Arundel - Castle, Town and Parks

Just an hour's drive of Brighton is the lovely old town of Arundel. It makes a perfect day trip for the visitor to Brighton. Arundel, with its quaint old-world air has to be one of the most atmospheric of English towns. It's located on the Arun valley and the majestic Arundel Castle towers over the city majestically guarding it from all comers.

Arundel Castle, which was built in the 11th Century, provides an amazing viewpoint for great views of Arundel and the Sussex countryside. It is the seat of The Dukes of Norfolk and is set in 40 acres of sweeping grounds and gardens, which surround the castle and provide tranquil surrounding in which to relax and take the air. The Castle has been open to visitors for nearly 200 years and is regarded as one of the great treasure houses of England.

Re-enactments Taking Place in Arundel

As you walk around its perimeter the views change but never cease to please. Inside the castle, its many ancient rooms display the great collection of paintings and furniture, tapestries and stained glass, china and clocks, sculpture and carving, heraldry and armour in stunning room settings.

The Castle is open from the end of March to the end of October from Tuesday to Sunday but opens on the bank holiday Mondays.

There's a useful promotional leaflet for the castle available at: Promotional Leaflet

The town of Arundel has a lovely ancient town feel, and it’s a beautiful example of a charming English village with its stunning, picturesque scenery, framed in narrow streets and containing old buildings brimming with character. There's a couple of small pubs and restaurants where you can partake of refreshment and soak in the atmosphere after taking in the views. On the 3rd Saturday of each month, from 9.00 to 1.00, it has a local farmers market when you can drink in the local atmosphere of the place.

Every year, the town holds its annual festival – The Arundel Festival which is a week long extravaganza of Street Theatre, Gallery Trails, Open air Theatre and so much, much more. The festival is usually held around August Bank Holiday and provides a great day out for all visitors.

In its prominent position in London Road, the cathedral overlooks the town on the west bank of the river Arun, where the valley opens out into the coastal plain. The Cathedral, which serves the local catholic community is built in the French Gothic style and faced with Bath stone. Originally, it was planned to build a spire over the north porch but this simply never happened!

The west façade has a striking relief of Christ and his apostles along with a statue of Mary and Jesus, together with a large rose window which is adorned with stained glass. Just to the east of the cathedral lies Cathedral House, a spacious Victorian mansion which accommodates the cathedral clergy, parish offices and adjacent sacristy.

The Arundel Wildfowl & Wetlands Centre is another centre which provides an exciting day out for the nature lover. This is one of the nine centres run by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), a leading UK conservation organisation saving wetlands for wildlife and people across the world. To Contact.

If it's just wandering you're after, Arundel is a good place to be and Arundel Park provides plenty of space to walk and breathe. Within the park is Swanbourne Lake , complete with its rowboats for those with a nautical bent.

Also worth visiting while you're in Arundel is Amberley Working Museum. This is an exciting, working museum which is set in 36 acre site. It features cworking craftsmen, vintage bus rides, a narrow-gauge railway, and an electricity hall. Outside it has nature trails, and other fascinating displays. To Contact.