7 Night South Downs Discovery Tour

Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.

We begin with a visit to Petworth House, home to one of the finest art collections in the care of the National Trust, before taking a gentle walk through Petworth Park to see the large herd of fallow deer which live here. After lunch we continue to Midhurst, forever associated with HG Wells, who both went to school and then taught at Midhurst Grammar School. There will be time to explore the historic centre to see some of its most characterful old buildings. Look out for the ones with woodwork painted dark yellow, a shade known locally as 'Gold Cup', denoting properties belonging to the Cowdray Estate. We'll also visit the atmospheric ruins of Cowdray House - a large Tudor mansion whose guests included Henry VIII and Elizabeth I during its heyday. It was all but destroyed by fire in 1793 and the kitchen tower is the only part of the mansion which remained intact.

This morning we visit picturesque Steyning, dating back to Anglo-Saxon times when it was a port on the River Adur. Home to an impressive Norman church, timber-framed buildings and Georgian townhouses, we’ll make a walking tour of the town with a chance to visit the museum and the independent shops at Cobblestone Walk. There's time for refreshments in one of the tea rooms before the journey to Bignor Roman Villa, which has some of the finest mosaics in Britain. We spend the afternoon at the fascinating Elizabethan Parham House, exploring the house and extensive gardens. The surrounding deer park is home to around 350 fallow deer which have been bred to have dark coats rather than the more usual pale ones.

Discover more about Abingworth Hall and the local area for ideas on how to make the most of your free day.

Today we head to the famous seaside resort of Brighton, made popular as a watering hole for London high society in the 18th century. There’s the opportunity to visit the Royal Pavilion, remodelled in Indian style as a seaside palace for King George IV when he was Prince Regent, before wandering along the promenade or Brighton’s Palace Pier. This afternoon we venture inland to explore Devil’s Dyke, the longest, deepest and widest ‘dry valley’ in the UK, where we can enjoy spectacular views over the South Downs and to the sea.

Enjoy a morning exploring Amberley Museum, set in a former chalk quarry and dedicated to the industrial heritage of England’s south-east. There are over 40 exhibit areas to discover, including a narrow-gauge railway, restored buses, rural crafts and trades, and historic communications. The afternoon will be spent in Arundel, with time to visit spectacular Arundel Castle and the formal Collector Earl’s garden, Arundel Cathedral or perhaps explore Swanbourne Lake.

Our day starts in Chichester, founded by the Romans who built its city walls and featuring the 12th century gothic-style cathedral; its 61-foot spire can be seen for miles around. There are many historic buildings in the city and its Roman heritage is one of the many features of the Novium Museum, whose 500,000 exhibits include the remains of Roman baths and the burial possessions of the 'Mystery Warrior' – an Iron Age man who was buried in Chichester. From here we will travel to nearby West Dean, where you have the choice of visiting either West Dean Gardens or Weald & Downland Living Museum. West Dean Gardens date back to 1622 but much of what we see today was created in the 1800s, with Victorian glasshouses, a 300-foot Edwardian pergola, a walled kitchen garden and a sunken garden. Weald & Downland Living Museum is perhaps most famous for being the place where they film The Repair Shop. It has a rich variety of working buildings, historic rural vehicles, displays of past domestic life and furnishings, and examples of period gardens. We end the day with a scenic drive back to Abingworth Hall.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.