Your spiritual home in Sedlescombe and Whatlington


A warm welcome to you from everyone at the Parish of Sedlescombe with Whatlington. Thank you for visiting our website.

We hope you will find it a useful place for information on upcoming services, events and groups connected to the Parish and its two churches, as well as a place for history, memories and learning.

Enjoy browsing this site - and remember to subscribe to our newsletter to receive up to date parish news and information on seasonal and one-off events!

St John the Baptist Church

Your local parish churches

The Parish of Sedlescombe with Whatlington was formed in 2019 to bring the two local churches together; St John the Baptist church in Sedlescombe and St Mary Magdalene in Whatlington.
Our Rector is Rev'd John Hawkins who holds regular services in both Churches.

Upcoming services

At the heart of our Church Family is the celebration of the Eucharist on Sundays. On one Sunday each month we have a Family Service in place of the Eucharist in both churches.
For details on all our services, head to our Events page.

Weddings

A traditional church wedding in our Parish churches offers the chance to make memories for life in an historic and stunning setting.
For more information on Weddings in our Parish, head to our Events page.

Latest News

Take a look below at the latest news, articles and event information from our Parish.

Tea In Nature

Posted: May 2026

Tea In Nature, Whatlington

12 noon on Saturday 30th MayEnjoy Tea In Nature at Lower Gate Farm, Whatlington Road, between 12 noon and 4pm. All are welcome! Location: Lower Gate Farm, Whatlington Road.

Cafe St John's

Posted: May 2026

Coffee morning

Held on the first Thursday of every month at 10am in Sedlescombe Village Hall, our coffee mornings are a great way to meet new friends, chat and enjoy a coffee. There's also books, puzzles and bric-a-brac. All are welcome, just come along!

Accessing St Mary Magdalene church

Posted: May 2026

St Mary Magdalene church

St Mary Magdalene church is open every Wednesday and Sunday. However, we are always happy to arrange access whenever possible. Please telephone Jeffrey Bridges on 07446- 903239 or John Crouch on 01580-880681 to arrange access to the church. If at all possible please do this in advance to ensure availability of keyholder.

Churchyard Volunteers Needed

Posted: May 2026

Churchyard volunteers

The churchyards of St John’s and St Mary Magdalene are lovingly cared for by a small team of volunteers. We’re always grateful for extra help — whether you can spare an hour a month or a morning now and then. If you enjoy gardening, light maintenance, or simply being outdoors, we’d love to hear from you!

Thank You to Our Community

Posted: May 2026

Community thank you

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supports the life of our parish — through attending services, helping at events, volunteering, or simply keeping our churches in your prayers. Your kindness and involvement make a real difference to our village community.

Useful Information

Latest Parish notices and information. For details on up-coming events, tap here

Opening times

Our churches are normally open on Wednesdays and Sundays, 10am to 4pm.

Weekly communion

Our weekly communion is held most Sundays in both churches.

Family service

On the 1st Sunday of every month in Sedlescombe and the 2nd Sunday each month in Whatlington, a non-communion family service is held.

Coffee mornings

Held on the first Thursday of every month at 10am in Sedlescombe Village Hall. See Services for more details.

Announcement

We are delighted to announce the licensing of our new Rector, Rev'd. John Hawkins.

Weddings

A wedding held at St John the Baptist or St Mary Magdalene church will always be special. See our Events page for more info.

For details of upcoming services or events being held at St Mary Magdelene church in Whatlington, or St John the Baptist church in Sedlescombe, please go to our Events Calendar by tapping here.

Safeguarding

The Parish of Sedlescombe with Whatlington is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults.

We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO).

Our Safeguarding Officer is:


Mrs Sandra Davies – Tel No 07794 914942 - or email here.


The Diocese of Chichester Safeguarding Team at Church House, Hove may be contacted on 01273 425792 or 07500 771210 or by email (click here).

East Sussex Children’s Services can be contacted during office hours on 01323 464222 and out of hours on 01273 335905 or 01273 335906

Our Safeguarding Policy is reviewed each year, and details can be found on our main notice boards.

If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adult Services.

Our Parish and churches

The Parish of Sedlescombe with Whatlington was created in 2019, bringing together two villages each with its own church and congregation. Our Parish is in the Deanery of Battle and Bexhill.

We are fortunate to have two beautiful and historic churches within our Parish; the church of St John the Baptist in Sedlescombe and the church of St Mary Magdalene in Whatlington. The Rev'd John Hawkins works hard to ensure both churches have regular services and are an active and vibrant part of their respective villages.

Both churches are at the heart of our communities and have thriving, friendly congregations. Our churches hold regular events both in the church and locally, and everyone is welcome to come along to these events. Take a look at our events page for more details.

For more information about our churches, take a look at the links found in 'Our Parish', at the top of the page.

Both churches have affiliated and associated groups offering a wide range of ways to get involved. Take a look at our Groups page in the menu bar above.

If you are interested in attending a service but are perhaps unsure about what to expect, take a look at our FAQs section here.

Whether you'd like to attend a service, join one of the many groups, or simply take a look at the historic and beautiful churches, we encourage you to do so. One thing is sure - whatever your interest, you can be certain of a warm welcome!

Get In Touch

To get in touch with us regarding any matter relating to either St John the Baptist church, Sedlescombe or St Mary Magdalene chuch, Whatlington, please use the contact form below. We will respond to you as quickly as possible.

Sedlescombe

St John The Baptist church,
Church Hill,
Sedlescombe,
TN33 0QP

Whatlington

St Mary Magdalene church,
Whatlington Road,
Whatlington,
TN33 0ND

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