One of the surprising  but wonderful things about West Sussex is that over half of it is protected countryside. A large swathe of the county lies within the South Downs National Park.  Few places in Sussex feel as preserved in formaldehyde as the small town of Arundel. This South Downs community has one of the most august skylines in the south, largely dominated by the Duke of Norfolk’s  huge castle. Arundel Castle was originally built by the Normans, in the 16th-century it was acquired by the powerful Dukes of Norfolk, the country’s senior Roman Catholic family, whose descendants still live there. The building we see now owes much to Henry, 15th Duke of Norfolk (1847-1917) and the restoration project was completed in 1900. It was one of the first English country houses to be fitted with electric light, integral fire fighting equipment, service lifts and central heating. The gravity fed domestic water supply also supplied the town. The rest of Arundel is pleasant to wander round, with some good independent shops, cafes and restaurants on the High street and Tarrant Street.

One of the surprising  but wonderful things about West Sussex is that over half of it is protected countryside, a large swathe of the county lies within the South Downs National Park.  Few places in Sussex feel as preserved in formaldehyde as the small town of Arundel. This South Downs community has one of the most august skylines in the south, largely dominated by the Duke of Norfolk’s  huge castle.

Arundel Castle was originally built by the Normans, but in the 16th-century it was acquired by the powerful Dukes of Norfolk, the country’s senior Roman Catholic family, whose descendants still live there. The building we see now owes much to Henry, 15th Duke of Norfolk (1847-1917), the restoration project was completed in 1900. It was one of the first English country houses to be fitted with electric light, integral fire fighting equipment, service lifts and central heating. The gravity fed domestic water supply also supplied the town.

The rest of Arundel is pleasant to wander round, with some good independent shops, cafes and restaurants on the High street and Tarrant Street.