The village is on the southern edge of Ashdown Forest which was a deer hunting reserve from the time of King Edward II.

The Romans operated nearby in Duddleswell and Maresfield, working the iron ore to be found in the local Weald Clay using bloomeries.

When the Romans left Britain in the 5th century AD Saxon settlers lived on the site of Nutley.

It was thought to have been built in an area known as Chapelwood, along the Chelwood Gate road, just outside Nutley to the north west.

A field survey by Nutley Historical Society [1] found no evidence of the chapel in that area but John Kelton's 1747 map of Ashdown Forest shows the ruins of the chapel located south of Nutley Inn on the east side of the main road.

Hearsay evidence of a local historian suggested 'odd stones' were found during the building of Nutley Hall which stands roughly where Kelton's map sites the ruins of the chapel.

In 1372 Edward III gave the Chapel of Notlye (as it was called at the time) along with almost 1,400 acres (5.7 km2) of land to his son, John of Gaunt.

Tomkins was sentenced to seven years transportation, but gained his freedom by giving valuable information to the authorities.

In the Second World War a Wellington bomber returning from a raid over Germany crashed nearby on Ashdown Forest - Airmans Grave and the crew were all killed.

To commemorate their sacrifice, in 1921 wealthy local businessman Albert Turner donated a large brick granary and oasthouse for conversion into a village hall and war memorial, situated across the road from Whitewood's store and Post Office.