Visitors drawn to Albourne for its village history and countryside will find several specific points of interest: the Albourne Walk, historic buildings and St Bartholomew's Church. The buildings span periods from surviving sections of a 12th-century chancel arch to 17th-century structures. The landscape, meanwhile, ranges from hilly terrain in the south of the parish to views through to fields and trees west of The Street.

Countryside and Walk

The Albourne Walk starts and ends at the car park of Albourne Village Hall on The Street. This means the starting point and finish are in the same place; visitors planning the walk can use it as a reference point for their stroll.

The southern half of the parish is characterised by hilly terrain and steep-sided valleys. Near the southern boundary, the land rises to over 150 feet. Shaves Wood, a woodland in Albourne, lies within the South Downs National Park. These details illustrate different scales of the landscape: the relief of a larger part of the parish and a named woodland within the national park.

In the Albourne Conservation Area, there are attractive views through to fields and trees between the buildings west of The Street. The character of the village is shaped not only by the buildings themselves, but also by views through the gaps between them to the surrounding countryside. The A23 was rerouted farther east, resulting in Albourne being completely bypassed; the road layout is also part of the village's character.

Buildings and Village History

The exterior of Albourne Place was remodelled by John Juxon in the mid-17th century. During part of the Commonwealth period, Archbishop Juxon took refuge there. The building also contains a recently discovered hiding place. Albourne Place thus brings together architectural history, a historical event and a structural detail. The house may not be open to the public.

Part of the village was designated a Conservation Area in 1989. Gallops offers a different architectural point of reference: the L-shaped timber-framed building dates from 1661 or earlier. This date refers to Gallops, while the information about Albourne Place refers to the remodelling of its exterior in the mid-17th century. Timber framing is a building method in which a wooden frame forms the structure of the building; the L-shape describes its form.

St Bartholomew's Church

Sections of the 12th-century chancel arch survive at St Bartholomew's Church. A chancel arch is the arch between the nave and the chancel; the surviving sections give the church a specific medieval architectural connection. For centuries, the historic church has served the local communities that today make up the parish of ASCAT.

St Bartholomew's Church is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Check the opening hours before your trip if you are planning to visit.

Discover more destinations: Balcombe, Thakeham, Rudgwick, Horsham, Hurstpierpoint, Westbourne, Chichester, East Wittering.

For the broader travel overview: West Sussex.