Spend a weekend immersed in the stories etched into Sussex's timeless landscape. This is a place of ancient yews, forgotten crafts and trails cut into chalky hills.
The swathe of the South Downs between Pulborough, Amberley and Arundel, just to the south of Horsham, has everything history lovers need for a relaxing weekend break. Characterful accommodation? Check. An abundance of heritage sites? Check. Local food and fresh air? Naturally!
There’s plenty to see and do here, from learning to use a polelathe to browsing antiques shops. In between, you can stroll through landscapes as old as time, eat in country pubs and keep your eyes peeled for glow worms, bats – and blacksmiths!
Day 1: Hands-on heritage
Get to grips with Amberley’s industrial past as you explore an open-air museum and have a go at a heritage craft.
Amberley Museum takes you back to a time when bright red telephone boxes also sold stamps, printing was done by hand, and engines ran on steam. The working lives of old industrial and rural southeast England are brought back to life in the preserved and recreated workshops and displays.
You can step foot in a perfectly preserved cobblers from the 1970s, see woodworking equipment from the 19th century, and check off your imaginary shopping list among the pots, pans and paraffin heaters of an early-20th-century ironmongers.
Hungry? Find the Limeburners Café on site, or walk to the Riverside Café where you can eat as you watch life drift by on the River Arun.
Amberley Museum is also home to a host of traditional craftspeople, such as blacksmiths, woodturners and potters, who practice their trades in studios that are open to the public. Book a course and learn how to use a polelathe, make a stool, or stain some glass. There are also pottery and art classes in the Woodsmoke Pottery, and private lessons in blacksmithing. If you’re not quite ready to give these heritage crafts a try yourself, there are plenty of spellbinding demonstrations to watch, including broom making and woodturning.
For dinner, pick a pub in Amberley, or hop on the train to check out Horsham’s range of eateries. Head to East Street for lots of choice in one place!
Day 2: Peace in the past
Find peace and tranquillity in Horsham’s array of historic houses and natural sites.
Start the day with some quiet contemplation at St Mary’s Church in the tiny village of Sullington, just outside Storrington. The church itself is ancient – the tower and nave date from around 1050 – but many people come here for the Sullington yew. Said to predate the church by around two centuries, the tree dominates the churchyard. Sit and soak in the sense of timelessness on the bench beneath it.
When you’re ready, make the 2.5-mile hop to Parham House & Gardens. This Elizabethan mansion dates to 1577 and houses an impressive collection of antiques, ancestral portraits and one of the country’s most important collections of early needlework. Impressive as it is, the house is still very much a family home, and a sense of love mingles with the grandeur in every room. Don’t miss the Long Gallery – it’s the third longest in a private house in England.
Outside, the Pleasure Gardens reflect generations of horticultural passion. The four-acre Walled Garden is the perfect place to while away an hour or two. It’s filled with traditional roses, historic plant varieties and several buildings designed in the Arts and Craft style. The Wendy House, built into the garden wall, even has a working fireplace!
For lunch, pick up a picnic from The Mower Shed Café and find a pleasant spot in the grounds.
In the afternoon, choose between RSPB Pulborough Brooks or the charming town of Arundel.
RSPB Pulborough Brooks is lined with peaceful paths through wetlands, heathlands, and ancient woodlands. Depending on when you visit, you could spot lapwings, flitting dragonflies or peregrine falcons. Stay through dusk to see bats, nightjars and glow-worms.
Alternatively, wander Arundel’s medieval castle, browse the treasures of numerous antique shops and art galleries, then dine in one of the many restaurants that give Sussex produce pride of place on the menu.
Day 3: Walk through time
Stretch your legs on a stroll through time across the beautiful South Downs. Stream the Welcome Walks podcast to hear local voices as you stride.
It’s not only the towns and villages that are riddled with stories in this part of the world. The South Downs landscape itself is a patchwork of the past. Its hedgerows, chalk quarries and vineyards tell a tale of humankind’s attempts to cultivate these hills, while the meadows, wetlands and rivers are havens for wildlife in Sussex.
There are dozens of walking trails from Amberley to choose from, including the 66 mile South Downs Way, but this 2-3 mile circular walk is an easy option that ends on the high street where you can toast your relaxing weekend getaway into Sussex’s remarkable past at The Black Horse or The Sportsman.
Getting there and around: From London Victoria, it’s easy to reach Horsham (1 hour), Pulborough, Amberley and Arundel (1 hour 30 mins) by rail. Most attractions in this three-day itinerary are easy to reach on foot from those train stations, and you can listen to the Arun Valley Line podcast series, Beyond the Rails, as you travel!
The no. 100 bus connects Parham House & Gardens and Sullington Lane with Pulborough.
Where to stay
A heritage-themed holiday deserves a characterful place to rest your head!
The Black Horse, in a listed building in the heart of Amberley, has 11 en suite rooms, a two-bedroom annexe and breakfast served to a view across the South Downs.
There’s been a ‘beerhouse’ on the site of The Sportsman since around 1850; nowadays the Amberley inn has five comfy bedrooms too.
The other side of Amberley Rail Station, Arun Valley B&B has two bedrooms in the beautiful old building, while their South Downs Bunkhouse, in the refurbished traditional barns, is perfect for larger groups.
There are plenty of hotel options too.
The four-star Tottington Manor Hotel has 12 rooms; book the Duplex Suite to sleep under 17th century beams.
Recognised in the Michelin Guide, Amberley Castle is your chance to stay in a picture-perfect 900-year-old castle with a portcullis.
Put nature and relaxation first at South Lodge, a B-Corp hotel with a spa, set in a grand family home from the 1880s just outside Horsham.
Pulborough’s Chequers Hotel is in a traditional coaching inn with features that date from 1548.
Stay a little longer
Can’t tear yourself away? We don’t blame you! Here are four ways to extend your stay near Horsham.
- Explore Horsham’s Victorian and Edwardian heritage on a self-guided trail and dip into the almost-500-year-old history of one of England’s oldest boarding schools in Christ’s Hospital Museum.
- Weald & Downland Living Museum covers over 1,000 years of rural and domestic life through 50+ relocated historic buildings.
- Spend more time in nature at WWT Arundel Wetland Centre where you can join a guided boat safari, take a walk along the river south to nearby Arundel or stroll north to Amberley.
- Wander through Nymans incredibly romantic ruins, elegant house, old-fashioned rose garden and rambling woodlands.
