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Polegate
The windmill
Polegate  Polegate shown within East Sussex
Area	7.3 km2 (2.8 sq mi) [1]
Population	8,021 (2007)[1]
- Density	1,099 /km2 (2,850 /sq mi)
OS grid reference	TQ587058
- London	49 miles (79 km) NNW
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

Polegate

Until the coming of the railways in the 1840s, Polegate was a small settlement within the parish of Hailsham. The Roman road from Pevensey to Lewes passed through here, and the turnpike between London and Eastbourne was developed in the 18th century; but it was the opening of the railway between Lewes and Hastings, with later branches to Eastbourne and Hailsham, that meant growth for Polegate. It became a significant junction, with a freight terminal serving both the nearby market town of Hailsham and the local brick making industry. The town grew partly to accommodate the railway employees.

In the 13th century, the Premonstratensian order of monks occupied property in the parish, before they relocated to Bayham Abbey near Lamberhurst.^[2] Two buildings remain of that time, Otteham Court^[2] and its Chapel.^[3]

In the 21st century, with the closure of the line to Hailsham and the once direct route to Hastings, its importance as a railway hub has gone. It remains a road junction, with the erstwhile turnpike now being the A22 road; the junction with the A27 lies within the town boundary.

There are four streets in today's Polegate named for the Levett family (Levett Close, Levett Road, Levett Avenue and Levett Way). The Anglo-Norman family were early Sussex landowners, and held manors and lands across the county, including Firle, Bodiam, Hollington and elsewhere. The family's lands were carried into the families of Gildredge (and then to the Davies-Gilbert family of Eastbourne), the Eversfields of St. Leonards-on-Sea, the Ashburnhams, the Chaloners and others.

Polegate is located on a ridge in the gap between the Weald to the north and the South Downs. To the east lie the Pevensey Levels, the one time bay now converted into farmland with the build up of the coastal shingle bank during the early Middle Ages. Both the roads and the railway use the gap.

The town is gradually becoming part of the greater Eastbourne conurbation, connecting with Willingdon to the south. Many of the town’s working population work away: either in Eastbourne or Willingdon.^[4]

Polegate is split into two wards for local elections, North and South Polegate. North Polegate with 4000 electors is twice the size of South Polegate's 2000 electors, returning twice as many councillors.^[5] The Parish is represented at the lowest tier by Polegate Town Council. Fifteen councillors are elected from the two wards every four years. Public meetings are held monthly at the council chambers in Polegate. The 2007 election returned twelve councillors representing the Polegate residents association, two Liberal Democrats and an Independent.^[6]

The district council for Polegate is Wealden District Council. District council elections are held every four years. Fifty-five councillors in total are elected, three of these from the Polegate wards. The May 2007 election returned 34 Conservative, 12 Liberal Democrat, 3 Independent Democrat, 3 Wealden Independent, 2 Green Party and 1 no party allegiance.^[7]. The Polegate councillors parties were 2 Liberal Democrats and 1 Independent Democrat.^[5]

The next tier of government is the East Sussex County Council with responsibility for education, libraries, social services, civil registration, trading standards and transport. Elections for the County Council are held every four years. For these elections Polegate is combined with Willingdon and East Dean to return two seats.^[8] The 2009 East Sussex County Council election resulted in 29 Conservatives, 13 Liberal Democrats, 4 Labour and 3 Independent, of which the Polegate, Willingdon and East Dean ward provided two Independent councillors.^[8]

Polegate is represented in the UK Parliament by the Lewes constituency. The current serving MP is the Liberal Democrat Norman Baker who first won the seat in the 1997 general election.

At European level, Polegate is represented by the South-East region, which holds ten seats in the European Parliament. The June 2004 election returned 4 Conservatives, 2 Liberal Democrats, 2 UK Independence, 1 Labour and 1 Green, none of whom live in East Sussex.^[9]

Chaucer Industrial Estate is located in Dittons Road where the major part of Polegate's industrial businesses are located ^[10]; apart from that the usual small-town shops and businesses occupy the High Street, including the Co-op (supermarket) and the One Stop chainstore and a franchise of Blazes Fireplaces.

The tower windmill was built in 1817^{[citation needed]} and is now a working museum ^[11]

The railway arrived in Polegate in 1846, built by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway on the extension from Brighton to Hastings. In 1849 branches extended to Eastbourne and Hailsham (later to Eridge). The line to Hailsham was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by railway workers. Both that and the direct link to Hastings are now closed.

The long-distance footpath, the Cuckoo Trail passes through the parish, as does the cycleway route #2.

Polegate is served by five transport companies: Stagecoach in Eastbourne (Routes 51, 52, 54 and 56); Whilst Cuckmere Community Bus; Renown Coaches:(Route 126); and Stagecoach in Hastings (Route 98) provide other local services. There is a daily National Express coach service to London.

State primary education is served by Polegate County Primary School. ^[12].

There are four churches in Polegate: the Church of England parish church, dedicated to St John^[13]; the Roman Catholic church of St George; a Seventh-day Adventist Church; and a United Reformed Church.

Polegate is covered by BBC Sussex, Heart Sussex and Sovereign FM. Local newspapers include the Eastbourne Herald, Eastbourne Gazette, Hailsham Gazette and the Sussex Express; all published by Beckett Newspapers’

Saintry-sur-Seine, France

Appen, Germany.

David Dimbleby (1938– ), TV commentator, who included the town as a destination in his 2007 TV series How We Built Britain; and Denis Healey (1917– ), politician and writer, both have links with the town.