Sussex Village of the Month – Bramber, photo portrait of a village

All photographs by Ben Muir

Bramber is the first village to feature in a new Sussex Bylines occasional series for 2024 – photo portraits of Sussex villages, many of which not only boast a long and fascinating history but have remained thriving communities up to the present time, although mostly much changed. Some are well-known tourist destinations, others are hidden gems. We hope that you might be encouraged to explore further for yourself and discover all the many fascinating villages that lie down quiet country lanes in our beautiful county.

Young photographer Ben Muir will be taking photos of his – and your – favourite places, as a celebration of the many fascinating villages that exist on both the south and north side of the Sussex Downs. We would love to hear from you if you live in a village that you think we should feature in Sussex Bylines,

Bramber

The village of Bramber, lying close to the bustling market town of Steyning in West Sussex, but with a very distinct history, grew up around a thriving port on the banks of the River Adur during the 11^th century. After the Norman Conquest William de Braose built the castle the ruins of which can still be seen today, the church and chapel. With the silting up of the river over the centuries the village became – literally – a quiet backwater, and our photo portrait provides a glimpse of the ancient houses that still line its main street.