Lower Beeding

Lower Beeding
Holy Trinity Church
Lower Beeding
Location within West Sussex
Area18.45 km2 (7.12 sq mi) 
Population1,001  2001 Census
1,022 (2011 Census)
 Density54/km2 (140/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTQ220273
 London33 miles (53 km) N
Civil parish
  • Lower Beeding
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townHORSHAM
Postcode districtRH13
Dialling code01403
PoliceSussex
FireWest Sussex
AmbulanceSouth East Coast
UK Parliament

Lower Beeding is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. The village lies on the B2110, B2115 and A281 roads 3.5 miles (6 km) south-east from Horsham, and is centred on Holy Trinity Church and The Plough public house, where the B2115 meets the B2110. The parish hamlets are Crabtree to the south of the village, and Ashfold Crossways and Plummer's Plain to the north-east. At Plummer's Plain there is a spring that is the official source of the River Ouse, which eventually reaches the sea at Newhaven.

In the early 13th century the monks of Sele Priory (St Peter's Church, Upper Beeding) began a mission to the area of St Leonard's Forest near Horsham, and established a small mission base, naming it Lower Beeding. Despite being some 10 miles (16 km) away, Lower Beeding remained a part of (Upper) Beeding parish until Victorian times. The existence of Lower Beeding led to differentiation in the name of the original Beeding in some medieval sources, adding the 'Upper'.

A local landmark is Leonardslee Gardens, between Lower Beeding village and Crabtree; the gardens were closed to the public in 2010 but reopened in April 2019.

The South Lodge Hotel in Lower Beeding was the venue for the 2009 G20 Summit meeting of finance ministers.

Newells Preparatory School, in the village until 1968, is today at Handcross and part of Brighton College.