In stark contrast to far from the London spread, West Sussex is on the south coast. The English Channel shoreline is lined with seaside towns and continuous resorts.
A lot of them, such as Chichester as well as Arundel are ancient and include captivating Roman, Saxon and medieval monuments.
Other places, such as Worthing or Bognor Regis are holiday centres which take advantage of the warm weather and pebble beaches to enjoy carefree summer days. In the countryside are the chalk hills that are rounded in the South Downs, a region of thatched cottagesand Flint walls and charming market towns.
This is the perfect place for cycling and walking in the national park, as well as visits to charming villages that are home to country pubs.
Let’s take a look at the best places to go around West Sussex:
1. Chichester
Like the “ester” suffix in the name suggests, Chichester has a Roman background.
It could also be Britain’s first Roman time period as Chichester might have been the location the location where Claudius was a base for his army at the time of AD 43. In the present, Chichester is a sophisticated Georgian city straight from an Jane Austen story.
One of the townhouses , you will find the Pallant House Gallery, with an extensive collection of 20th century British artwork by Lucien Freud, David Bomberg, Peter Blake and many more. Chichester Cathedral, from 1075 Chichester Cathedral, founded in 1075, is one of the few English cathedral that can be seen from the sea. its walls of the Bishop’s Palace Gardens is
2. Arundel
The beauty in the splendour of South Downs, Arundel is an attractive town, ruled by one of the country’s largest and most complete medieval castles.
Arundel is mentioned in The Domesday Book in 1086, and the castle was established in 1067, within the first few months after the Norman Conquest of England.
It was damaged during it’s destruction in the Civil War in the 1600s however, it was restored in the early 1700s and is nowadays one of Sussex’s most visited places, featuring an armoury chapel, a dry moat, and views that overlook the River Arun and countryside from its fairytale towers.
The Arundel cathedral Arundel might appear to the world as if it’s old-fashioned, but it was actually built in the 1800s. It is built in the French Gothic style and was created in the 18th century by Joseph Hansom famed for his Hansom horses drawn taxicabs.
3. Petworth
A symbiosis of old and contemporary art, charming streets, and a rich history, Petworth is a wonderful town located in the South Downs.
The first thing to do is to look at Petworth House, whose 19th-century owner George Wyndham was a close acquaintance of J.M.W. Turner who was commissioned to paint the park in the 1820s.
The stately house, which is managed by the National Trust, has lots of Turner paintings and scenes from the film Mr Turner were made in the house.
The central part of Petworth is a delight especially along Lombard Street, a narrow cobbled alley that runs up to the front yard that is St Mary’s Church.
As a well-off little town, there are many antiques stores, boutiques of artisanal goods and galleries for you to peruse.
4. South Downs National Park
A large area that runs through all of central Ohio was designated an National Park in 2011. The majority of the area is grassy, round chalk downs that rise to high peaks, however they also allow for easy walks because of their gentle slopes.
In every few miles in all directions there’s a thatched town with breakfast or bed and breakfast, and a pub. If you’re looking for a challenge, The South Downs Way is a 100-mile footpath that runs from Hampshire up to East Sussex.
Within West Sussex there’s a lot to discover in the rural areas.
Nearby to Worthing north of Worthing is Cissbury Ring, where Neolithic people mined for flint.
The highest mountain, Blackdown, peaks at the height of 280m and is the spot where Poet Laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson took a break in the late 19th century.
5. Worthing
The largest town in West Sussex has been known as “Sunny Worthing ” since the 19th century, when wealthy Victorians began to arrive to enjoy their vacations.
The golden period of the British seaside is over however Worthing offers the feeling of a city in good shape, which is able to transform into an all-inclusive resort when the sun sets.
The pier was built in 1862, and is listed as a structure, and has a recently restored tearoom.
Worthing is a town with all the amenities of a town, but you’re just a few steps away from low slopes on the South Downs too.
In the Sompting area to the to the west of Worthing there’s the St Mary’s Church, a extremely historic Anglo-Saxon structure that was completed before the arrival of William the Conqueror and is in excellent condition considering its age.
6. Shoreham-by-Sea
The majority of people are familiar with Shoreham for its airport which is more than you think: There aren’t any airline flights as well as the airfield is used utilized for public aerobatic shows and private pilots.
The visitor center is located in the terminal, which is an elegant art deco structure that was completed in 1936. Shoreham’s beach Shoreham is situated on a huge sandy bank, which was transformed into a luxurious residential neighborhood.
The long beach with shingle is a wonderful place to walk throughout the season, and the landscape was painted by John Constable in 1828. Shoreham Fort is a peculiar symbol of a forgotten event in the course of history.
It was constructed in 1850s, when there was a real anxiety about the threat of a French invasion under the reign by Napoleon III. The ditches and walls, cannon walls, the gun platforms, and the caponiers were all renovated recently.
7. Horsham
In the Weald which is a ridge of hills which runs through the center as well as the north part of the county. Horsham is a flourishing and smart market town set within a beautiful landscape.
It’s not necessary to leave town until you’re wandering through tranquil green spaces within the eco-friendly Warnham Local Nature Reserve or Sumners Ponds, 40 hectares of tranquil lakes.
Being one of the largest towns in the region, Horsham is a shopping place and the town’s centre is full of historical elegance, including elegant homes that date back to Victorian and Georgian time periods.
The other Georgian residents is Percy Bysshe Shelley, the Romantic poet who was born in 1792. He would become the future wife to Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein.
The Horsham Museum will tell you everything about this connection and more.
8. Amberley
The unspoiled nature can be found everywhere in this beautiful village within the South Downs National Park.
Amberley situated on the eastern side of the Arun is known for its thatched houses, most of which have walls decorated with flint and flowers in front. There are tea houses along the river and inns offering the traditional food of pubs.
If you’re in the desire for a feast worthy of a lord, then you should consider Amberley Castle, which is a manor house fortified from the 1300s that is it is now a restaurant and hotel.
For the nature and countryside, it is the Amberley Wild Brooks is on the Arun’s floodplain , and is home to various wildfowl species in winter. The Amberley Museum makes a special effort to preserve the past trades of the region, such as pottery and printing, and houses a 1950s fire station and a running narrow-gauge steam train.
9. Midhurst
The town is located in the Sussex Weald, Midhurst is an English town with many fascinating stories to relate.
The town has created its own heritage path that takes you to an Iron Age fort and pointing out the most important historical, Georgian and Victorian houses within the town. There are over 100 listed buildings but none is so mysterious and impressive in the same way as Cowdray House.
The mansion was considered to be one of England’s most famous Tudor Mansions. Henry VIII and Elizabeth I resided here, and Guy Fawkes worked here in the mid-1500s.
This house burned down in a fire in 1793, however the majority of the walls and towers remain to create an eerie ruin.
10. Littlehampton
The town is located at the mouth of Arun, Littlehampton is a beach town with an earthy vibe to resorts such as Worthing as well as Bognor.
The oldest area is the harbour that was built in the past on the east river’s estuary in which the waterside cottages that were once used for fishermen have been converted into cafes, as well as fish and chips shops.
There’s a new promenade that’s located by the water, and you can stroll all the way all the way to Harbour Park by the seafront where it is bustling with people on warm days and offers plenty for children to do.
You can take a ferry across the eastern bank of Arun and gaze back on the many historic waterside structures or walk on the beach where there are old-fashioned amusements such as pitch and putt, crazy golf, and a small railway.
