• Celebrate Sussex Day with Sussex by the Sea!

    Make the most of the County's special day on the 16th June each year. Read our Sussex Day Blog

  • Arundel castle nestled in trees

    A unique place in history

    Set in 40 acres of sweeping grounds and gardens, Arundel Castle has been open seasonally for visitors for more than 200 years.

  • Inside Arundel Cathedral

    History and Heritage

    Arundel's stunning cathedral overlooks the town from its position high on the west bank of the River Arun. 

  • Car infront of traditional old garage at Amberley open air museum

    The way we were

    Ancient traditions and customs come to life at Amberley Museum in the heart of the South Downs National Park

  • Bognor Regis pier at sunset

    A sunset at sea

    Bognor Regis' long record of sunshine hours make it one of the most popular resorts in the south.

  • Hotham House in Hotham Park Bognor Regis

    A historic house in Bognor Regis

    Visit the very place where the founder of Bognor Regis made his home.

History and Heritage

Don’t just picture the scene, come and put yourself in the picture. From some of the country’s oldest and most beautiful architecture at Arundel to ancient traditions and customs, Sussex by the Sea provides a real taste of Olde England.

Founded soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066, Arundel Castle has been home to the Earls of Arundel and Dukes of Norfolk for generations and is one of the finest in Britain, overlooking the River Arun and the Coastal Plain towards Littlehampton.  Step inside the town’s breathtaking Roman Catholic gothic cathedral and admire the Great Rose Window adorned with stained glass. Other places of historic interest in Arundel are St. Nicholas Church, Arundel Museum and Arundel Jailhouse  Book a historic tour of the town with Arundel Museum, Arundel Historic Tours or a Blue Badge Guide.

Learn about the influences that shaped Bognor Regis at Bognor Regis Museum. Discover how 18th Century businessman ‘Hotham the Hatter’ transformed the town from a fishing hamlet to a seaside resort chosen by royalty. Trace Littlehampton's fascinating history at Littlehampton Museum where you can view a mammoth tooth that’s over 1,000 years old, amongst many other treasures.

Watch the past come back to life at Amberley Museum  where traditional craftspeople demonstrate how things were done in years gone by. In nearby Storrington, visit the Elizabethan Parham House and Gardens where the first foundation stone was laid in 1577, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Inside the house discover many rare and precious collections of paintings, furniture, needlework and antiquities.

For a true taste of rural life over the centuries, a visit to the Weald & Downland Museum is a must, with a host of original buildings and artefacts transported from their original locations throughout South East England, and now housed in a beautiful outdoor location, just north of historic Chichester, with its 11th century Cathedral and Georgian streets, at the foot of the glorious South Downs National Park