West Sussex

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 - Polesden Lacey (NT) is an elegant Regency villa set in extensive grounds. Visitors to the house can view splendid collections of paintings, furniture, porcelain and silver which belonged to former owner Mrs Ronald Greville. Outside there is a walled rose garden, lawns and a spectacular landscape.

Day 2 - Chichester is an historic city and its Cathedral is a living, working building which has been at the centre of life in the city for nearly 1000 years. It is famous for its modern art, commissioned mainly during the late 20th century. These include a window by Marc Chagall, a tapestry by John Piper and a painting by Graham Sutherland. Goodwood House combines the glamour of a great English country house with the warmth of a family home. Still owned and lived in by the Earl and Countess of March, this unique Sussex house provides a stunning setting for one of the most significant private art collections in the country. Richly restored to their original Regency elegance, the State Apartments reflect both the exoticism and opulence of the period with an Egyptian State Dining Room, grand Yellow Drawing Room and a breathtaking Ballroom.  

Day 3 - Arundel Castle is the seat of The Dukes of Norfolk and is set in 40 acres of sweeping grounds and gardens. It is one of the great treasure houses of England, each having its own unique place in history and is home to priceless works of art. See paintings and furniture, tapestries, stained glass, china and clocks, sculpture, carving, heraldry and armour all in stunning room settings. Parham House and Gardens, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1577 by the two year old Thomas Palmer has been a family home ever since. It was first opened to visitors in 1948, after the Second World War, during which it had been home to evacuee children and Canadian soldiers. Parham has a sensitively chosen collection of beautiful old furniture, paintings and textiles and there is a particularly important collection of early needlework.

Day 4 - Fishbourne Roman Palace was discovered in 1960, when a water main was being laid. The first building seems to have comprised of two granary stores supported on a series of wooden piles, and dates from the Roman invasion. During the 4th and 5th centuries there were several Saxon burials within the remains, but from that time the site appears to have lain dormant, until its rediscovery in 1960. Today, it is only the surviving north wing that can be seen, and this is protected by a permanent, covered viewing building. The collection of mosaics in this wing is quite extensive, and the near-complete 'Cupid on a Dolphin' containing some 360,000 tesserae is a remarkable piece of art. Uppark House & Garden (NT) is an elegant mid 18th century house containing a collection of Grand Tour paintings as well as fine ceramics, textiles, furniture and the famous dolls house. Extensive servants' rooms are shown as they were in 1874 when H.G. Wells' mother was housekeeper. It has a fine restored garden which is laid out in a picturesque style with flowering shrubs. Petworth House (NT), the home of Lord and Lady Egremont, is one of the finest houses in the care of the National Trust and is home to an art collection that rivals many London galleries. Assembled by one family over 350 years, it includes works by Turner, Van Dyck, Titian, Claude, Gainsborough, Bosch, Reynolds and William Blake. The state rooms contain sculpture, furniture and porcelain of the highest quality and are complemented by the opening of the old kitchens in the Servants' Quarters. 

Day 5 - The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum is set in 50 acres of beautiful Sussex countryside and has a fascinating collection of nearly 50 historic buildings dating from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Rescued from destruction, the buildings have been carefully dismantled, conserved and rebuilt to their original form and bring to life the homes, farmsteads and rural industries of the last 500 years. These include a majestic timber framed farmhouse from Kent; a striking market hall from Hampshire; a Victorian school; a medieval shop; carpenters, plumbers and brick-makers workshops; barns; a granary and a tread wheel from the South Downs. Loseley Park, the family home of More-Molyneux is an absolute delight to tour and has a very friendly ‘lived-in’ feel. The Walled Garden, based on a design by Gertrude Jekyll, has been compared favourably with gardens of national repute. Apart from looking stunning through the season it contains many features which add to the interest of keen gardeners and armchair gardeners alike.

With all packages we supply a tailor-made flyer to assist in the promotion of your group holiday, along with a booking form which provides us with all the details we require from each participant.