Wealden covers a large part of the High Weald, a patchwork of well-wooded ridges and valleys. There are four small towns: Crowborough, Hailsham, Uckfield and Heathfield, the first of which was the birthplace of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and duly hosts an annual Sherlock Holmes festival.
The seat was recently rated as one of the most likely places in the country to find a millionaire. Which is not to say that the constituency does not have pockets of deprivation - Hailsham has recently received £11m of Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) cash to renovate deprived areas.
A quick look at the seat’s demographics reveals why it is has historically been so safe for the Conservatives: just over half the population can be grouped in the professional, managerial and technical social classes according to the 1991 census. Over 80% have access to a car and over 80% are owner occupiers.
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