The history of Chichester Cathedral begins in 681 when Saint Wilfrid brought Christianity to Sussex and established a Cathedral in Selsey, a small community south of Chichester. After 1066 the Norman policy was that cathedrals should be moved from small communities to larger centres of population. In 1075 the Council of London established the See of Chichester and in 1076 the building of the present cathedral in Chichester was begun under Bishop Stigand. It was completed under Bishop Luffa in time for its dedication to the Holy Trinity in 1108.
Acres of landscape garden bordered by historic parkland and woodland. The garden is a horticultural work of art formed through centuries of landscape design, with influences of ‘Capability’ Brown and Humphry Repton. Four lakes form the heart of the garden, with paths circulating through the glades and wooded areas surrounding them.
England’s longest water filled moat surrounds the site which dates back to 1229. Explore Michelham’s fascinating 800 year history, from its foundation by Augustinian canons, through the destruction caused by the dissolution of the monasteries in Tudor times and into its later life as a country house.
In 1440 a Sussex Knight by the name of Roger Fiennes petitioned the Crown for the right to crenellate or fortify his manor of Herstmonceux. He had risen to prominence after serving Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt (1415) and later serving as Treasurer of the Household of Henry VI. He had amassed a considerable fortune and had decided to use it to construct a castle befitting of his family’s new found importance. The building was at the time the largest private home in England, and since it adopted the French fashion of building in brick, the castle of Herstmonceux was unique.
Nestling in the foot of the beautiful South Downs, just to the north of Brighton, Clayton Tunnel North Portal is a truly unique building. Every day hundreds of trains hurtle under this Gothic folly whose imposing castellated towers protect the old tunnel keeper’s cottage.
An enchanting historic 15th century timber-framed house, with magnificent gardens, in the picturesque award-winning downland village of Bramber, West Sussex … a place of fascination and mystery.
At Anne of Cleves House you can explore how the Tudors and Elizabethans lived, worked and relaxed at home. Find out about the part played by this beautiful medieval house in the story of one of England’s most famous kings, Henry VIII. Other highlights include the authentically furnished kitchen and the garden which uses traditional plants and Tudor planting schemes.
Leonard and Virginia Woolf’s 17th-century country retreat. Nestled in the heart of rural Sussex, Monk’s House is a tranquil 17th-century weatherboarded cottage inhabited by Leonard and the novelist Virginia Woolf from 1919 until Leonards death in 1969.
For a memorable family day out in Sussex explore Battle Abbey and Battlefield, the site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings. Discover more about the most famous date in English history while walking in the steps of King Harold and William the Conqueror.
Welcome to Parham. It has always been a well-loved family home, and only three families have lived here since its foundation stone was laid in 1577 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.