Ellen Cheshire

Alongside my freelance writing about theatre, film and literature, my role as Fundraising and Development Manager at Chichester Cathedral gives me the chance to tell stories that are just as rich in history and creativity. Whether it’s celebrating the music that fills the Cathedral’s spaces or sharing the craft and care behind preserving its heritage, my work is about connecting people to the heart of this extraordinary place - and showing why we need support to keep its mus

E.F. Benson (1867-1940) made Sussex his home at a pivotal point in his life. In 1918, after years of travel, writing and public service, he settled in the ancient town of Rye, at Lamb House. He remained there until his death in 1940, and it was during these Sussex years that he produced some of his most enduring work. Rye offered Benson a place of continuity and containment, a town shaped by history and habit, where daily life unfolded on a human scale. Born in 1867, Benson c

Bognor Picturedrome (screen 1) Nestled innocently within my main bucket list are four entries that could each stand as their own separate quests. Since they all share a similar goal - exploring the UK and Ireland through their cinematic venues - I’ve combined them here for convenience. These are: visiting the other six cinemas in the small chain that my local  Bognor Picturedrome  belongs to; ticking off all independent cinemas in Sussex; seeing films or concerts at venues

Milne in 1922 By Emil Otto Hoppé - Shadowland, September 1922 (page 62), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58472213 On Christmas Eve in 1925, the first Winnie-the-Pooh story, The Wrong Bees , was published in the London Evening News. In celebration of this 100th anniversary, this latest blog in the Writers in Sussex  series explores the Sussex landscape that inspired A.A. Milne’s beloved stories and the enduring magic of Ashdown Forest. Ashdown Fo

Jamie Patterson, born in 1986 in Brighton, East Sussex, is a British filmmaker whose work is closely tied to his home city. He co-founded the Brighton‑based production company Jump Start Productions and in 2018 wrote and directed Tucked , his first feature film. Tucked  is a raw and tender drama about Jackie, an ageing drag queen given six weeks to live, who forms an unexpected bond with a younger queen called Faith. The film explores identity, grief and community, blending h

Patrick Hamilton c. 1930 Patrick Hamilton’s The West Pier  (1952) captures a very different side of Sussex from the pastoral warmth of...

This post continues our series on writers in Sussex - those who found inspiration in its landscapes, towns and coastlines, weaving the...

In this series exploring writers in Sussex, we trace how the county - its towns, landscapes and shifting coastlines - has left its mark...

H.G. Wells With Sussex Day (16 June) around the corner, those who enjoy exploring places through literary eyes will find a wealth of...

Virginia Woolf c. 1927 from one of her own photo albums at Monk's House which were acquired at an auction at Sotheby's in 1982. This is...

This is the second in our series exploring writers in Sussex – those who were inspired by its coastlines, hills, and ancient villages....

One hundred and ten years ago this month, in March 1915, D. H. Lawrence found himself on the windblown coast of Bognor Regis in West...

Some bucket list stops require planes and planning. Others are hiding in plain sight; places you’ve passed a dozen times and always meant to visit one day. From the outside, English Martyrs Church in Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex looks like any other modest parish church. Red brick, low roof, a quiet presence on a suburban street. You could easily pass by without a second glance. But step inside and it’s as if you’ve walked through a wormhole to Renaissance Rome. Because within

The Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft in the East Sussex village of Ditchling has long been on my bucket list. When I spotted that their temporary exhibition this year was on seaside signage, I managed to actually get there! This exhibition, Signs of the Seaside, is on until 3 September and comprises new commissions, historic artefacts, photos, posters and books showcasing the typography of the British seaside. Although I very much enjoyed the main exhibition, I was expecting

On a wild and windy July day I took my pier themed handbag for a walk along the promenade at Bognor Regis, stopping for a drink at the former Pier Cinema and Pier Electric Theatre now Legends bar and Shieks Nightclub . We also passed by and admired the new (replacement) plaque dedicated to Tony Hancock outside the hotel where he stayed whilst filming Punch and Judy Man (1963). Bognor Regis Pier, Legends Bar and Shieks Nightclub The Royal Norfolk Hotel where Hancock staye

Once a month the village hall in the sleepy Sussex village of Slindon gets a Hollywood makeover when it is transformed into Slindon Cinema, screening classic films on 35 mm film. This mini dream palace was a labour of love for student Joe Cornick who, for an A Level Film project, brought the projection box in the Coronation Hall back to use. The box was built in the 1930s but no projector was ever installed. Well, there's one there now and they are currently screening via 35

125 years ago on the 31 August 1896 audiences expecting a usual night of traditional music hall entertainment at the Pier Pavilion, Worthing were in for a big surprise. For that week’s booking, showman Lt Walter Cole was bringing something special, ‘The new wonder – electric animated pictures’. The Worthing Gazette’s review the following week noted that “the most novel item of the evening’s entertainment is the series of animated photos, the newest and most striking electri

On the 9 Janaury 2020 the Bognor Regis Picturedrome celebrated 100 years as a cinema, with a fabulous Black Tie event... Here's an overview of the evening: - two spotlight light beams could be seen for miles -local dignitaries and industry people arrived in their finery -via red carpet we were taken in through a secret entrance, we were greeted and had photos taken with 'Marilyn Monroe' and 'Charlie Chaplin'. - the entrance took us straight through to the newest screen 2 wh