For over 450 years, the Plumley family has been farming the beautiful Pevensey Levels. Our all-grass farm is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and we take immense pride in being stewards of this unique landscape, home to rare plants and wildlife found nowhere else.
Today, Chilley Farm remains a working beef and lamb farm, home to around 400 cattle and 250 breeding ewes.
A Family Legacy
Farming has always been a family affair here. For decades, we operated as a dairy farm providing milk across Sussex, until the dairy closed its doors in 1999. Since then, three generations of the Plumley family ranging in age from 11 to 86 have continued to live and work on this land.
In 2003, John and Angie Plumley took over the reins from Alan and Jenny. Their first big step was converting the old horse stables into our very first farm shop.
Growth
As the years went by, we continued to evolve. In 2009, we undertook the massive project of rebuilding the stone barn that had been destroyed during the Great Storm of 1987. What was once a ruin is now a breathtaking venue for weddings and special events.
Pizza Nights
Life at the farm is about more than just work; it’s about community. We added a wood-fired pizza oven that has become a staple for our campers. Our summer Pizza, Pudding, and Cocktail nights are now a local tradition, and Angie’s famous Banoffee Pie has officially put Chilley Farm on the map!
A New Look for a New Era
In 2024, with help from our niece, we gave Chilley Farm a fresh identity. We updated our logo, launched our new website, and grew our social media presence to better connect with our modern community.
Our biggest milestone yet arrived in 2025. We completely renovated and expanded our Farm Shop & Cafe.
Visitors can now enjoy a meal in our spacious indoor and outdoor seating areas, designed for every season. Whether you’re tucking in by the cozy log fire in the winter or enjoying the shaded terrace in the summer, there’s no better place to enjoy Angie’s amazing breakfasts.
True Farm-to-Fork
We are incredibly proud to offer a genuine “farm-to-fork” experience. With local meat and meat reared on the farm supplying the farm shop and in 2025, we started our own flock of happy, egg-laying chickens to provide fresh eggs all year long.
Special Events
In October 2025, we hosted our first-ever Autumn Halloween event and what a treat it was! Over two action-packed weekends, we welcomed hundreds of visitors to the farm to enjoy pumpkin picking and carving, seasonal crafts in the barn, games, prizes, photo ops, a pumpkin scavenger hunt, a sizzling BBQ, and a special Halloween menu.
The event was a massive success, and we couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who joined us. We look forward to hosting more exciting events like this in the future!
Join Our Next Chapter
Chilley Farm is more than just a farm; it’s a story that is still being written. We hope you’ll visit us soon and become a part of the next chapter!
