There’s no denying the attraction of the Cotswolds. The honey-hued bucolic villages are filled with old rectories and charming cottages with picket fences and rambling roses. In summertime there is a bottleneck of coach tours and irritating content creators.
Ellen DeGeneres was the latest A-lister to move in, and with Plum Sykes’ recent novel satirising the dizzyingly rich glamazons reigning supreme in the area, it’s understandable that those in the know are seeking something more authentic and less glitzy — making a beeline for West Sussex.
Bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west, West Sussex offers the same rural romance of the Cotswolds, without the shout-about-it mentality. It’s a place of rural beauty, steeped in history. But while it’s long been a magnet for the well-heeled, you’re more likely to spot mud-splattered Barbours and knackered 4x4s than a freshly-valeted Range Rover.
It’s easy to see why the likes of Bryan Ferry, hotel designer Martin Brudnizki and Kate Winslet call this place home. Surrounded by the chalky, velvety South Downs, higgledy-piggledy villages and a dramatic coastline, West Sussex is a quiet magnet for those who want the English countryside on their doorstep, with the bright lights of London an easy train ride away.
Right now, there’s a hubbub of talent on the Downs. From a recently revived 14th-century coaching inn to local restaurants championing Sussex-grown produce and award-winning vineyards worth a visit, here’s our pick of the hottest happenings in West Sussex.
Where to stay
Nestled in a pretty, sleepy West Sussex village in the South Downs National Park, the recently reopened Swan Inn in Fittleworth (Rooms from £195 on a bed-and-breakfast basis, swaninnfittleworth.com) is looking spiffier than ever.
Once a drinking hole for the likes of JMW Turner and John Constable who swapped landscape paintings for free board (there’s a scattering of them still lining the walls of the dining room), this 14th-century boozer has undergone an extensive 2.5 year renovation under the watchful eye of the charming Sussex-born restaurateur Angus Davies.
Out went the lifeless greys and in came bold Edward Bulmer colour and playfulness, fine art and furniture, reimagined by Sussex-based interior designer Zanna Westgate, with lashings of fabric sourced from a roll-call of British interior design and auction houses: Penny Morrison curtains, Birdie Fortescue bedspreads and handmade lampshades by Imogen Pope.
Each room (there are 10 in the main building and two in the stables, all named after former guests) has its own personality, with roll-top baths and squishy velvet armchairs, some dog and child-friendly with their own little gardens.
Under wonky beams, locals and their gun dogs snuggle into seats next to down-from-Londoners, feasting on homemade venison sausage rolls and pints of Burning Sky and Harvey’s.
Food is taken seriously here — though it's more posh pub grub than fine dining. In the wood-panelled dining room, seasonal dishes reign supreme. Think buttermilk fried pheasant legs, braised beef cheek with bacon, mushrooms and creamy mash, and puffy profiteroles stuffed with creamy honeycomb parfait.
There’s a jovial pub ambience that feels deliciously wholesome and relaxing, the sort where nobody cares if you get a little sozzled. And you will if Davies coaxes you into sampling his extensive Eau de Vie list.
On sunny days, the pub’s Mediterranean-inspired garden, designed with gardener Elizabeth Tyler and Litchfield & Fox, is the spot du jour. Framed by British blooms and fruit trees, and complete with its own boules court, it’s the perfect spot to linger over wood-fired pizza or homemade soft-serve with a chilled drink in hand.
There’s nothing quite like playing house for the weekend, especially when your ‘house’ is a picturesque 17th-century Grade II-listed cottage overlooking some of the Cowdray Estate’s finest polo fields, with ponies grazing in the back garden. Ambersham House (from £1,600 per night, cowdray.co.uk) is the newest addition to Cowdray’s collection of elegant cottages (which sleep between two and eight guests) and might just be the loveliest self-catering stay in West Sussex.
Sleeping up to six in three bedrooms, the recently-renovated house feels miles from the hubbub of the city (in actual fact, it took us only an hour to drive from south west London). It’s just opposite the Ambersham polo grounds and if there’s any matches on during your stay, you’ll be left complimentary passes and you can often spot the players having a practice games from your bedroom window.
There’s a calming feel to the interiors, exposed beams set against soft, chalky whites, muted sage and warm oatmeal shades, with natural textures running through from linen upholstery to oak floors. There’s a gentle nod to the polo throughout with various art pieces — from sketches and framed photos to paintings — themed around horses. You’ll be right at home here, with Floris London products in the bathrooms, a huge bathtub in the master suite and oodles of space to play with.
If you aren’t cooking up a feast in the kitchen that’s kitted out with every type of pot and pan you’ll ever need (they’ll leave a hamper with freshly-baked bread, milk, eggs and butter from the Cowdray Farm Shop plus you can pre-order some homemade ready meals like bolognese or cottage pie for your arrival) with the Roberts radio on full blast, you’ll be soaking up the views from the apple tree-lined garden onto the field ahead filled with pretty polo ponies.
During the cooler months, the wood-burning stoves add a golden glow that makes the whole house feel utterly cosy.
Here, you’re just a five-minute drive from the heart of the estate and, whatever the season, there’s always something happening, from pop-up dinners under the stars and festive workshops to open-air cinema nights, or the summer ‘sip and snip’ evenings and Maize Maze that were running during our August visit.
Where to eat
If you’re staying in the South Downs it’s well worth making a beeline for the Goring family’s Wiston Estate, near Pulborough (wistonestate.com). The vineyard produces sparkling wines, reds and whites, and in its converted barns (formerly a turkey farm) is Chalk, a corker of a restaurant championing Sussex produce.
It’s slick, with a modern feel that manages to be both smart and unpretentious. A place where well-heeled locals tuck in under exposed beams. Head chef Jordon Powell creates dishes of extraordinary depth using estate-grown, farmed and foraged produce, alongside those sourced from the South Coast. There’s an à la carte menu at lunch (think venison ragu rigatoni with pecorino and basil) while a fixed five-course menu awaits for those lucky enough to come for dinner.
Menu highlights included the carpaccio-style grass-fed beef served with mushroom, and the wood-fired duck with beetroot and ligonberry, served with a finger-licking red wine reduction. Trust us, it’s Michelin-worthy.
Elsewhere, another off-the-beaten track West Sussex pub worth a visit is The Duke of Cumberland Arms (dukeofcumberland.com), perched between Haslemere and Midhurst. It’s tricky to find and hidden down a tiny track, making for a cosy hideaway. It boasts a steep garden and lots of little stone pools full of trout and crayfish, with views over the South Downs.
Expect a menu championing great local produce from the surrounding area and pints of Hip Hop from the Langham brewery at Lodsworth, just round the corner.
West Sussex isn’t short of brilliant farm shops. And if you’re out and about and looking for lunch-on-the-go, or want to bring some goodies home, it’s worth heading further south near the Chichester coast to Goodwood Estate Home Farm Shop (goodwood.com). It’s chock full of award-winning meat and dairy (the raw milk is a hit with locals), plus there’s beer that’s brewed using home-grown malted barley.
Charlie’s Farm Shop (charliesfarmshop.co.uk) in Pulborough is also a must-visit. Stock up your freezer with meat from the in-house butchery alongside wines from the nearby Nutbourne vineyard and sparkling cider from Gospel Green and Stopham.
You won’t want to miss out on the goodies at The Cowdray Estate Farm Shop (cowdray.co.uk) either, think warm pork pies, smoked salmon and freshly-baked loaves. Got time to linger? Pick up a walking map and explore the estate’s 16,500 acres, yomping past the historic Cowdray Ruins and deer park near Benbow Pond, before a refuel at the Café for homemade cake.
If you’re coming in the summer, a polo match at Cowdray is nothing without a picnic hamper — but you’ll need to get your act together and pre-book as they sell-out fast.
What to do
With some of the most stunning walking trails in Britain — which take in chalky hills, heathlands and peaks, kissing gates, grazing sheep and rocky streams — you’d be mad not to explore the area on foot. If you’re staying at The Swan Inn, they’ll whisk you off with a hand-drawn map of local recommendations and tips on the best routes.
For Insta-worthy views, the South Downs Way is spectacular. Start the trail at Bignor Hill (there’s a free National Trust car park) and walk south west for a glorious 40-minute romp through woodland and rippling hillsides to The Pig in the South Downs (thepighotel.com). Then it’s time for a well-earned G&T and sumptuous kitchen garden lunch (seared Rye Bay scallops or Jerusalem artichoke risotto) before the walk back.
Read more: How does The Pig in the Cotswolds compare to the area’s best hotels
Carve out some time to mooch around the nearby medieval town of Petworth. There’s a Saturday farmer’s market — though be warned the lanes are narrow and parking can be tricky at peak times — but there’s nothing quite like the thrill of stumbling on treasures at Petworth Antiques Market (it’s a shop rather than a market but one of the best).
During the summer months, it’s worth trundling over to the Nyetimber Estate (nyetimber.com), where from June through September the vineyards are open for tours and tastings — the perfect excuse to swan through the countryside with a coupe in hand. And if you fancy making a night of it, book in for one of their paired dining evenings, where each course comes with a glittering pour of Nyetimber’s finest.
A stroll around the corner to the genteel Lombard Street is also a must. It’s lined with boutiques such as Tallulah Fox where you’ll find pretty linens and glassware, or can nab some second-hand fiction at Reader’s Good Books.
Country house aficionados will adore Petworth House, the magnificent 17th-century family home of the Egremonts that displays one of the finest art collections in the care of the National Trust, not to mention the 700-acre park designed by ‘Capability’ Brown where you’ll spot fallow deer.
Nearby Arundel Castle, which dates back to 1067, is also worth a day trip. You might recognise the exterior since it’s often a stand-in for Windsor Castle in films. Home to the Duke of Norfolk, don’t miss the glorious red library, filled with over 10,000 books and The Collector Earl's Garden that, come spring, sees thousands of pastel tulips dancing in the breeze.
