Walberton offers three specific themes to explore during a stay: its conservation areas, the history of St Mary’s and routes into the countryside. There is also the Avisford Park Golf Course at the Avisford Park Hotel.

Village character, church and architectural history

There are two designated conservation areas in the parish of Walberton, protecting the village’s character. One is around the village green, the other around The Street.

The Parish Church of St Mary is a medieval church: its nave dates from the 12th century, and its chancel from the 13th century. The dates therefore refer to different parts of the building. Archaeological evidence in the churchyard points to a Bronze Age settlement from about 3,500 years ago. Medieval architecture and evidence of a much older settlement thus meet at this site.

The churchyard is also home to the Prime family mausoleum, a massive tomb built from pink granite and stone with a wrought-iron grille. The tomb of Charles Cook records that he died in 1767 when a tree fell on him. These two details show different forms of historical remembrance in the churchyard.

Walberton Park was built around 1817 by Robert Prime, to designs by the architect Robert Smirke. The house has a portico that extends along its entire length and includes eight fluted Doric columns. Fluting refers to the vertical grooves running along a column shaft; “Doric” names a classical order of columns. This makes it possible to distinguish the number, surface and style of a specific architectural feature.

Routes and countryside

The parish’s network of public rights of way connects the villages with the wider countryside and is considered well signposted and free of obstructions. Walberton Parish Council provides a map of these public routes, which helps with navigating the parish’s path network. Part of the South Downs National Park lies within the parish of Walberton; the national park is therefore part of the regional context, not the name for the whole parish.

In nearby Binsted, eleven footpaths, including two bridleways, run through the area. They connect the woods and the South Downs National Park with Walberton. At parish level, the path network connects villages and countryside; in Binsted, there are also routes with a specific connection to the woods and national park.

Golf in Walberton

The Avisford Park Golf Course at the Avisford Park Hotel in Walberton is another option for your stay. The 18-hole course is 5,800 yards long and set on 89 acres of gardens and parkland. These figures describe different aspects: yards indicate the course’s length, while acres indicate the area it occupies. Visitors can play rounds of nine or 18 holes. As course details and visitor arrangements may change, check the latest information before your visit.

Discover more destinations: West Wittering, Ford, Selsey, Fernhurst, Wiston, Southwick, Lancing, Lindfield.

For the main travel overview: West Sussex.