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Chalvington
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(The miniature church)
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General Details
The village of Chalvington once known as Calvintone or Caveltone lies
between the A27 Eastbourne to Lewes road and the A22 Hailsham to Uckfield
main roads, in a quiet rural backwater.
The parish existed in 1086 and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The
church is not mentioned until a tax record from Pope Nicholas IV in 1291.
The church is tiny and very unusual being made of flints from the local
South Downs, and looks like a miniature of the other churches in the area
the church tower is wooden, and leans slightly due to the October hurricane
of 1987.
The church was felt to have been dedicated to Thomas a Beckett because of
a stained glass light portraying the Saint is set in one of the windows.
Legend has it that during medieval times, the Lord of the Manor only allowed
his serfs to leave or enter if they paid a toll, this imprisoned his serfs
and kept out unwanted visitors.
The church has on one side of the altar the memorial to the daughter of
Lord Heathfield , General Sir George Augustus Elliot, the Govenor of
Gibraltar, who successfully defended 'the Rock' against the combined
French and Spanish forces between 1779 and 1783.
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Services
 The village consists of a few farms and houses therefore has no local
services.
The nearest shopping centre is at Hailsham a few miles to the east, with
the large shopping centres in Eastbourne to the south east.
The nearest trains run from Polegate a few miles east.
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Views
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The most attractive views are those from the church across the flat lands
towards the south downs near 
