Ellen DeGeneres is the latest A-Lister moving in (she’s already reportedly wound the new neighbours up with her extension) and with Plum Sykes’ recent novel satirising the dizzyingly rich glamazons reigning supreme in the area, it’s understandable that those in the know who are seeking something altogether more authentic and less glitzy are making a beeline for West Sussex.
Surrounded by the chalky, velvety South Downs, higgledy-piggledy villages and a dramatic coastline, West Sussex is a quiet magnet for those who want the English countryside on their doorstep, with the bright lights of London an easy train drive away.
There’s a Saturday farmer’s market — though be warned the lanes are narrow and parking can be tricky at peak times — but there’s nothing quite like the thrill of stumbling on treasures at Petworth Antiques Market (it’s a shop rather than a market but one of the best).
Country house aficionados will adore Petworth House, the magnificent 17th-century family home of the Egremonts that displays one of the finest art collections in the care of the National Trust, not to mention the 700-acre park designed by ‘Capability’ Brown where you’ll spot fallow deer.
From a recently revived 14th-century coaching inn to local restaurants championing Sussex-grown produce and award-winning vineyards worth a visit, here’s our pick of the hottest happenings in West Sussex.
