Guestling lies 3 miles north east of Hastings on the A259. Gestlinges is one of the three villages mentioned in the Domesday book as being part of the rape of Gestlinges, also including Luet( Modern Pett ) and Ramslie( a large manor including Fairlight ) The village has no proper centre,and it's ancient church stands beside a farm down a side road. The church of St Laurence was founded in Saxon times, it's towers, pierced with tiny round-headed windows, must have been built after the Norman Conquest. Between the north aisle and the chapel that leads out of it, is an architectural rarity - an ornate Transitional arch - making the transition from Norman to early-English style. From the churchyard there are wide-ranging views, south to Fairlight church, and east to the restored smock mill at Icklesham . The Main Court for the Western towns in the Cinque Ports was held at Guestling . Hand made bricks are made in fourteen acre lane. The Guestling bricks are in great demand for restoring Churches and other old buildings. Customers have included Camber Castle, Hampton Court and Buckingham Palace. One of England's great scholars at the time of Shakespeare birth, was Gregory Martin. He was born in Maxfield, an old timbered house to the north of the village. He became the tutor in the house of the Duke of Norfolk, and spent the last years of his life at Rheims. Here he translated the Latin Bible into English. He died in 1582, and is buried in Rheims. Olive Brockwell the most famous of all nannies, who was immortalised as Alice by A.E.Milne (Changing guards at Buckingham Palace, Christopher Robin went down with Alice). Alice was buried in Guestling , and an inscription paid for by Christopher Milne (the original Christopher Robin) explains who she was. ( see also Hartfield )

Services

Guestling is a small village with a few shops and public houses. The Hastings to Rye hourly bus passes through the village. The nearest station is at Doleham Halt a couple of miles away on the Ashford to Hastings line, which has an hourly service.

Views

Guestling is on the main Hastings to Rye road, and as such has a large number of cars passing by. However if you turn off the main road into Guestling , the area becomes more tranquil. The church is located down a back lane about 1 mile from the present village, and is very pretty in beautiful surroundings. It is believed that the village moved away from the church because of the number of Black Death sufferers buried in the churchyard.