STAPLECROSS

 Staplecross is not a village that many outsiders will know, laying as it does, well away from the main roads.

It's small, but very attractive, with a lovely old pub, the Cross Inn,  at its central crossroads, surrounded with white weatherboarded buildings.

Directly opposite the Cross Inn, is the village war memorial, which is of a rather unusual design, only replicated at one other village that I know of.

Just half a mile from the village centre, is the Staplecross Garden Centre. Not something I would normally comment on, but it does have a smashing cafe in an old railway wagon, which is handy for a spot of very nice lunch, and is now home to a couple of ex-Hastings trams that are being patiently restored. You can go and watch the volunteers working, and there's usually a very nice elderly gentleman available to show you around their base, their models, and the row of tiny period shops that are being constructed. He's a mine of information, which he's only too pleased to share with anyone prepared to listen! It's free, but if you visit them, please drop a donation in their bucket. They're doing a stirling job with very few resources

umm...no, it's not growing out the roof!