Places to visit, attractions, heritage and things of interest in or about West Sussex, in the south of England.
The tiny, downland, Church of Coombes is one of the most extraordinary English churches I have ever seen. There are thousands of medieval churches in Britain, each one illuminating parts of our nation’s story. Though not a religious man, I am a long-standing member of the “Oh Look, There’s a Church, Let’s Go in” Club […]
In contrast with the north and west of the island, the Roman way of life was more firmly entrenched in the south and east of Britain. One feature of this was the greater number of villas, rural buildings in Roman style that ranged from the relatively humble to the decidedly palatial. Most of these
You don’t need great plants to have an attractive garden. But having lovely views, a romantic ruin and, in the first place, loads of money, helps no end. Fortunately, Nymans has benefited from all three of the latter. To be fair, it probably has some great plants too; however, my knowledge of horticulture is only
There was always an air of mystery about this place. When everything was new, and a car was a novelty, Dad occasionally took us out for Sunday afternoon drives. Passing along the lanes of the South Downs north of Chichester, he’d invariably comment, “Oh, there’s Racton Folly.” And there it was, a grim looking tower
The curiosity of Racton Folly Read More »
Nudging along the lush borders of Hampshire and West Sussex, not far from the charming town of Petersfield, is Uppark. Pronounced ‘Up Park’ (a corresponding ‘Down Park’ lies a few miles to the north), Uppark’s south-facing Regency rear looks remarkably like a doll’s house; which is appropriate, because there is a real 18th century doll’s
For centuries, Bosham was a fishing village, famous for its oysters. You’ll find it on a small peninsula in Chichester Harbour in West Sussex; a bit of a yachting place, also beloved by artists, walkers, cyclists and casual visitors. Yes, Bosham (say ‘Bozzum’) can be a busy spot, particularly on a fine day. There are
Bosham, Cnut, the king’s daughter and Harold Read More »
Builders in the past were very selfish people. They put their buildings up without considering for one moment that, one day, their structures might inconveniently stand in the way of a new road, town centre development or shopping centre. Fast forward to an intriguing museum on the South Downs in West Sussex, near the village
Weald and Downland Read More »
Including the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex. The South East is the most heavily populated region in England. It has more businesses, including international HQs, than anywhere else in the UK and is the most prosperous and cosmopolitan region outside London. It owes
A bit about South East England Read More »
