Playden
Village and parish in East Sussex, England
title: "Playden" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["villages-in-east-sussex", "civil-parishes-in-east-sussex", "rother-district"] description: "Village and parish in East Sussex, England" topic_path: "general/villages-in-east-sussex" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playden" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Village and parish in East Sussex, England ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox UK place"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| official_name | Playden |
| country | England |
| region | South East England |
| area_footnotes | -inc East Guldeford |
| area_total_km2 | 16.6 |
| population | 340 |
| population_ref | (Parish-2011) |
| population_density | 51 /sqmi |
| os_grid_reference | TQ925226 |
| coordinates | |
| post_town | RYE |
| postcode_area | TN |
| postcode_district | TN31 |
| dial_code | 01797 |
| constituency_westminster | Hastings and Rye |
| london_distance | 52 mi NW |
| civil_parish | Playden |
| shire_district | Rother |
| shire_county | East Sussex |
| :: |
| official_name = Playden | country = England | region = South East England | area_footnotes = -inc East Guldeford | area_total_km2 = 16.6 | population = 340 | population_ref = (Parish-2011) | population_density = 51 /sqmi | os_grid_reference = TQ925226 | coordinates = | post_town = RYE | postcode_area = TN | postcode_district = TN31 | dial_code = 01797 | constituency_westminster = Hastings and Rye | london_distance = 52 mi NW | civil_parish = Playden | shire_district = Rother | shire_county = East Sussex ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Playden_Oasts_Hotel,_Playden,East_Sussex-geograph.org.uk-_574742.jpg" caption="Playden Oasts Hotel, Playden"] ::
Playden is a village and civil parish in the Rother district of East Sussex, England. The village is located one mile (1.6 km) north of Rye.
History
Playden is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Pleidena, having 37 households, ploughlands and a church. It is a largely rural parish, having no village centre, and the hamlet of Houghton Green is included in the parish. Playden's main occupation was fishing: the fish were salted in a one-time settlement known as Saltcote, after the fact that it had a fish salting industry based there. Saltcote Street is now all that remains of that industry.
Governance
Playden Parish Council has four councillors, and meets monthly at the WI Hall in the village.
The parish is within the Rother District of East Sussex. In the United Kingdom Parliament, it is part of the Hastings & Rye constituency, represented since the 2019 UK general election by Sally-Ann Hart, of the Conservative party.
Landmarks
The Norman church is dedicated to St Michael. It was begun in 1190, and contains a ladder to the bell tower dated 1686. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Playden_church_1905_postcard.jpg" caption="The parish church, as depicted in a postcard, circa 1905"] ::
The field in front of the Church formerly known as Beacon Oak Field was the site of a 15th century beacon at Sawcut (sic), sighting from Tenterden and Alomsbridge (about Newington Bridge, Kent, name has disappeared). The beacon was in the form of a tar filled barrel in an oak tree that was burnt down around 1930 but the stump remains.
The parish includes a two-acre field known as The Butt Field, which since 1703 has been available to the people of the village for "archery practice, recreation and sport". It is now mainly used for the grazing of sheep.
Within the parish there is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Houghton Green Cliff. This is an exposed cliff face displaying sandstones of geological interest.
In addition, part of the Dungeness, Romney Marsh & Rye SSSI lies within Playden parish.
People
The artist and scientific illustrator Brian Hargreaves (1935-2011) lived in Playden up until the time of his death.
References
6 A New History of Rye, Leopold Aaron Vidler, 1934
7 A Perambulation of Kent, William Lambarde, 1596
8 The History, Antiquities and Topography of the County of Sussex, Thomas Walker Horsfield, 1825
References
- "East Sussex in Figures". East Sussex County Council.
- "Civil Parish population 2011".
- "Open Domesday: Playden".
- [http://www.villagenet.co.uk/rotherlevels/villages/playden.php Notes on the village] {{webarchive. link. (2008-03-27)
- "Welcome to Playden.info {{!}} Playden Councillors".
- "Welcome to Playden.info {{!}} Playden Village Council Downloads".
- [http://www.rye-tourism.co.uk/pages/playden_church.asp St Michael's church] {{webarchive. link. (2007-03-10)
- "Playden – St Michael – Sussex Parish Churches".
- "Welcome to Playden.info {{!}} About Playden Village".
- "SSSI Citation — Houghton Green Cliff". Natural England.
- "Brian Hargreaves". [[Rye Castle Museum]].
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