Arundel Town, Heart of England's South Downs

Famous for its Castle, and its Georgian and Victorian Streets

Jul 30, 2009

Just 90 minutes from London, the picturesque old town of Arundel on the River Arun in the heart of the South Downs, has a rich historic and cultural heritage.

Dominated by its Norman Castle and straddling the river Arun, one of the fastest flowing rivers in Europe, Arundel offers the visitor a fascinating history, countryside walking, a wetlands reserve and modern shopping and dining. An eclectic mix of shops displays arts and crafts, jewellery, antiques, sophisticated homewares and clothing. A whole day can be spent exploring the Castle and Keep and in the castle's delightful gardens. This South Downs town is a fascinating mixture of past and present.

Built at the end of the 11th Century, it has been the home of the Dukes of Norfolk for over 900 years making it one of the longest inhabited country houses in England. Between the 1870’s and 1890’s however, the house was almost completely rebuilt and the Gothic style architecture is considered to be one of the great works of Victorian England.

Magnificent gardens surround the castle and with seating provided, they make a perfect place to have a picnic.

Arundel Wetland Centre

With the dramatic backdrop of Arundel Castle, the 65-acre Wetland Centre is home to rare and beautiful wildlife. Boat safaris glide close to the river banks to enable visitors to the wetlands to get up close and personal with different species. Kingfishers, a colony of water voles, ducks, geese and swans from around the world, as well as the nene, one of the rarest geese in the world, are just some of the wildlife to be encountered. The paved paths are easy to navigate which make this reserve accessible to everyone.

River Arun Cruises, Arundel

Nothing can beat messing about in boats except perhaps relaxing on board a boat and cruising up and down a river when that river displays such stunning views as the Arun. If visiting during the Arundel August Festival, booking is necessary for the fireworks cruises which are very popular.

This beautiful 14th century parish church is unusual in that the western portion came under the jurisdiction of the Church of England during the 16th century Reformation, but the eastern portion, the Fitzalan Chapel, remains the property of the Roman Catholic Dukes of Norfolk.

Cathedral of our Lady and St. Philip Howard

This Cathedral is fairly modern in that it was built between 1869 and 1873 by the 5th Duke of Norfolk. The plans were drawn up by J. A. Hansom, the designer of the Hansom cab, the forerunner of the London taxi. In 1970, it became the cathedral of the diocese of Arundel and Brighton.

Should time allow, Arundel's surroundings have many attractions to offer, such as Brighton with its fascinating Lanes (Laines) and The Pavilion, Parham House and Gardens (an Elizabethan house with 11 acres of award winning gardens), the Military Aviation Museum at Tangmere sited on the former Battle of Britain airfield, and the Bignor Roman Villa which houses some of the finest mosaics in Great Britain.

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