South Downs Market Towns

Storrington & Parham House & Gardens

The history of market town Storrington stretches as far back as the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was called 'Estorchestone' meaning a place for storks. The village's history is linked with the tanning and fulling industries. The late 19th and early 20th century saw a selection of artists including poets and composers gravitating to the area. Nearby Sullington is home to one of Sussex's great ancient churches - St Mary dating from C.1000!

Storrington today is a popular bustling village base ideal for accessing the South Downs, South Downs Way and nearby attractions including Parham House and Gardens and the Amberley Working Museum. Storrington centre has a delightful choice of shops including antique shops and craft shops. Three pubs sit within the village which also boasts a wide choice of accommodation, restaurants and charming tearooms.

The spectacular Parham House and Gardens sits just to the west of Storrington, with the Times and Guardian journalist Simon Jenkins ranking Parham as one of England's top twenty historic houses. Surrounded by 875 acres of agricultural and forestry land, with some parts of it Designated Areas of Special Scientific Interest, the centrepiece Parham House dates from 1577. Three hundred acres directly around the house is a deer park which was first recorded here at Parham in 1628.

Several periods are covered during a tour of Parham's interior including the Great Hall with furnishings and paintings dating from the period of Charles I. Art treasures are within Parham too - see George Stubbs' The Kangaroo and Dingo Dog on display in the Green Room. A treasured collection of fine needlework is on display in the Long Gallery. Parham House & Gardens, Storrington, Nr Pulborough, West Sussex RH20 4HS. Tel.01903 742021. More details on Parham's history and opening times are via the Parham House & Gardens webguide.

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Pulborough, Nutbourne, Bignor Roman Villa & Pulborough Brooks RSPB

Situated alongside the River Arun and with a mainline Southern station and a fine selection of local fine food and wine shops, Pulborough is a superb rural Sussex holiday base. Surrounded by the Downs to the South and the High Weald to the North East, a choice of attractions are also situated around Pulborough including the RSPB Pulborough Brooks Centre, Nutbourne Vineyard, the Shipley Windmill and Bignor Roman Villa. Fruit farms and Sussex gardens are within easy reach and the Pulborough area is perfect as a walking base with a number of footpaths criss-crossing the area.

Pulborough's position alongside the Arun made it an important location to both the Romans and Normans. During the Roman period Pulborough was an important trading and industrial centre, the second largest after Chichester, positioned alongside the famous Stane Street Roman Road. Nearby Bignor Roman Villa (weblink right) boasts a fine selection of Roman mosaics and is not to be missed together with a visit to Fishbourne Roman Palace just west of Chichester. The Normans built a castle here at Pulborough on Park Mound and today within the town sit over 100 listed historic buildings dating from the 12th to 19th century. Download a leaflet for a history walk around Pulborough via the Pulborough webguide.

The Pulborough landscape is marked by the River Arun. In winter the flooded meadows around the RSPB centre at Pulborough Brooks are home to huge numbers of geese, swans and ducks whilst in spring the wading birds - redshanks and lapwings arrive to breed. Introductory walks are available at Pulborough Brooks and the RSPB centre here also has an on-site children's play area, a garden courutyard usually full of birds and a shop and tearoom. Binoculars are also available to hire. Tel. 01798 875851 and see more details on the RSPB website.

To the east of Pulborough is one of the great Sussex vineyards - Nutbourne. Vineyards were first planted here in 1980 and Nutbourne now consists of 18 acres of vines growing 7 types of grape situated around Nutbourne Manor. A range of dry English whites and Nutbourne's famous sparkling wine - Nutty are produced here. Entrance to the vineyards is free and as well as touring the vines, tasting is available in a historic windmill plus two picturesque lakes and a family of Llamas are here. Buy Nutbourne Wines from the Windmill Shop. Nutbourne is open from May to October from 2pm to 5pm.

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Billingshurst & Henfield Villages

Pretty market town Billingshurst sits mid-way between Pulborough and Horsham and boasts nearby family attraction Fishers Farm Park. Billingshurst also has a mainline station and is ideally placed for exploring both the Sussex Weald and South Downs. Like Pulborough, Billingshurst sits alongside the historic Roman Road Stane Street and historic buildings like the old coaching inn on the high street are signifiers to Billingshurst's history as an important centre.

The recently refurbished High Street is lined with local produce shops and the village also has a leisure centre and nearby golf at Slinfold with a farmers maket held monthly.

The award winning Fishers Farm Park near Billingshurst is one of rural Sussex's best family attractions at Wisborough Green. Fantastic for children, the farm park has both a farmyard and adventure play area, with a new Alpine Adventure area recently opened. A farm theatre is also on-site and magic, clown and marionette shows are daily at the park. An annual Christmas pantomime also features. Fishers Farm Park,Newpound Lane, Wisborough Green, West Sussex RH14 0EG. Tel. 01403 700063. See Fishers Farm Park's weblink right for more details.

Henfield north of Steyning is another delightful market town in the area with local Woods Mill Nature Reserve on its doorstep. Woods Mill, run by the Sussex Wildlife Trust, is a mix of wetland and woodland and is open free to the public all year round with a large car park and toilets on-site. Download a map of the reserve via the Sussex Wildlife Trust's webguide. Henfield centre again boasts a choice of listed buildings, surrounding stunning Sussex countryside and ample choice of local shops, pubs, restaurants and three central commons. Henfield has its own cricket club and the ancient site of Tanyard Field sits near the village church. Read more via Henfield's village webguide.

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