Beautiful South Downs villages and countryside

By car: Petworth is signposted from the A3 near Hindhead and from the A27 at Chichester.   It is on A272 between Billingshurst and Petersfield. The route starts approximately 3 miles (5km) south of Petworth.

By train: The nearest railway stations with connecting bus services are at Chichester and Pulborough.

By bus: The no.99 bus route between Chichester and Petworth passes the start of the route. For details see: http://www.compass-travel.co.uk/timetables/service_99.html

The no.1 bus route between Worthing and Midhurst runs between Pulborough and Petworth.  For details see: http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables.aspx?serviceid=&locationId=0&from=Pulborough&to=Petworth

[1]  Facing the pub, turn left onto grass verge beside road.  The "Cricketers" PH (A) is a 16th Century coaching inn with beautiful gardens. The England fast bowler James “Jem” Dean was born nearby in the early 1800s and died in The Cricketers on Christmas Day, 1881, reputedly sat in the Inglenook fireplace with a pint of beer in hand (says the pub’s website).

Turn right into Dye House Lane (bridleway signposted) and follow lane/track to arrive at Duncton Mill Fishery (B) (lakes visible left and right). Duncton Mill is an 18th Century listed building. Look for fish in the pond.

Go past group of buildings and as lane starts to rise take bridleway signposted on left. Follow bridleway until reach gate. 

[2] Pass to side of gate and - before reaching minor road - take footpath immediately on left, crossing stile to enter field. Cross fields on clear path to reach minor road.  After crossing style into second field, keep private enclosure fence on your left. Cross road and continue ahead on footpath (signposted) crossing stream and passing magnificent ancient Yew tree. At minor road turn left.  On reaching Barlavington church (C) , follow path through churchyard then keep left on path (ignoring signposted path to right) and turn right opposite barns to continue into field. St Mary Church, Barlavington dates from circa 1200. It was reconstructed in 1874. There's a handy bench in the churchyard.

Follow path gradually downhill with hedge on right.   Before reaching bottom of field, look for gap in hedge and cross stile on right (footpath signpost not easy to see). Take path diagonally across field and at field corner with three-way signpost follow left hand path to stile, crossing stream and going up through woods. Follow path ahead with trees on left and fence on right until reach junction with path on left (signposted).  Take path to left and continue on drive/track to reach minor road.

[3] At minor road, turn right into Sutton village, passing St John the Baptist church (D) to reach “White Horse” PH at road junction. St John the Baptist Church, Sutton dates from the 11th century. The aisle was largely rebuilt in the 19th century.

If not visiting the pub, continue straight ahead and take footpath (signposted) directly opposite pub. Continue on this path (ignoring junction with path to right), crossing fields, skirting Bignor Mill (E) (building to left) to reach minor road. Bignor Mill is a Grade II Listed Building built in 1844 and now converted into a house.

Turn left on minor road and at next junction turn right, passing Church and entering Bignor. Continue on road until reach staggered crossroads.

(F) Holy Cross church, Bignor dates from the 11th and was restored in the 19th century.

(G) The Yeoman's House, Bignor is a wonderful Grade II* Listed Building. It may look familiar as it has been used in many books about the development of the English House.  It is available to rent as a holiday cottage.

[4] At the  crossroads turn right (away from Bignor Roman villa signposted left). Bignor Roman Villa has probably the best in situ Roman mosaics to be seen anywhere in Britain. To visit, turn left at signpost and soon come to clearly signed access road on the left.

Follow road until sharp right hand bend.  Just after bend, look for footpath on left.   Take path and keep left to follow course of stream.  Where path divides take right hand path to emerge into field with hedge on right hand side.  Follow path through gap in hedge and across field towards house (roof and chimneys clearly visible). Go past house and continue on path to cross ford and reach minor road and turn left. Note that you may have to wade through the ford after heavy rain. There is no easy way round. 

[5] After barns on right turn right onto signposted path (opposite Glatting Farm). Cross field and enter woods.  Follow path steeply up hill; near top go right to reach junction with bridleway where turn left. Follow until junction with another bridleway.

[6] Turn right and continue on bridleway ignoring all crossing paths and junctions to follow route through woods of Barlavington Hanger. Emerge from woods to reach minor road. Cross road and pass to side of gate onto bridleway used earlier in route. [2]

From the bridleway note the view to the north of Burton Park. There's also a good information board about the activities of Barlavington Farms (passed on the outward leg).

Before reaching woods, turn right onto another bridleway and follow this down through a field and into the grounds of Burton Park. Continue passing facade of house to small church. 

(H) The mansion of Burton Park is not open to the public having been converted from use as a school to apartments but it can be appreciated from the rights of way, as can the small church.  Burton Park is a grade 1 listed building (please see Additional Information for more details).

[7] Retrace route from the church and take the signposted footpath that leads off from right hand side of the entrance drive, which it eventually rejoins. At main road A285 turn left and keep to the grass verge to return to the Cricketers PH.

(C) St Mary Church, Barlavington had provision for two aisles, though probably only the south one was built. It was reconstructed in 1874.  http://www.sussexparishchurches.org/content/view/363/33/

(D) The nave at St John the Baptist Church, Sutton is 11^th century to which a late 12^th century south aisle was added. The tower, north nave chapel and chancel are 14^th century. The aisle was largely rebuilt in the 19^th century. http://www.sussexparishchurches.org/content/view/546/33/

(E) Bignor Mill is a Grade II Listed Building described as “Two storeys and attic in gable end. Two windows. Red brick and grey headers alternately. Gable end to north-east withbrick modillion cornice round it and projecting gabled hoist in the apex. Slateroof . Casement windows. Modern brick chimney breast on south wall. Stone with thedate 1844, the initials ‘A.N.’ and a coronet”. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-300352-bignor-mill-bignor-west-sussex

(F) The chancel arch and possibly some walling in the nave of Holy Cross church, Bignor are late 11th century and the rest is 13th century, with aisles, tower and chancel. It was restored in the 19th century. http://www.sussexparishchurches.org/content/view/360/33/

(G) The Yeoman's House, Bignor is a famous Grade II* Listed Building. For many years the building was the village shop and has been illustrated as such in countless books on the history of the English house. The listing describes it as “a Wealden House. C15 timber-framed builidng of Wealden type on a stone base. Recessed centre with curved brackets supporting the eaves. The first floor of the wings oversails on brackets. The centre portion has some plaster infilling and some redbrick , part of it of herring-bone pattern. The wings have partly plaster but mainlyflint infilling and also curved braces. Steeply-pitched hipped thatched roof with pentice on south side. Casement windows with diamond-shaped panes. The back or east side is wholly faced with flints. Two storeys. Three windows”.

(H) Burton Park is a magnificent Grade I listed building. Built in 1831 as a private residence, it served for many years as a girls’ school - St Michael's. Its bright white mass stands out from the surrounding countryside, especially when seen from the top of the South Downs around Duncton Down and Barlavington Down. The mansion, like many others in West Sussex, has been converted into spectacular apartments - and a cluster of new houses have been built to the north and east of the building. The nearby church dates from the 12th century. The listing description for the mansion explains why it is so highly regarded:

“Country house. Built by John Biddulph about 1828 after a fire in 1826 when the previous house designed by Giacomo Leoni in 1739 was destroyed. Architect Henry Bassett. Three storey mansion faced with Roman cement. The entrance front faces west. Five windows. The ground floor is rusticated and forms a podium with 2 stringcourses above it. Central doorway in moulded architrave surround with rectangular fanlight and flat pediment supported on 4 console brackets with fluted frieze between these. The 2 windows on each side are flanked by pilasters. Above the ground floor the outermost window bay on each side is flanked by pilasters with a cornice and blocking course over. The central portion between is recessed with 4 fluted Ionic columns forming a loggia or portico in front of it and pilasters flanking the recess. Below the columns are 2 ornamental panels of rosettes. High balustraded parapet above with anthemium cresting in the centre. The windows in the recess are set in moulded architrave surrounds, the centre one with a pediment also on brackets. Glazing bars intact in all windows. The south front is similarly rusticated. Five windows. The end window bays project. Pilasters rising through the first and second floors flank each window bay. Cornice and blocking course over. Balustraded parapet without cresting above the recessed centre. Windows in moulded architrave surrounds, those on the first floor with cornices over as well. Glazing bars intact. The east front has 10 windows, the 4 southernmost ones projecting. The interior contains a Grecian hall, which is possibly a remodelling of the hall of Leoni's house, and a magnificent staircase said to have been brought here from Michelgrove near Arundel, which was demolished in 1828. This is of cast and wrought bronze with a figure of a greyhound sejant on alternate steps and was built for Richard Walker in 1800. It was moved to its present place in the house by Major J S Courtauld in 1919, when much of the interior was altered. The house is Grade I for this staircase. The exterior
alone would be Grade II*.” http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-300331-burton-park-st-michael-s-school-duncton-

Map: OS Explorer 121 

This route is extended and adapted from one developed and published by a Chichester walker, Helen Carlton, in the 1980s.  Her walk – Bignor Hill Top to Sutton – starts from the car park at Bignor Hill Top Grid Ref 974130 and takes in Barlavington Down, Barlavington and Sutton before returning with a steep haul up to the Top.  It was included in her booklet “12 Walks near Chichester”.