Henfield is a large ancient village situated on a ridge a few miles north of the South Downs and 12 miles north-west of Brighton, and of Shoreham to the south. The two branches of the River Adur meet within its parish. The village has many timber framed houses and a parish church, parts of which date back to the 13th century. It also has several pubs and inns in the area and a large and ancient common, at the eastern end of which is the pitch and clubhouse of one of the oldest cricket clubs in the world, dating back to 1771.

Nearby Woodmancote is a small village 1 mile east of Henfield. A scattered community with no obvious village centre, its parish church, St Peter's, stands alone beside the road. Not far away is Woodmancote Place, a large historic house in extensive grounds which is now used as a country club. Two of the Lewes martyrs burnt at the stake in 1556 came from Woodmancote.