East Dean and Friston#Birling Gap

East Dean and Friston, which has its own parish council,{{cite web |url=https://www.eastdeanfriston-pc.gov.uk/|publisher=VCS Parish Council Websites|title=East Dean & Friston Parish Council|accessdate=2025-02-13}} is part of the electoral ward called East Dean. This ward had a population at the 2011 Census of 2,258.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/east-dean-e05003996#sthash.ne0ToCn5.dpbs|title=East Dean ward population 2011|access-date=9 October 2015}}

East Dean lies in the valley bottom: Friston is at the top of the hill to the west. Within both villages are a large number of buildings of historic interest.{{cite web |url=https://www.eastdeanfriston-pc.gov.uk/about-east-dean-and-friston|publisher=VCS Parish Council Websites|title=About East Dean & Friston|accessdate=2025-02-13}}

The church in East Dean, dedicated to St Simon and St Jude, has a Saxon tower and an unusual Tapsel gate (preventing cattle from entering the churchyard); that at Friston is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin.{{cite web|url=http://eastdeanvillage.org.uk/church/index.asp?articleID=341|title=The United churches|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921125518/http://www.eastdeanvillage.org.uk/church/index.asp?articleID=341|archive-date=2007-09-21}} The churches have formed a united benefice since 1688. The latter contains Tudor monuments to the local family Selwyn and the grave of the composer Frank Bridge (1879–1941).{{cn|date=July 2022}}

John Eric Bartholomew OBE, stage name Eric Morecambe, of Morecambe & Wise fame, could trace his descent from John Bartholomew (c.1791–1854), a resident of Crowlink, Parish of Friston in the Census of 1841 and was living in the Parish of East Dean in the 1851 Census.Census 1841 Parish of Friston, Census 1851 Parish of East Dean John's son, Henry Bartholomew (1829–1908) moved to Overton, Lancashire, near Morecambe in the late 1840s and later into Morecambe itself. Henry's third child John Bartholomew 1860–1934 was the father of George Bartholomew 1898–1976, Eric's father.{{cn|date=July 2022}}

According to the 2021 United Kingdom census, the two villages combined have a population of 1,599, down from 1,620 in 2011, an increase from 1,578 in 2001.{{cite web|url= https://citypopulation.de/en/uk/southeastengland/admin/wealden/E04003838__east_dean_and_friston/ |title= EAST DEAN AND FRISTON Parish in South East England 2021|access-date=21 June 2025}}

In 2021, 91.4% (1,463) of the population were born in the United Kingdom, 3.4% (54) European Union, 0.0% (3) in the rest of Europe, 1.7% Africa, 1.6% Middle East and Asia and 1.7% rest of the world.{{cite web|url= https://citypopulation.de/en/uk/southeastengland/admin/wealden/E04003838__east_dean_and_friston/ |title= EAST DEAN AND FRISTON Parish in South East England 2021|access-date=21 June 2025}}

In 2021, 96.2% of the population were white, 1.3% Asian, 0.2% Black, 0.2% mixed or multiple and 0.7% other ethnic group.{{cite web|url= https://citypopulation.de/en/uk/southeastengland/admin/wealden/E04003838__east_dean_and_friston/ |title= EAST DEAN AND FRISTON Parish in South East England 2021|access-date=21 June 2025}}

File:BirlingGap(ChristineMatthews)Jul2001.jpg

Birling Gap is a coastal hamlet within the parish. It is situated on the Seven Sisters not far from Beachy Head and is owned by the National Trust. Coastal erosion has already removed some of the row of coastguard cottages built in 1878, but those that remain are still inhabited.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/833296.stm|title=BBC News – SCI/TECH – Crumbling cliffs highlight coastal crisis|website=news.bbc.co.uk}}

There are a cafe, shop and visitor centre run by National Trust, and a metal staircase leading down to the enclosed pebble beach and the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs. In time, the houses are likely to be demolished due to the severe coastal erosion; the Government has concluded that the commercial value of the houses does not justify the construction of sea defences. If walkers are cut off at high tide, they can climb the ladder, which is replaced often, to Birling Gap.

The beach, which was awarded the Blue flag rural beach award in 2005, is advertised by Naturist UK.{{cite web|url=https://www.beachatlas.com/birling-gap|title=Birling Gap, United Kingdom - Beach Guide, Info, Photos |publisher=www.beachatlas.com|access-date=2023-06-07}} It has a large number of rockpools.

The artist Jean Cooke lived in two cottages at Birling Gap. She painted seascapes there and died in 2008 while looking at the sea.{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jean-cooke-painter-of-wit-and-subtlety-890262.html | title=Jean Cooke: Painter of wit and subtlety | publisher=independent.co.uk | work=The Independent | date=11 August 2008 | access-date=5 January 2014}}{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2008/aug/29/art | title=Jean Cooke, obituary | publisher=The Guardian | date=28 August 2008 | access-date=6 January 2014 | first=Philip |last=Vann}}

In August 2017, hundreds of people suffered ill effects after a suspected chemical poisoning incident.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/27/birling-gap-beauty-spot-evacuated-chlorine-gas-leak-causes-breathing/ |title=Beachy Head chemical haze mystery deepens as police say gas not from France |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=28 August 2017 |first=Ben |last=Farmer |access-date=7 June 2019}}

The main rock type at Birling Gap is chalk. Other rock types outcropping here include flint, loess and soil. The coastline is part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest Seaford to Beachy Head, which falls within the parish. The site is of biological and geological interest.{{cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1002008 |title=Natural England – SSSI|access-date=2008-10-05|publisher=English Nature}}

There is also extensive evidence and visible earthworks here for an Iron Age hillfort on the site – although nearly half of it has already been lost to the sea. Information boards at the site show how it would have originally looked; however, even more will be lost due to the geological nature of these chalk cliffs.

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{{wide image|East Dean and Friston, East Sussex, England - April 2010 edit1.jpg|800px|A panoramic view of East Dean and Friston, viewed from the South Downs Way near Birling Gap}}

• List of civil parishes in England

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{{Commons category|East Dean and Friston}}

• [https://www.eastdeanfriston-pc.gov.uk/ East Dean & Friston Parish Council]

{{Wealden}}

Category:Civil parishes in East Sussex

Category:Wealden District

Category:National Trust properties in East Sussex

Category:Populated coastal places in East Sussex