A weekend in {ALFRISTON}:

We stayed at Rathfinny Wine Estate, a 600-acre vineyard in the South Downs just outside Alfriston. Accommodation is in the Flint Barns, a group of lovingly restored agricultural buildings surrounded by vines and open countryside. The ten en-suite rooms combine original flint walls and rural character with simple, contemporary interiors. It feels more like a comfortable restaurant with rooms than a conventional country hotel, which suited the relaxed atmosphere of the estate.

Dinner is served in the informal Flint Barns Dining Room, where seasonal, gastropub-style dishes are paired with Rathfinny’s Sussex Sparkling and Cradle Valley wines. A stay is best combined with a vineyard tour and tasting, a walk through the estate and a bottle at The Hut, the outdoor wine bar overlooking the vines.

Friends had a lovely stay at The Star, Olga and Alex Polizzi’s stylish and cosy hotel in the centre of Alfriston. The Grade II-listed former inn has a historic, timbered façade, while the thirty rooms and suites have each been individually designed by the Polizzi family. The interiors mix antiques, patterned fabrics, bold colour and contemporary pieces, with several rooms retaining original beams and other features from the oldest part of the building.

The restaurant, bar and library open onto a sunny courtyard and pretty walled garden. In summer, breakfast, lunch and dinner can be served outside when the weather allows, making a particularly lovely place for a long lunch or an early-evening drink (below right).

Photos below left and middle: www.thepolizzicollection.com/the-star/

We haven’t stayed at The Alfriston yet, but we like the look of this recently refreshed boutique hotel on the edge of the village. The individually styled rooms and suites combine period character with comfortable, contemporary country interiors, while the position beside the South Downs makes it a practical base for walking and exploring the coast.

It also has the 1554 Brasserie and Orangery, alongside a proper countryside spa offering treatments and facilities for hotel guests. It looks like a good option locally for anyone wanting a more traditional hotel stay with the bonus of some spa time.

Photos: www.thealfriston.com

Alfriston is small enough to explore without a plan. The historic centre is made up of old flint cottages, timber-framed buildings, tea rooms and independent shops, with the village green providing a particularly pretty focal point. Beside the green is the 14th-century St Andrew’s Church, often called the “Cathedral of the Downs” because of its surprisingly grand scale. The church hosts events, such as the classical string quartet concert that was on during our visit.

Even without staying overnight, Rathfinny is well worth adding to a visit. A vineyard tour takes you through the vines and winery, explaining how the grapes are turned into Sussex Sparkling before finishing with a guided tasting.

You can also follow the estate’s walking trails, book a summer picnic beside the vines or settle in at The Hut with a bottle and light bites. Together, the vineyard and village make a very easy short break.

The Seven Sisters Country Park is a short drive from Alfriston and has some of the most striking coastal walks in southern England. Paths follow the rolling chalk cliffs, with uninterrupted views across the sea and the line of white headlands.

The routes are exposed and can be steep in places, so proper shoes and a windproof layer are sensible even on a clear day. We would combine a morning walk here with lunch or a wine tasting back near Alfriston.

Alfriston has an unusually good collection of independent shops for such a small village. These were our favourites:

Much Ado Books is an award-winning independent bookshop filled with new, second-hand and antiquarian books. Continue through to the garden, where there is a book-filled shepherd’s hut and even more shelves to browse.

Chapter 2 sells beautifully crafted women’s shoes and boots designed by founders Fay and Tom. The collection combines traditional shoemaking with contemporary shapes, including made-to-order styles handcrafted near Lewes.

Fern Store has a pretty, well-chosen mix of gifts, decorative pieces and homeware. It is the sort of shop where you go in for a quick look and leave carrying something for the house.

Object Trouvé is a distinctive gallery and curiosities shop filled with original artwork, decorative antiques, vintage interior pieces and unusual objects sourced from the past.

Robin is a small family-run shop with country-inspired homeware and gifts, much of it selected from independent makers and designers.

The Gun Room is a friendly little coffee house beside the village green, serving drinks, cakes and light lunches to eat in or take away. We stopped for one of their excellent toasted sandwiches, which was exactly what we needed between browsing the shops. There is seating inside and out, and its position overlooking the green makes it a good place to watch village life.

The Star is also open to non-residents for lunch, drinks and dinner. The restaurant combines old beams and antiques with Italian marble tables and Olga Polizzi’s colourful, layered interiors, while the adjoining inn has open fires during winter.

In summer, the courtyard and walled garden are the places to sit. Both open directly from the main restaurant and are used for breakfast, lunch and dinner when the weather is good. It is a lovely setting for a relaxed lunch after exploring the village.

The Singing Kettle is an old-fashioned little tea room on Waterloo Square, serving tea, coffee, homemade cakes and simple lunches. Tables outside look directly onto the square, where you can take in village life. We saw a Morris dancing display to entertain us during our visit! The atmosphere is traditional and unpretentious, and it is exactly the sort of place Alfriston should have: friendly, cosy and well stocked with scones and cake.

Alfriston combines many of the things we love in a short country break: historic streets, genuinely good independent shops, easy places for lunch and cake, and long walks through the South Downs. Staying at Rathfinny added the vineyards, Sussex Sparkling and excellent food, while the Seven Sisters coast brought a completely different landscape within a short drive. It is an easy weekend from London or Brighton, but feels a world away once you are surrounded by vines, chalk hills and old Sussex cottages!