Discover Walberton: Church, Trails and the South Downs

Walberton combines a medieval village church, distinctive reminders of the area's history and trails into the surrounding countryside. Part of the South Downs National Park lies within the parish. This makes the village suitable for planning a trip in which you can combine historical discoveries, walks and a round of golf across different days of your holiday.

Trails and countryside around Walberton

For orientation, Walberton Parish Council provides a map of the parish's public rights of way. The network of public rights of way connects the villages with the wider countryside and is considered to be well signposted and free of obstacles. In the vicinity of Walberton, eleven footpaths, including two bridleways, pass through Binsted and connect the woods and the South Downs National Park with Walberton.

This information helps you decide how to focus your days: you can explore the countryside via public rights of way or make visits to the church, churchyard and historic buildings the main focus. Those travelling with different interests can therefore find various options for planning their days, without having to limit Walberton to just one type of holiday. The map of the rights of way provides a concrete starting point for examining the routes of the public paths more closely before your trip.

Village character, church and unusual history

The village character includes two designated conservation areas in the parish of Walberton. One is located around the village green, the other around The Street. The Parish Church of St Mary is a medieval church with a 12th-century nave and a 13th-century chancel. St Mary's Walberton is also a village church offering both informal and traditional forms of worship.

The churchyard also tells the story of several periods. It contains archaeological evidence of a Bronze Age settlement from around 3,500 years ago. In 1998, a detailed inventory of all the monuments in St Mary's Church and the churchyard was compiled. Notable details include the mausoleum of the Prime family, a massive tomb built of pink granite and stone with a wrought-iron gate. The memorial to Charles Cook records that he died in 1767 after being struck by a falling tree. Those interested in church art, memorials and local history can incorporate many specific details into their own exploration here.

Walberton Park and golf

Another historical landmark is Walberton Park. The park was built around 1817 by Robert Prime to designs by the architect Robert Smirke. Its portico has eight fluted Doric columns and extends across the entire length of the house. Alongside the church, these architectural details provide a second way to engage with the history and architectural heritage of Walberton.

For an active day out, the Avisford Park Golf Course is located at the Avisford Park Hotel in Walberton. The 18-hole course is 5,800 yards long and lies across 89 acres of gardens and parkland. Visitors can play rounds of 9 or 18 holes. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between a shorter golfing visit and a full round, while other days can be devoted to the rights of way, the South Downs National Park or the area's history.

Which accommodation suits your plans?

When looking for holiday accommodation in Walberton, it is worth first deciding what you want your holiday to focus on. If you are mainly interested in church and local history, the Parish Church of St Mary, the churchyard, Walberton Park and the two conservation areas should guide your choice. If you would like to spend more time outdoors, the public rights of way, the trails near Binsted and the part of the South Downs National Park within the parish provide important points of reference. Golf travellers can consider the Avisford Park Golf Course as a focus in its own right. This means you are not simply searching for accommodation, but for a base that suits the experiences you actually want to include in Walberton.

Other places to consider

If you would like to consider other places besides Walberton, you will find Crawley, Pulborough, Partridge Green, Ardingly, Trotton, Steyning, Balcombe and Lurgashall here.

For the higher-level travel overview: West Sussex.