Christian Retreat House, East Sussex — Near Rye and Bodiam
Broadlands Orchard is a genuinely well-loved Christian retreat house, East Sussex, run as a charitable Trust and set in extensive grounds just outside the village of Brede. It sleeps up to fourteen across seven bedrooms, with a self-catering kitchen built for a crowd, a heated outdoor pool through the summer, and its own Chapel offering a quiet space for up to twenty-five worshippers. A woodland walk and a small playing field give plenty of room to spread out, and wheelchair access has been steadily improved, with the house, a downstairs bedroom and a wet room now accessible. Children and young people are warmly welcomed too — there’s even room to pitch tents on the playing field for anyone who fancies camping out under the Sussex sky.
Brede itself has a genuinely remarkable history for such a small village. Just outside it stands Brede Place, a moated manor house dating back to the 14th century, later associated with smugglers and a colourful local legend involving a giant said to terrorise the parish. Its most famous tenant, though, was the American novelist Stephen Crane, who rented the house in 1899 and threw a New Year house party attended by Joseph Conrad, H.G. Wells and Henry James — the closest this quiet corner of Sussex has come to a literary who’s who. Crane fell seriously ill during the celebrations and died the following year, but the house itself still stands, a short walk from the village.
Bodiam Castle, already on the doorstep, has its own story worth knowing. It was built from 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a knight who’d made his fortune fighting in France, after Richard II granted him a licence to fortify his manor against the threat of French raids along this stretch of coast — the moat, drawbridges and four round corner towers were as much a statement of status as genuine defence. The castle passed into ruin after being partly dismantled following the Civil War, and its now-famous silhouette survives largely thanks to Lord Curzon, who bought and restored it in the early twentieth century before leaving it to the National Trust on his death in 1925.
Rye and Winchelsea, both close by, carry a title that goes back almost a thousand years. As ‘Antient Towns’ of the Cinque Ports confederation, they once supplied ships and sailors for the Crown in exchange for valuable trading privileges, standing alongside the original five ports of Hastings, Dover, Sandwich, Hythe and New Romney. The confederation’s fleet even helped carry Henry V’s army to France ahead of Agincourt in 1415, and Rye alone contributed five ships to a combined force of fifty-seven in 1229 — a reminder that these pretty, quiet towns once played a genuinely serious role in the defence of the realm, long before the sea itself began to retreat from some of their harbours.
This Christian retreat house, East Sussex, is perfect for:
Church groups, youth groups and family camps, with room for fourteen indoors and more under canvas
Anyone wanting a genuine chapel space as part of their stay, seating up to twenty-five
Groups including wheelchair users, thanks to ongoing accessibility improvements
Leaders organising a retreat on a budget, given the donation-based pricing
For more Christian-friendly places to stay across the South and South East, browse our South and South East England properties. And if Bodiam Castle is on your list during your stay, the National Trust has more on visiting, opening times, ticket prices and its history.
Location
Broadlands Orchard Trust, Stubb Lane, Brede nr Rye, East Sussex, TN31 6BS
How to get there:
Broadlands Orchard is accessible by road – about an hour from the M25 or 12 minutes from Hastings or Rye. Doleham Station is about 10 minutes away by car or a 50-minute walk.
Car travel is recommended. Public transport to Broadlands Orchard is not easily accessible.
Detailed travel directions are available on the Broadlands Orchard website.
Nearest Town:
Brede is the closest village, with the towns of Hastings and Rye an accessible distance.
Local Area
Food and Shopping
Restaurants – The Red Lion, Brede or The Broad Oak, Brede
Supermarkets – Londis, Westfield (7 minutes) Waitrose, Hawkhurst (20–25 minutes) Aldi, Morrisons, Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s – all in Hastings (15–25 minutes)
Seaside Resorts
Hastings – Popular attractions include Hastings Old Town, the Shipwreck Heritage Centre, Blue Reef Aquarium, Smugglers Adventure and Flamingo Adventure Park.
Rye Bay – Surrounds the Cinque Port towns of Rye and Winchelsea and is an area rich in wildlife and historical interest.
Pett Levels – A long pebble beach at high tide, ideal for swimming. Huge sand flats are exposed at low tide, which are ideal for beach games and kite boarding.
Camber Sands – Famous for its golden sandy beach and dunes.
Historic Places
Rye – Rye was named an ‘Antient Town’ by Henry III in the 13th century. It has delightful cobbled streets and Medieval, Tudor and Georgian buildings. Visitor attractions include the Heritage Centre and the castle, as well as plenty of antique shops.
Bodiam Castle – Bodiam is a late medieval moated castle and one of Britain’s most well-known. Its exterior is almost complete and some of the interior is also intact. It has a shop and a tea room and is open 10.30am to 5pm most of the year.
Winchelsea Town and Church – Winchelsea, the other ‘Antient Town’, is also the smallest town in the country to have its own mayor. It is full of pretty Georgian buildings and has a peaceful beach which is sandy at low tide.
Battle – Named after the site of the Battle of Hastings, the town of Battle is an attractive market town with medieval and Georgian buildings. Visit the ruins of the Abbey, built by William the Conqueror to commemorate his victory in 1066, and enjoy the interactive audio tour and exhibition that re-creates the battle where King Harold lost his life. The Abbey is open from 10am every day from April to November.
Great Dixter House and Gardens – Great Dixter was the family home of gardener and writer Christopher Lloyd. It is an historic house, a garden, a centre of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world.
You might also like to visit: Small Hythe Place – Hastings Fishing Museum – Sissinghurst Castle – Scotney Castle – Pashley Manor Gardens – Herstmonceux Castle
Nearby Nature Reserves
Dungeness RSPB Reserve
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Marline Valley
Filsham Reedbed
Country Walks
Brede High Woods
Broad Oak Walk
Romney Marshes
River Rother
River Brede
Other Attractions
Brede Steam Giants
Kent and East Sussex Railway, Bodiam
Chapel Down Winery, Tenterden
Sedlescombe Organic Winery, Sedlescombe
Carr Taylor Vineyard, Westfield
Bedgebury National Pinetum, including Go Ape Adventure
Rye Watersports
Cranbrook Angling Club, Darwell Reservoir
Sea Fishing Boat Charters from Rye
Blue Reef Aquarium, Hastings
Sedlescombe Golf Club
Facilities
Broadlands Orchard can accommodate fourteen people comfortably. There are three ground floor bedrooms comprising one 2-bed and two 3-bed rooms. The first floor has four bedrooms comprising two 1-bed and two 2-bed rooms. There are no double beds. There are four toilets and three showers. There is a good supply of blankets, duvets and pillows but you will need to bring your own bed linen (sleeping bags if you prefer) and towels.
Some may like to camp outside in the extensive grounds in the summer! Children and young people are very welcome.
The accommodation is self-catering; the kitchen has a cooker, two extra hotplates, fridge, freezer, microwave, dishwasher and a table that seats fourteen people comfortably. The lounge has a television and plenty of seating.
The Chapel offers a spiritual space for up to 25 worshippers. The extensive grounds include a woodland walk.
The heated outdoor pool (April to September) offers plenty of opportunity for fun during the summer months.
There is a small playing field suitable for tents and outdoor games.
Broadlands Orchard has been undergoing improvements for wheelchair access. The house, a downstairs bedroom and shower/wet room are now accessible by wheelchair.
Parking for 8 cars easily.
TV in the main lounge.
Wi-Fi is available – password on the notice board.
Washing machine available for use.
Additional Photos
Click to enlarge
Costs
Suggested donations
2026 High Season (June – August)
Adults £35
Children 4–12 £25
Under 4’s Free
2026/27 Low Season (September to May)
Adults £30
Children 4–12 £20
Under 4’s Free
Suggested minimum gift for a weekend £150 – per night
Youth groups and children’s groups under the supervision of Leaders may receive preferential rates depending on circumstances.
If these suggested donations are too high for you or some members of your group please let us know. We would not like people who would benefit from coming to be prevented from doing so.
We respectfully encourage guests to honour all booking arrangements as late cancellations deprive others from booking. If for any reason you are unable to make use of your arranged booking at short notice, a suggested donation of £60 will be very much appreciated.
Bank transfers and cheques can be used to make donations, with more details provided when booking. Donations can also be made using Gift Aid, which allows the Broadlands Orchard Trust to reclaim an extra 25% in tax on every eligible donation made by a UK taxpayer.
Availability
Available all year round.
Arrival and Departure times: Please check with the Administrator when booking.
Booking arrangements:
Start day – Any according to availability – please check with the Administrator when booking.
Pets: Well-behaved pets are welcome.
Booking Arrangements
All bookings to be made via the Broadlands Orchard website: