2025 was a year of working closer to home and learning to respond to conditions rather than chase them. From misty dawns on the South Downs to woodland waterfalls in the High Weald and long exposures on Romney Marsh, this review brings together one standout image from each month — moments that best reflect how and where I photographed across the year.
Continue reading Landscape Photography Review 2025November brought a mix of short weather windows, local walks, and a few longer trips around the High Weald and South Downs. Most of the month was dominated by grey skies and fast-moving fronts, so every break in the weather turned into an opportunity to get out with the camera. From minimalist coastal scenes at Broomhill Sands, to long-exposure evenings on the Romney Marsh, to a series of drive-by shoots across the High Weald, the month produced a varied set of images and a lot of useful scouting for future locations. The final days brought clearer conditions on the cliffs at Birling Gap, rounding off the month with a couple of clean views across the Seven Sisters.
Continue reading November 2025 Photography Review – Sussex Walks, Coastlines and Autumn LightRomney Marsh once held dozens of small medieval parishes scattered across the wetland. Many disappeared as the land flooded, drained or shifted, leaving only fragments of stone, earthworks or a solitary church in the fields.
Before diving into each site, here is the full map of all locations:
All Map Locations – Romney Marsh Churches
Here is the long-form video that explores all four churches together:
This post breaks down each location separately, with individual map links and photos.
One of the earliest medieval parishes on the Marsh, Hope was built in the 12th century and abandoned by the 1500s as the coastline shifted and the land became grazing marsh. Only fragments of walling survive beside the B2075, now surrounded by a modern sculpture park that occupies the old churchyard.
Map: All Saints Church, Hope View on Google Maps
Midley was founded in the 14th century on what was then an island of higher ground in the Marsh. Flooding and silting forced the parish to be abandoned by the 1500s, and the church was gradually robbed for stone. Today only the lone west arch stands in the field — one of the most striking remains on Romney Marsh.
Map: Midley Church Ruins View on Google Maps
Eastbridge was a later medieval parish that stood between Ivychurch and Newchurch. It declined rapidly in the 16th century as water management changed and the local population moved away. The remains sit behind a cottage off Chapel Lane, half-hidden in scrub with a short footpath cut through the bushes to reach the site.
Map: Eastbridge Church Ruins (Chapel Lane) View on Google Maps
Fairfield is the complete contrast — a 13th-century church that survived while the other parishes vanished. Rebuilt in brick in the 1790s to replace the failing timber structure, it still stands alone in the fields and remains consecrated today. The drainage channels and wide open skies make it one of the most photogenic churches in Kent.
Full Post: St Thomas à Becket Church, Fairfield
Hope, Midley and Eastbridge all tell the same story: marshland, shifting water and the long decline of settlement across Romney Marsh. Fairfield tells the opposite — a parish that endured.
Together they form one of the most atmospheric and historically rich landscapes in the South East.
Broomhill Sands – East Sussex Coast
Long beach and shingle on the Romney Marsh edge.
Brookland Church – Timber Tower of Romney Marsh
One of the Marsh’s most distinctive standing churches.
St George’s Ivychurch – The Cathedral of the Marsh
A vast medieval church dominating the landscape.
Denge Sound Mirrors – Early Acoustic Defence
Historic concrete listening structures on the edge of the Marsh.
Scotney Castle is unusual because it isn’t one building but two.
Down by the water sits the medieval Old Castle, once a fortified manor. Above it stands the 1830s New House, built deliberately to overlook the ruins. Together they form one of the most photographed estates in Kent.
Below is the short video showing both parts of the estate:
A wider look at Scotney: the Old Castle in the moat and the New House in the landscape.
Location on Google Maps
View Scotney Castle on Google Maps
All Map Locations Collection
Explore the full Sussex Photography map collection
The Old Castle dates to the mid-14th century, when Kent was vulnerable to coastal raids during the Hundred Years’ War. It was never a full fortress, but a moated, defensible manor built to protect the family and estate during periods of instability.
By the 1830s the Hussey family wanted a modern home, so the New House was built on the hill. Rather than demolish the medieval structure, they turned it into a romantic garden feature. The valley below was landscaped so that the ruins were always the centre of the view from the new house.
The Old Castle:
Only part of the original structure survives – the gate tower, a hall range wall and the moat. Time, water and ivy soften the remaining stonework, making it one of the most recognisable scenes in the region.
The New House:
A classic Victorian country house built for comfort, with long views across the valley. The design intentionally frames the Old Castle, showing how 19th-century landscaping turned medieval remains into a feature rather than a burden.
The Grounds:
Lakes, woodland paths, and carefully planted slopes connect both buildings. The entire estate is a managed blend of medieval history and Victorian landscaping.
Location:
Scotney Castle, near Lamberhurst, Kent (National Trust).
Access:
Paid National Trust entry. Parking on site. Easy walking across the gardens.
Best Time to Visit:
Spring for rhododendrons, summer for reflections in the moat, autumn for colours around the valley, winter for clear views of the ruin.
Nearby:
St Thomas à Becket at Fairfield is the church most people recognise instantly from Romney Marsh — a single, isolated building in the middle of vast grazing fields, with sheep, water channels and open landscape stretching in every direction.
Although the other medieval parishes around here vanished centuries ago, Fairfield survived. The result is a site that feels both historic and photographic at the same time: part heritage, part natural sculpture.
Here’s the YouTube Short that introduces the location:
A short walk across the fields brings you right up to the church, and on the right light it becomes one of the most rewarding photographic spots anywhere in Kent.
Location on Google Maps:
All Map Locations:
Most of Romney Marsh’s medieval parishes didn’t survive. Places like Hope, Midley and Eastbridge were abandoned by the 1500s as flooding, drainage problems and shifting settlement patterns emptied the land.
Fairfield, however, took a different path.
The original church was built in the 13th century, constructed on wooden piles driven into the marshy ground. It served a tiny farming community long since faded from the map.
By the late 1700s the old timber-framed structure was failing, and the whole building was rebuilt in brick around 1792–1800. The interior fittings — including the Georgian box pews and pulpit — were brought here from a church in Snargate.
Despite its isolation, the church remains consecrated and still holds occasional services. It’s one of the only original marsh churches to stand more or less untouched by development.
Drainage channels, sheep fields and open skies dominate the area. At certain times of year, when the fields are saturated or flooded, the church appears to float above the reflections — one of the reasons it has become such a magnet for photographers.
Photographically, Fairfield is exceptional because it offers:
There is almost nothing around it. Every direction gives clean framing with long lead-ins, perfect for both stills and video.
Cloud cover, mist, and winter light create soft tonal transitions that suit:
The path allows the whole building to be photographed from every angle without obstruction.
On calm days, the drainage ditches reflect the church beautifully. On windy days, long exposures turn the grass and clouds into soft textured motion.
Winter gives you saturated marsh colours and dramatic skies.
Summer gives you dry grass, warm tones and clear geometry.
Your long-exposure shots of the church fit exactly into this environment — a quiet, timeless landscape where the Marsh seems to pause itself for the camera.
Location:
Fairfield, Romney Marsh, Kent — in the fields west of Newchurch and north of Lydd.
Official Information: For historical background, service details and the church’s preserved status, visit the Romney Marsh Historic Churches Trust page for Fairfield. It’s the most accurate and up-to-date source on St Thomas à Becket Church.
Access:
Park at the lay-by on Fairfield Road (TQ 949 275), then follow the footpath across the fields. The route is flat but can be very muddy in winter.
If you want to go inside the church the key can be recovered from the cottage nearby on the side of the road.
Best Time to Visit:
Nearby:
October is always one of the most rewarding months for landscape photography in East Sussex. The air turns crisp, the light softens, and the colours across the Downs and High Weald reach their peak. This month’s walks took me from the misty escarpments of Firle Beacon to the beech woods of Ashdown Forest and beyond—each location offering its own mix of atmosphere, light, and stillness. Below is a look back at my October 2025 photo walks, the best images from each, and a few notes from along the way.
Continue reading October 2025 Landscape Photography in East Sussex – Monthly ReviewEarly one September morning, I filmed Battle Abbey from the town square as golden light hit the stone gatehouse. From there I launched the drone to get a full view of the site — the gatehouse, the surviving ranges, the ruins of the abbey church, and the fields where King Harold was said to have fallen in 1066.
Watch the 4k video below:
📍View on Google Maps
🗺️ All Map Locations Collection
Battle Abbey was founded by William the Conqueror as an act of penance following the Battle of Hastings in 1066. According to tradition, the high altar of the abbey church was placed on the very spot where King Harold was killed, marking the turning point in English history.
The abbey grew into one of Sussex’s most important monastic houses. Much of what stands today is the 14th-century gatehouse, built over an earlier Norman core, controlling access to the precinct.
The gatehouse dominates the town square and remains one of the most complete medieval monastic gatehouses in England. It was both a symbol of authority and a checkpoint controlling access to the abbey’s lands and storehouses.
Behind it lies the west range, which survived largely intact because it was reused after the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII. It became a private residence and later Battle Abbey School, which still occupies the buildings today.
Little remains of the abbey church and cloister, but from the air the plan is still visible — the cloister to the south, chapter house and dormitory to the east, and refectory on the south range.
Beyond the walls stretch the fields traditionally known as the 1066 battlefield, where Harold’s army faced William’s Norman forces. Alternative theories place the battle at Caldbec Hill or Crowhurst, but Battle remains the most widely accepted site.
Battle Abbey’s condition today owes much to reuse and repair. Unlike the weathered civic gates of Rye and Winchelsea, this monastic gatehouse was adapted, maintained, and lived in. English Heritage now manages the site, preserving both the ruins and the memory of England’s defining battle.
Location: Battle, East Sussex
Access: Public entrance via the town square; English Heritage admission applies
Best Time to Visit: Early morning or late afternoon for light on the stonework
Nearby:
Tucked away in the valley of the River Teise, Bayham Abbey is one of the most atmospheric ruins on the Sussex–Kent border. Founded in 1208 for the Premonstratensian order, it was once a thriving monastery of white-robed canons devoted to prayer and labour. Today the site is cared for by English Heritage and remains a hauntingly beautiful reminder of medieval devotion and Tudor upheaval.
Watch the short below for a glimpse of the ruins and autumn colours around the site.
A landscape steeped in history, Bayham Abbey straddles the boundary between East Sussex and Kent — the River Teise running through the grounds marks the official county line. Most of the abbey ruins lie just inside East Sussex, while the old entrance and later estate houses fall within Kent.
View on Google Maps ›
All Map Locations ›
Bayham Abbey was established in 1208 when two smaller Premonstratensian houses — Otham in Sussex and Brockley in Kent — were merged into a new foundation on the River Teise. The order followed the rule of St Augustine, living communally with a focus on simplicity and self-sufficiency.
For more than three centuries, Bayham flourished. Its sandstone church, cloisters and chapter house formed a compact but impressive complex, surrounded by farmland and woodland owned by the abbey. Like so many monastic houses, it met its end in the 1530s during the Dissolution under Henry VIII. The property was seized by the Crown and the buildings quickly fell into ruin.
By the 18th century, the romantic decay of the abbey became part of a landscaped estate. A smaller house was built beside the ruins to frame the arches as a garden feature. In the early 19th century, architect Decimus Burton designed Bayham Old Abbey House on the hill above — a grand mansion overlooking both valley and ruins.
Today, the abbey remains are managed by English Heritage and open to visitors. The ruins stand within a peaceful riverside meadow, surrounded by trees and gentle slopes. You can still trace the outlines of the church, cloisters and chapter house, with the tall west front and crossing arches rising above the grass.
It’s a quiet site, ideal for photography in early morning or late afternoon light. Autumn brings rich colour to the surrounding woodland, while spring reveals carpets of wildflowers along the banks of the Teise.
Location: Bayham Abbey, Furnace Lane, Little Bayham, Tunbridge Wells TN3 8LP
Access: Small English Heritage car park on site (free for members).
Best Time to Visit: Early morning or late afternoon for soft light; autumn and spring for colour.
Nearby:
Ashburnham Place lies deep in the High Weald near Battle, once home to one of Sussex’s oldest landed families. By mid-October the trees here turn gold and amber, and walking the lakeside paths offers a glimpse of both natural beauty and a long English lineage.
Watch the short video below:
A calm autumn morning among Capability Brown’s sweeping parkland and St Peter’s Church.
View on Google Maps
All Map Locations Collection
The Ashburnham family took their name from the nearby village and rose to prominence through loyalty to the Crown and ownership of vast Sussex lands. John Ashburnham (1603–1671) served King Charles I during the Civil War and was later rewarded by Charles II, cementing the family’s wealth and influence.
Their estates extended across Sussex and into London, where the name still survives in Ashburnham Road and the Ashburnham Mansion Block in Chelsea.
The grand mansion at Ashburnham Place once stood as one of the county’s finest houses. Most of it was demolished in the 1950s, leaving only the west wing—now called the Coachman’s House.
The surrounding park was landscaped in the 18th century by Lancelot “Capability” Brown, with the Broad Water lake as its centrepiece.
Beside the lake stands St Peter’s Church, resting place of generations of the Ashburnham family. Inside are marble memorials and heraldic tablets that trace the family’s reach from medieval times to the 19th century. The church and lake remain the quiet heart of the estate, framed by autumn colours and Brown’s designed vistas.
Like many great estates, Ashburnham’s fortunes faded as agricultural income fell. Heavy maintenance costs and post-war taxes forced the sale and demolition of much of the house. The remaining property became a Christian retreat centre, preserving part of the grounds for public enjoyment.
Location: Near Battle, East Sussex, on the High Weald. There is free parking and the Orangey café. No dog walking.
Access: Public footpaths lead around Broad Water and St Peter’s Church.
Best Time to Visit: Mid- to late autumn for colour, or spring for reflections on the lake.
Nearby: Battle Abbey – site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings; Penhurst Church – quiet Wealden village with medieval features; Bateman’s – Rudyard Kipling’s former home at Burwash.
From the slopes of Mount Caburn that September morning, I could just see Lewes Castle rising through the mist — the twin mottes catching the first light over the town. It’s one of the earliest Norman castles in England, begun around 1069 by William de Warenne, one of William the Conqueror’s most trusted knights.
🎥 Watch the Short:
Lewes Castle | Born from Conquest after 1066
It’s hard to believe this view has changed so little in nearly a thousand years.
📍 View Lewes Castle on Google Maps
🗺️ See All My Map Locations
Lewes Castle was the second Norman stronghold in Sussex, built soon after Hastings Castle to secure the route inland and protect the road to London. Its position on the ridge above the River Ouse made it both a defensive lookout and a statement of dominance over the surrounding Saxon population.
The earliest castle would have been a timber motte-and-bailey, replaced in stone through the 11th and 12th centuries. The outer towers seen today were added in the 13th century under the Angevin kings — part of the continual strengthening of Norman fortifications across southern England.
Lewes controlled the key route between the south coast and the old capital at Winchester. From here, Norman lords could oversee trade and movement along the Ouse Valley and the approaches to the Downs. It formed one link in a chain of coastal strongholds, including Hastings, Pevensey, and Arundel, that secured William’s new kingdom against rebellion and invasion alike.
You can still climb the steep steps up to the keep and take in the same commanding view that once overlooked the Norman road north. Inside the walls, the museum tells the story of Lewes through Saxon, Norman, and medieval times.
It’s not just a monument — it’s a reminder of how one battle reshaped an entire country.
Location: Lewes, East Sussex
Access: Public entrance via Castle Gate, Lewes town centre
Best Time to Visit: Clear mornings or late afternoon for best light from the Downs
Nearby: Mount Caburn, Anne of Cleves House, Lewes Priory ruins
What follows is my landscape photography review of all the photo walks I have taken during September 2025. These included many dawn shoots along the east Sussex coast and on the south downs.
Continue reading Landscape Photography Review September 20252024 has been a year full of challenges, surprises, and unforgettable moments behind the lens. From stormy seascapes and misty woodlands to vivid sunsets and vibrant wildflower fields, every month brought its own unique story and photographic opportunities. Whether it was embracing the unpredictable weather of the South Downs, exploring new locations in Thailand, or capturing the fleeting magic of fog and light, each scene was a reminder of why I love landscape photography.
This review brings together my favorite shots and stories from the year, offering a glimpse into the diverse beauty of the natural world and the joy of capturing it. As I reflect on the experiences and lessons learned, I’m reminded that photography is not just about the images, but the journeys and emotions behind them. Let’s take a look back at 2024, one frame at a time.
Continue reading Landscape Photography Review 2024
