Southerham Farm

Picturesque rolling downland with chalk grassland flowers and butterflies, set in a working livestock farm as part of the wider Malling Downs area.

Our Downland nature reserves at Southerham Farm and Malling Down sit on the fringes of the East Sussex county town of Lewes, with Malling Down dominating the easterly skyline of this historic town.

Both sit within the chalk massif of the Lewes Downs and are part of the South Downs National Park. They share their space with Glyndebourne and Glynde estates and the Lewes Golf Course. The ancient hillfort of Mount Caburn is found on the south easterly corner of the Lewes Downs overlooking the main stretch of the South Downs separated by the River Ouse and surrounding wet meadows that extend down to the sea at Newhaven. This ancient hillfort is often highlighted by paragliders hanging in mid-air above its earth works.

Southerham Farm Nature Reserve is free to visit, but we are only able to care for Southerham Farm with the support we receive from our members. Please consider becoming a member today.

Postcode:
BN8 6ST
Grid ref:
TQ456089
Reserve size:
131 hectares

In this section

Reserve profile

Dogs

What you might see

Getting around

Grazing

News

Where to see orchids in Sussex

Where to see orchids in Sussex

16 June 2026

There are about 56 species of orchid native to the UK and 23 of those can be found across Sussex Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves. These are some of the best reserves to visit in search of beautiful and elusive wild orchids.

Be tick aware

Be tick aware

10 March 2026

With spring around the corner it is a good time to brush up on your knowledge of ticks, where they live and what sensible precautions you can take.

Read more
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