s status to a fashionable seaside resort in the 1930s, Neville commissioned the iconic art deco Lido, which remains the centrepiece of the village today. Named by English Heritage as one of the Seven Wonders of The English Seaside, the Grade II* Listed lido has been threatened with demolition on a number of occasions but in 2013 ownership was transferred to the local community and, thanks to a huge fundraising drive, the pool recently underwent a multi-million-pound renovation.
This community spirit, and the ability to easily step away from it all, is why many people move or choose to stay here, says Abi Radford, who together with her sister Georgia, grew up in Saltdean and now live in Rottingdean, where they run local estate agency No.24.
“We love the fact that you only have to walk down the High Street and you often bump into a friendly neighbour, or someone you know. There’s a real community feel in both Saltdean and Rottingdean, and people really care about each other,” she says.
“You’re literally down the road from all the amenities Brighton has to offer, without feeling like you’re in amongst it all the time. You only have to walk a little way in any direction, and you’ll end up away from all the people and cars, which is the perfect way to decompress after a busy day at work. It’s the best of both worlds.”
Where to buy
The houses in Saltdean are centred around The Oval playground, famous lido and beachfront. Credit: Jack Beard at The Light Room Media
In Saltdean some of the best roads to buy include Westmeston Avenue, where large, detached houses offer panoramic sea views, and Arundel Drive East and West, which are the roads directly surrounding Oval Park and the lido.
Saltdean Vale, the main road running through the area, is lined with bungalows dating back to the 1920s and 1950s and you can pick up a two to three-bedroom with extension potential for around £500,000. You can also find larger, architecturally striking houses, inspired by the art deco era but these come at a premium.
In Rottingdean, the High Street is dotted with quaint cottages, some dating back to the 16th and 18th centuries. Those that come up for sale here have generally been lived in a long time and are doer-uppers. The seafront features purpose-built flats with ocean views, while a little further back, Dean Court Road, Bazehill Road and Goreham Avenue, are the best streets for spacious family homes.
How much?
According to RightMove, properties in Rottingdean had an overall average selling price of £614,826 over the last year while in Saltdean they were over £100,000 at £504,972. Most of the homes in both areas were detached, fetching an average of £839,375 in Rottingdean and £597,697 in Saltdean.
The average selling price of flats in Rottingdean (£539,000) came in higher than the price of semi-detached houses sold (£508,500) mainly due to there being several apartments situated right on the coastal road offering panoramic views and in stately historical house back from the front. Whereas in Saltdean, flats went for an average selling price of £229,600.
Travel links
With no railway station serving Rottingdean or Saltdean, you’ll need to head along the coast to Brighton to board a train, but services from here are excellent with the Gatwick Express line reaching London Victoria in just over an hour.
The bus route to and from Brighton is regular (every five to ten minutes at peak times) and takes about 20 minutes, so there’s no need suffer the city’s extortionate car parking fees. The B2123 in and out of the area can get gnarly but is short so it doesn’t take long to get inland and onto the A27, which is the main road serving the south coast.
Schools
Saltdean has one Ofsted-rated good primary school and a feeder pre-school, as well as a Montessori Apple Tree nursery. In Rottingdean, there is St Margaret’s Church of England Primary and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary, both of which are also rated good.
The local secondary school, Longhill High School, is located up the road near Ovingdean. Brighton is home to Brighton College and Roedean independent schools, as well as the University of Brighton and University of Sussex.
Reality check
With its links to Rudyard Kipling, Rottingdean can get busy with tourists in the summer months and the absence of a train station means the traffic along the coast road can get busy. The High Street in Rottingdean is narrow, and in some areas single file, which also causes jams.
While Rottingdean is picturesque, Saltdean is somewhat lacking in character. There’s no supermarket for a ‘big shop’ and few independent shops, restaurants and cafes spread across the villages could get tiresome if you’re used to the variety other coastal towns and cities offer.
Time out
Nestled between the sea and the South Downs National Park, Rottingdean and Saltdean provide a charming antidote to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It takes less than 20 minutes to walk from Rottingdean up to the landmark Beacon Hill Windmill, which in the 19th century ground corn for the village and supplied flour to the local bakers, where you can experience panoramic views across the villages and beyond. Sea views towards Saltdean and Brighton from Telscombe Cliffs are also breath taking.
Young families are well catered for in Saltdean; Oval Park sits at the heart of the suburb and boasts a children’s play park, a skatepark, tennis courts, and an outdoor bowls green. Then there’s the lido, which as well as a 40m heated outdoor pool also houses a library, gym, workspace and DECO cafe and restaurant. Since the building reopened in 2023, it has become the hub of the community, hosting outdoor cinema nights, a comedy club and even weddings.
Across from the lido, the subway which runs under the busy A259 road has been painted with sea creatures and features plaques in memory of local people who have passed. This leads to the pebbled beaches and undercliff walk, which runs all the way to Brighton Marina and is popular with dog walkers, runners and cyclists.
Here there are a few rows of beach huts (some in better condition than others), a multi-use games court (dedicated to the memory of local teenager Connor Saunders who was tragically killed in 2012), and a couple of cafes; Whitecliffs, which sits at the top of the cliff at Saltdean and Molly’s, which is nearer Rottingdean and sits right on the undercliff walk.
At Rottingdean, The White Horses Hotel has recently been refurbished and is a refreshing addition to the seafront, proving just as popular for roast dinners in winter as it is for its outdoor bar terrace in summer.
The High Street features a mix of independent shops, such as Devesons Greengrocers, The Windmill Bakery and Pop Cycle Antiques; cafes and pubs, including Ye olde Black Horse and the Duck Inn, which sits right on the edge of the pretty duck pond. Across from here is The Grange Museum and Gallery, which is dedicated to the history of the village and has an art gallery, library and tea garden, and a few yards further up the road is the rustic Kipling’s Gardens, which are accredited with a Green Flag and are also home to Rottingdean Croquet Club.
Stay before you buy
Credit: Everly Hotels Collection
The White Horses has stood proudly on the beachfront at Rottingdean for 300 years but underwent its most recent reincarnation in 2024, following a takeover and stylish multi-million-pound refurbishment by the Everly Hotels Collection.
The interior design pays homage to the art deco styling of the ’20s and ’30s and is punctuated with local memorabilia from the era including framed swimwear and vintage photographs of holidaymakers frolicking on the local beaches.
Bedrooms are luxurious but with a minimalist, mid-century edge, allowing uninterrupted views of the tumbling waves to take centre stage. Roberts radios and monochrome tiling in the bathrooms are a further nod to the glamour of the roaring ’20s.
If budget allows, ask for one of the junior suites, each features a roll top bath you can soak in while looking out over the ocean, and a huge double shower with enough room for the whole family to wash the salt water from their skin after a dip in the sea. The communal areas are no less swanky; the restaurant features booth-style seating that looks out through floor to ceiling Crittall windows; while the Discovery Bar serves the finest from Sussex including beer from Firle, wine from Haywards Heath, gin from Brighton and rum from Seaford. Book your place here: thewhitehorseshotel-rottingdean.co.uk
What you can get for your money
Here are some of our favourite Rottingdean and Saltdean properties for sale:
1930s SEMI WITH CONTEMPORARY FEATURES (£500,000)
Credit: Jack Beard at The Light Room Media
Set back from the road in the highly sought-after Bannings Vale in Saltdean, this immaculately presented three-bedroom semi-detached has a wealth of original features including an open fireplace and picture rails, as well contemporary touches such as solar panels and a stunning rear kitchen extension. Upstairs there are three bedrooms and a family bathroom which has been beautifully renovated. numbertwentyfour.co.uk/property
CORNER PLOT BUNGALOW WITH VIEWS (£600-650,000)
Credit: Jack Beard at The Light Room Media
Situated on a large corner plot and with the potential to extend (subject to planning permission) above the double garage, this bungalow on Longridge Avenue in Saltdean comes with views of the village, the sea and the South Downs.
There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms on the ground floor (one en suite) and another two bedrooms built in the eaves. This is the first time the property has come on to the market since it was built in the mid-1950s. numbertwentyfour.co.uk/property
NEW BUILD IN THE SOUTH DOWNS (£899,995)
Built by Brookworth Homes, the three-bedroom, semi-detached ‘Sussex’ is situated on the Skylark development off Ovingdean Road right next to Longhill High School. Built to reflect the flint fronted cottages in Rottingdean, The Sussex features a living room and open plan kitchen/diner featuring Miele appliances, a central island and bifold doors to the garden. Upstairs there are three double bedrooms and a family bathroom. brookworth.com/developments/skylarks/plot-44
MOCK TUDOR MANSION ON SOUGHT-AFTER ROAD (£1,250,000)
Credit: Jack Beard at The Light Room Media
Located on Dean Court Road – one of the most sought after in Rottingdean – this detached home’s mock Tudor frontage is juxtaposed with a modern rear extension.
A paved in-and-out driveway curves around the front and colourful mature trees frame the house. Inside, the expansive open-plan kitchen/living room features a large central island with bar stools, state-of-the-art integrated appliances, and a hidden walk-in pantry. The ground floor also features a dining room, playroom, office, boot and cloakroom, while upstairs there is a family bathroom and four bedrooms – two of which have views looking up towards the famous windmill. numbertwentyfour.co.uk/property/dean-court-road-rottingdean/
