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Geographically the Parish of Bolney lies virtually at the centre of the County of Sussex at the southern edge of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It is dissected neatly into four quarters by the north/south A23 London to Brighton road and east / west by the A272 which runs from Heathfield to Winchester. The main village lies in the north west section and is usually missed by the thousands of travellers who use these roads each day.

The earliest sign of habitation is a walkway of oak timbers near Agates pond in The Street dated to the late Saxon period c 972. The Church is in the Early English style with suggestions of Saxon and Norman influence in the architecture. The nave and chancel date from the middle of the 12th century; the unusual' tower was built in 1533-1536 at the expense of John Bolne. It boasts the oldest peal of eight bells in Sussex, the earliest being dated 1592.

The village almost certainly owes its existence and its apparent wealth to the early iron industry. Situated on the lower slopes of the Weald and St. Leonards Forest it was ideally suited to providing the charcoal needed to fire the furnaces at nearby Cuckfield, Slaugham and Lower Beeding. 'Colwood Lane' and 'Cross Colwood Lane' in the north west of the parish are evidence of the burning of charcoal in quantity.

Following the decline of the iron industry Bolney became an agricultural community, lasting about 400 years up to the period soon after the Second World War. Sadly the Windmill and the Watermill, both of which operated in the 18th. and 19th century, are not standing today.

The gradual decline in agriculture has lead to the village being primarily a rural dormitory village, with many inhabitants working in the nearby towns of Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Crawley, and Brighton. Easy access to the M23 and mainline station Haywards Heath to London Victoria result in many residents regularly commuting to either Gatwick Airport or London.