It can be found about 7 m north of Brighton , and nearly 7000 people live there . Hassocks has grown since the 19th century , when work started on the London to Brighton railway . Located approximately 7 m north of Brighton , with a population of 6,821 , the area now occupied by Hassocks was just a collection of small houses and a coaching house until the 19th century , when work started on the London to Brighton railway .