West Sussex
A Visitor Guide to West Sussex

Horsham

• Location
  On the A24 about twenty miles north of Worthing

Horsham has a historic centre with some interesting buildings. Ignore the huge amount of new building all around the town and just concentrate on the good bits!  The centre has been mainly pedestrianised in the last decade and Carfax with its Victorian bandstand has regained its place as town square.  An ancient market town, its buildings range from the 12^th century St. Mary's Church through to the present day shopping centre and industrial estates.

Some of the history of the town is less than appealing – public executions were carried out here until about 1850 and at least one man was crushed to death in public over a three day period in the 18^th century.  However in this century the town boasted a prison deemed to be the model for things to come with prisoners all having individual cells!

On a less macabre note, Pump Alley is lined by historic timbered buildings most of which are about five hundred years old.  This street had been largely completed when Henry VIII died!  Many of the houses have local slate roofs.

The Causeway runs from the medieval St. Mary's Church down to the Town Hall and makes a delightful walk with its buildings dating back over the centuries. The Manor House, home to the very interesting museum lies here. This mid 15^th century building houses exhibits reflecting a bygone way of life.  The garden is a particular delight having been laid out as an 18^th century garden, each plant here has a historic significance.

Leonardslee

• Location
  3 miles south of Horsham on A281

These are wonderful gardens, especially if you go in the rhodedendron/azalea season when the whole garden is a blaze of colour. Leonardslee also specialises in camellias. There are wonderful views and delightful lakes at the bottom of the valley.  Open to the public from April until October.

Christ's Hospital

• Location
  A couple of miles south of Horsham just off the B2237

Located with a huge estate, this famous school, founded in the 16th century, has been in its current location for over a century. It was built to include the same sort of detail that Christopher Wren had built into an earlier version of the school.  It has a huge quadrangle and the pupils (now including girls!) still wear the 17th century uniform of long blue coats, breeches and long yellow socks.

Nymans Gardens

• Location
  To the east of Horsham and north of Haywards Heath, Nymans lies just off the A23 at Handcross.

Plants from all around the world are on display in these walled gardens which have wonderful views northwards.  The topiary is worth a look too as are the ruins of the house which are now covered in plants! Now owned by the National Trust, it is open most of the year and the surviving part of the house is open to the public.

High Beeches Gardens

Located literally just opposite Nymans, a little bit further down the road, lies High Beeches Gardens.

This garden was founded by Giles Loder over a century ago. Two of his sons went on to develop the nearby gardens of Wakehurst and Leonardslee.  The gardens feature exotica from all over the world alongside a woodland garden in which can be found many native woodland plants.

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