Polegate is a town and civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is located five miles (8km) north of the seaside resort of Eastbourne, and is part of the greater area of that town. Although once a railway settlement, its importance as such has now waned with closures of routes. The parish of Polegate had a population of 7929 on the 2001 census of which 37% were aged 65 and over.