In mediaeval times the village was noted for its cherry fair and iron smelting and until the early 20th Century a windmill existed on the Common.

The village has a relatively high number of listed properties, with two main clusters at the south, around the church and to the north, in what was originally the Common.

In terms of parishes, Ansty and Staplefield lies to the east, Cowfold to the west, Twineham to the south and Slaugham to the north.

The Hastings Group is largely sandstone which helps form the hills, valleys and gills (streams) characteristic of the High Weald.

[5] Wykehurst Park to the north, has a pseudo-French chateau (TQ 257 243) of 1872-4, built for a megarich Austrian banker and now turned into flats, after a chequered history.

The park has retained a feeling of unity, despite reportedly being in multiple ownership: groups of tall conifers; lots of rough, semi-improved and some unimproved pasture; a furze field, small woods, streams and ponds.

At Markwells Farm, to the north of Wykehurst, there were a series of semi-intact meadows (TQ 265 255), where the scarce and jewell-like "Blowfly of the Dead", Cynomya mortuorum, can be seen.

The wood at Purvey's Pit, (TQ 249 219), is ancient, with Early Dog Violet, Sweet Woodruff, orchids, Primroses and Bluebells.

Just west,(TQ 247 219), the field appears to show old 'ridge and furrow' cultivation preserved under pasture and visible in the slanted sunshine of late afternoon.

[5] South again, actually in Twineham, is the giant Bolney substation (TQ 240 210), and its lines of pylons, now added by the underground Rampion wind farm cables from the Channel, off the Brighton coast.

There is Shining Hookeria moss - that survivor of the Atlantic Age - and twenty-three ancient woodland indicator plants have been counted there, including Crab Apple and a Wild Daffodils, with Anemones and Bluebells everywhere.

[5] Spronketts Wood (TQ 244 236,) shrunken by clearance for poor fields and rich mansions, is overwhelmed in parts by Rhodi thickets, with tall ornamental conifers overtopping in places.

In June it has a huge display of Common Spotted Orchids, and in high summer it is dusted with the blue-mauve of Devils Bit Scabious (2012).