Hampden Park is one of Eastbourne‘s largest residential suburbs, sitting to the north of the town centre and built around the leafy park that gives it its name. With its own railway station, a big park at its heart, handy retail parks nearby and generally good-value housing, it’s a popular, practical place to live — especially for families and commuters. Here’s our guide to the area.
About the area
Hampden Park lies around three kilometres north of Eastbourne town centre, a largely residential suburb that grew up around its park in the early twentieth century. The land was once part of the Ratton Estate owned by Lord Willingdon, who sold it to Eastbourne Corporation in 1901; the park was named after his grandfather, Viscount Hampden. Today it’s an established, unpretentious community with a good mix of housing, its own shops, schools and station, and easy access to the main roads out of town. It has a more everyday, local feel than the grander seafront districts — which is a big part of its appeal for those after space and value.
Hampden Park itself
The green heart of the suburb is Hampden Park, which opened in 1902 as the first publicly owned park in Eastbourne. It’s a genuinely lovely space, centred on a large lake — the old “Decoy Pond”, once a wildfowl decoy for the estate — fringed by semi-natural woodland, sunny lawns, specimen trees and picnic tables. Facilities are excellent for a town park: a children’s playground, tennis courts, bowls, football and rugby pitches, a large skate park, and an arboretum and scented garden. The Lakeside Café, opposite the water, serves hot food and ice creams (with public toilets alongside), and a wheelchair-friendly path circuits the lake. It’s also a haven for wildlife, with herons, little egrets, swans and a surprising range of woodland birds. Best of all, admission and parking are free.
Local tip: free health walks are run around the park most weeks — a gentle, hour-long guided stroll around the lake and woods, free to join with no need to book. A lovely way to get to know the area.
Shopping and things to do
One of Hampden Park’s practical advantages is its proximity to out-of-town shopping. The nearby Hampden Retail Park is home to big-name stores including B&Q, Halfords and Dunelm, plus a Costa and eateries, with an Aldi and supermarket fuel close by — handy for everything the town-centre shops don’t cover. The area is also well placed for family days out: the Eastbourne Miniature Steam Railway is just along Lottbridge Drove, and the leisure attractions around Sovereign Harbour and the Crumbles — from ten-pin bowling to the marina waterfront — are only a short drive away. For the town’s main shopping, see our Eastbourne shopping guide.
Getting around
Transport is a real plus here. Hampden Park railway station sits on the coastal line, giving direct trains towards Eastbourne town centre one way and along the coast the other — a genuine boon for commuters. The station is well known locally for its busy level crossing, said to be one of the busiest in the country. Regular Stagecoach town buses serve the area too, and the location just off the main A22 and A27 makes it convenient for driving out of town. For the full picture on local transport, see our guide to getting around Eastbourne.
Living in Hampden Park
Hampden Park is one of the more affordable parts of Eastbourne, with housing that tends to sit below the town’s pricier seafront and Meads districts — making it popular with families and first-time buyers who want more space for their money. The combination of a big park on the doorstep, its own station, local schools and shops, and easy road links gives it a self-contained, practical feel. It’s less about sea views and tourism and more about everyday liveability, which suits many residents perfectly. For a wider look at where to live, see our guide to the best areas to live in Eastbourne.
Hampden Park, Eastbourne: FAQs
Where is Hampden Park?
Hampden Park is a residential suburb of Eastbourne, around three kilometres north of the town centre. It has its own railway station and is built around Hampden Park, one of the town’s largest and oldest public parks.
Is Hampden Park a good place to live?
Many think so, particularly families and commuters. It offers generally good-value housing, its own station, local schools and shops, a large park and handy retail parks nearby, with easy access to the main roads out of Eastbourne.
What is there to do in Hampden Park?
The park itself has a lake, playground, tennis courts, bowls, sports pitches, a skate park and a café. Nearby you’ll find Hampden Retail Park, the Eastbourne Miniature Steam Railway and the leisure attractions around Sovereign Harbour.
Does Hampden Park have a train station?
Yes. Hampden Park station sits on the coastal railway line, with direct services towards Eastbourne town centre and along the coast. It’s one of the area’s biggest advantages for commuters, and is known for its busy level crossing.
Thinking about the area? See the best areas to live in Eastbourne and our guide to moving to Eastbourne.