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