Polegate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Polegate
Town
St John's Church
Polegate
Area	7.3 km2 (2.8 sq mi)
Population	9,300 (2021)
• Density	2,853/sq mi (1,102/km2)
OS grid reference	TQ587058
• London	49 miles (79 km) NNW
Civil parish	Polegate
District	Wealden
Shire county	East Sussex
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	POLEGATE
Postcode district	BN26
Dialling code	01323
Police	Sussex
Fire	East Sussex
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Lewes
Website	http://www.polegate-tc.co.uk/
List of places UK England East Sussex 50°49′18″N 0°14′39″E / 50.8216°N 0.2442°E / 50.8216; 0.2442

Polegate is a town and civil parish in East Sussex, England. It's located about 8 kilometers (5 miles) north of the seaside town of Eastbourne. Polegate is considered part of the larger Eastbourne area. In 2021, about 9,300 people lived in Polegate.

History of Polegate

Before the 1840s, Polegate was a small village within the area of Hailsham. An old Roman road used to pass through here, and a turnpike (a road where you pay to use it) was built in the 1700s.

How Railways Changed Polegate

The biggest change came with the railway in the 1840s. A railway line was opened between Lewes and Hastings, and later, branches were added to Eastbourne and Hailsham. This made Polegate an important railway junction. It had a special area for freight (goods) that served nearby Hailsham and local brick factories. The town grew as more people moved there to work for the railway.

In the 12th century, a group of monks called the Premonstratensian order lived at Otham Abbey in the parish. They later moved to Bayham Abbey around 1208. Two buildings from that time, Otteham Court and its Chapel, are still standing today.

Schools and Churches

A church school was started in Polegate in 1851. St John's Church opened on November 10, 1876. The land for the church was given by Mr. Fuller-Meyrick. St John's became its own separate parish in 1937.

Polegate Today

In the 21st century, Polegate is no longer a major railway hub because some lines closed. However, it remains an important road junction where the A22 road and A27 road meet. This makes it easy to travel to bigger cities like Brighton and Hastings.

Some streets in Polegate are named after the Levett family (Levett Close, Levett Road, Levett Avenue, and Levett Way). This Anglo-Norman family owned land in Sussex a long time ago.

Geography of Polegate

The South Downs hills are south of Polegate

Polegate is located on a raised area of land between the Weald (a hilly area) to the north and the South Downs (another range of hills) to the south. To the east are the Pevensey Levels, which used to be a bay but are now farmland. Both roads and railways use this natural gap in the landscape.

The town is slowly growing closer to the larger Eastbourne area, connecting with Willingdon to the south. Many people who live in Polegate work in Eastbourne or Willingdon.

Climate in Polegate

Polegate has a mild climate with small differences between high and low temperatures. It gets a good amount of rain all year. This type of weather is called a "Marine West Coast Climate" or "Oceanic climate".

How Polegate is Governed

Polegate Town Hall and Council offices

Polegate is divided into two areas for local elections: North Polegate and South Polegate.

Local Council

The lowest level of government is the Polegate Town Council. Fifteen councillors are chosen from the two areas every four years. They hold public meetings each month at the council offices in Polegate.

District and County Councils

The next level is the Wealden District Council. Three councillors from Polegate are elected to this council every four years.

Above that is the East Sussex County Council. This council is in charge of things like education, libraries, and transport. Elections for the County Council happen every four years. Polegate is grouped with Willingdon and East Dean to elect two councillors for this level.

UK Parliament

Polegate is part of the Lewes area for the UK Parliament. The person who represents Polegate in Parliament is called an MP (Member of Parliament). The current MP is James MacCleary.

Economy and Businesses

High Street in Polegate

The Chaucer Industrial Business Park Estate is where most of Polegate's industrial businesses are located. The High Street has many small shops and businesses, including a supermarket, hairdressers, and a convenience store. There is also a Premier Inn hotel north of the town.

Attractions in Polegate

Polegate Windmill

The tower windmill was built in 1817. It is now a museum where you can see how it used to work.

Sports and Fun in Polegate

Recreation Grounds

Polegate has two main recreation grounds:

• The Brightling Road Recreation Ground (also known as the William Daily Recreation Ground) has a BMX track, a skate park, and a wooded area with open space for sports.
• The War Memorial Recreation Ground is an open field with a basketball hoop and a playground for children.

There are also two Sustrans cycle paths that pass through Polegate. These are part of the National Cycle Network: Route 2 (between Dover and St Austell) and Route 21 (between Greenwich and Eastbourne).

Sports Clubs

Polegate has a local football team called Polegate Town FC. They play at the War Memorial Recreational Ground. The club has two teams and has won several awards since it started again in 2006. The club celebrated its 100th birthday in 2015!

Polegate also has a successful cricket team, Polegate and Stone Cross Cricket Club, which uses the same sports ground in the summer.

Transport in Polegate

Trains

The railway first came to Polegate in 1846. It was built by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway. The current Polegate railway station has regular train services to London, Brighton, Eastbourne, and Hastings.

Buses

Several bus companies provide services in Polegate, including Brighton & Hove, Stagecoach South East, and Compass Travel.

Walking and Cycling Paths

The Cuckoo Trail between Polegate and Hailsham

The Cuckoo Trail is a long walking and cycling path that goes through Polegate. It is part of the Sustrans National Cycle Route 21 and National Cycle Route 2. Both of these routes are also part of the Avenue Verte cycle route, which connects London and Paris.

Education in Polegate

Polegate Primary School provides state primary education for children in the town.

Churches in Polegate

There are four churches in Polegate:

• The Church of England church, St John's.
• The Roman Catholic church, St George.
• A Seventh-day Adventist Church.
• A United Reformed Church.

Quakers also meet at the Bernard Baron Homes.

Media in Polegate

Polegate is covered by local radio stations like BBC Sussex, Seahaven FM, More Radio Eastbourne, and Heart Sussex. Local newspapers include the Eastbourne Herald and Sussex Express. Local TV news programs are BBC South East Today and ITV News Meridian.

Twin Towns

Polegate has "twin town" partnerships with two other towns:

• Saintry-sur-Seine, France (since 1991)
• Appen, Germany (since 1981)

Famous People from Polegate

Some well-known people who have lived in Polegate include:

• David Dimbleby, a famous television presenter.
• Denis Healey, a politician and writer.
• Tim Rice-Oxley from the band Keane.
• Trevor Geer, a speedway rider and manager.

Images for kids

• 

  Old Polegate Station before it was taken down in 2017

• 

  Polegate crossroads, Horse and Groom pub, and the annual carnival procession

See also

In Spanish: Polegate para niños