Article by Dan de Belder
Cuckmere Haven, situated roughly three miles from Seaford, boasts stunning views of the world famous Seven Sisters. It is in the South Downs National Park, with ownership shared among the National Trust, Seaford Town Council and the County Council; the cottages are privately owned.
Cuckmere Haven, whilst renowned for its beauty and nature and remains a highly popular spot for walkers, artists and nature lovers, has a rather more adventurous history. Its location on the Sussex coast gave Cuckmere Haven a pivotal role in the battles against the smuggling trade of the early 19th century and in defending Britain during the Napoleonic Wars and two World Wars.
Nowadays the place has become a muse for painters, writers, photographers and filmmakers from across the world. There are regular festivals and events throughout the year with film credits boasting Harry Potter, Atonement, Luther and last year’s Netflix blockbuster series, The 3 Body Problem.
As Robert Veitch wrote in Sussex Living Magazine:
“Our county’s postcard to the globe. The view across the Coastguard Cottages to the Seven Sisters and the distant Belle Tout is one of the finest panoramas in the UK: epic cinematic, timeless and very English.”
Whilst this particular AONB attracts thousands of visitors from around the world every year, the cliffs beside the West Beach are at serious risk. Due to wave attack, especially during gales, the coast is being eroded to the extent that the iconic white-painted cottages on the cliff edge are in real danger of falling into the sea.
Cuckmere Haven and the Coastguard Cottages are running out of time. Nestled on the unforgiving English Channel, the haven has endured years of severe storms, resulting in serious destruction and erosion of the original coastal defences built in 1947. Over one third of the land area below the cottages has been swept away. The next storm could see the buildings forming the foreground to this iconic view lost forever.
To address this, Cuckmere Haven SOS was set up as a registered charity to accept donations to pay for a long lasting defence solution.
The charity’s overall scope is to preserve this view, to champion the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical environment of the Cuckmere Haven West Beach and cliffs for the benefit of the public and the advancement of education, arts, heritage, and science. The charity does this by raising funds and working with local authorities, agencies and experts to ensure the most effective and sympathetic preservation of the clifftop landscape.
There is an ambitious target of £250,000 that will pay for phase 1 of the urgent work needed to safeguard the cottages and the west beach for another generation. The cottage owners, volunteers and friends continue to fund work to renew and repair the original sea defences but this is no longer enough.
Currently the charity is working with consultants to submit a planning application to SDNPA to repair and strengthen the sea defences at Cuckmere Haven. The application is expected to be submitted in the second half of 2025.
How can you help?
If you would like to learn more about the campaign or indeed make a donation please visit the website at http://www.cuckmerehavensos.org. Any help you can give is hugely appreciated
Celebrating Seaford 