About Us
The Bull is one of the oldest buildings in Ditchling village, and has been welcoming travellers and locals for over 500 years. It dates back to the early 16th century, when it was used as an overnight resting place for the monks who kept a medicinal herb garden on what is now the village green. The Lords of the Manor, the Nevill family, were the original owners. Their coat of arms, which has a bull’s head at its crest, is responsible for the name and still used today on our sign.
In the early 19th century our pub was a popular stop for the London to Brighton coaches, whose drivers used its stables as their last changing post before the steep ascent over Ditchling Beacon. Beer was brewed here until 1861, in a brew house attached to the main building. The Bull saw a succession of lively owners until it went into receivership in early 2000. The current owners, Dominic Worrall and his wife Vanessa, an artist, rescued it in 2003, stylishly converted it and continue to work tirelessly with their staff to offer a warm and welcoming pub with an understated, contemporary edge.
