A long time ago-- in 1965-- I studied for 6 weeks at the University of Sussex in England. The new Library behind Terry had just been dedicated by Queen Elizabeth in Nov. 1964.
Just last year it was listed as a Historic Place on it's 50th Birthday. We had to search the now huge campus to find it and get special permission to enter. I was beyond happy to see the corners where I had studied just the same. The windows weren't open as they always used to be though. I remember I was always chilly in there!
Returning to Sussex was the main reason for our visit to England. I had always wanted to see the rolling hills and seaside again. Many times we had been about 40 minutes away at Gatwick Airport on our way to Ireland from Raleigh. Then last winter our neighbors, John and Pat, got us hooked on the BBC Series, 'Foyle's War' set in the town of Hastings on the Sussex Coast. Suddenly we both had an interest in Sussex and it's history. So we spent 3 days exploring the Hastings area east of the University.
One of our favorite towns was Alfriston, a stumble on, when we were forced off a roundabout by an accident ahead. The very narrow crowded streets were scary, but a nice lunch at the deli in the Post Office strengthened us for exploring.
Some of the timbered buildings looked very old.
The tea shop we enjoyed later was built in 1480. Terry had to stoop under the doors and timbers.
We didn't know that the courtyard seating had this view of the green and Church.
I remembered reading about a trail to a nearby town so after tea we wandered down a promising lane and to my surprise
we found one of England's 37 National Trails leading to several towns and the seaside. We only walked a little across the White Bridge to gaze at the hills beyond.
But --- you got to love a country that values walking enough to have 37 trails like this!
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