Discover the 3km Historic Midhurst Heritage Trail

Step back in time in the heart of the South Downs

Tucked into the rolling green hills of the South Downs National Park lies the market town of Midhurst and the neighbouring village of Easebourne. Two places with deep historic roots, charming streets, and more stories than you'd expect from a 3km walk.

Whether you're a local rediscovering your home, or a visitor looking for a cultural countryside escape, the Midhurst Heritage Trail offers an easy, dog and family-friendly stroll through more than 6,000 years of history, where Roman trade routes, Tudor royalty, wartime secrets, and even a touch of ghostly folklore come together.

Walk the Walk

·   Time: Approx. 1 hour, approx. 3km

·   Terrain: Easy, mostly flat, mix of town and countryside

·   Dog, pushchair and wheelchair friendly

·   Accessible Changing Places

·   Electric Car Chargers: Capron House, South Downs Centre, North Street Car Park, BP Fuel Station, Easebourne

·   Parking: North Street Car Park and The Grange Leisure Centre (both Free for 1 hour)

·   Download Walk here

Route & Highlights:

Download OS Route Map

1. Start: North Street Car Park: Town Centre (accessible WCS and electric charging).

Head towards the main road, and cross the road at the traffic lights. Turn right, then left towards:

2. Capron House: Formerly Midhurst Grammar School, now home to the South Downs National Park and where H.G. Wells studied and later taught. Enter the visitors centre, where you can discover more about the National Park.

Exit right and head south along North Street: 

3. Midhurst Pharmacy: Look up! Discover 18th-century architecture. H.G. Wells was an apprentice at the pharmacy after leaving Midhurst Grammar School.

At the pedestrian crossing, cross back over to the other side of North Street, heading south towards Knockhundred Row (first left).

4. The Midhurst Museum: A well-preserved 16th-century building, in Knockhundred Row, possibly the smallest museum in the world, measuring only 8’6” x 8’6”! The team of volunteers will take you back in time and help you discover the amazing history of Midhurst.

Upon exit, turn left and follow the road as you head into:

5. Church Hill: Passing the Grade 2 listed historic Midhurst Old Library and beautiful examples of Tudor, Georgian, and Victorian architecture.

Turn left into Sheep Lane and follow to:

6. St. Mary Magdalene & St. Denys Church: Dating back to 1120, with tombs of the Browne family of Cowdray. Can you find the secret graveyard? 

7. Market Square: Includes The Old Jail House (now Gartons Café), a great spot for a light refreshment and people watching.

8. Ghost Stories at The Swan Inn: Said to be haunted by a former landlord’s wife. Stop off and watch the world go by, a particular favourite for spotting rare and vintage cars and bikes heading towards Goodwood.

9. The Spread Eagle (1430): Hosted Queen Elizabeth I. A Beautiful historic building which is now a hotel and spa. Why not pop in for an afternoon tea and discover its past?

Head along West Street, where you will discover a variety of independent shops. Can you find the hidden Knights Hospitaller Door?

Turn left onto Grange Road:

10. At the bottom of Grange Road, you find Allnut Clocks, and inside a Horology Exhibition showcasing Midhurst’s clock and watchmaking legacy.

Follow the public footpath sign which leads to:

11.    The Old Railway Line & South Pond, where you can spot migratory birds and wildlife

At South Pond, turn right and follow the footpath around the pond, where you will also discover:

12.    Dante Bronze Statue, by Philip Jackson: Did you know Midhurst is the adopted home of Philip & his wife?

Continue anticlockwise around the pond until you reach Chichester Road, turn left over the bridge, cross over to the other side of the road and head back towards The Spread Eagle and Gartons Cafe. As you approach the Market Square, turn right into Edinburgh Square and head towards:

13.    St. Ann’s Hill and Midhurst Castle: An Iron Age fort and castle with ghostly folklore overlooking Cowdray Polo fields. More information from the Midhurst Society.

Choose your route down to the River Rother. 1) North (left), and head down the step incline to the River Rother or 2) South (right) for a more leisurely path down to the river. When you have descended to the footpath, head North along the river footpath towards the Cowdray Ruins:

14.    Cowdray Ruins & The Causeway: A Tudor mansion built 1520–1542, visited by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, allegedly cursed by a monk, and destroyed by fire in 1793. Guy Fawkes served as a footman at Cowdray.

Head west along the old castle footpath back to North Street car park, or why not extend your walk North and continue towards Easebourne along the Cowdray Polo fields and up to Cowdray Farm shop and cafe. Here you will also discover the Old Priory and Easebourne toll bridge.

Additional places to discover:

1. Masonic Hall, Bepton Road: A former religious building and now home to Midhurst Masonic Lodge.

2. Cowdray Polo Fields

3. Cowdray Farm Shop & Cafe

4. The Old Priory, Easebourne

5. Walk across the old Toll Bridge (Cowdray Estate Office), Easebourne.

6. The White Horse, Easebourne: A historic coaching inn with a cosy atmosphere.

A Walk Through the Ages

Prehistoric Beginnings to Roman Roads

Long before the town we know today, early settlers made this area home as far back as 4000 BC. Flint tools and burial sites have been uncovered nearby, and by the time of the Roman occupation, Midhurst sat near the major Roman road Stane Street, connecting London to Chichester. Roman pottery, coins, and Iron Age earthworks like St. Ann’s Hill tell tales of trade and early civilisation.

Norman Rule & the Domesday Book

Easebourne, more prominent than Midhurst at the time, is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a thriving settlement with a mill and farmland. The name “Midhurst,” meaning middle wooded hill, may not appear in writing then, but the town was already taking root.

Medieval Knights, Tudor Grandeur & a curse?

Midhurst’s Medieval Moment

In the 12th century, Midhurst rose in importance with the arrival of the Knights Hospitaller, a Catholic military order known for aiding pilgrims in the Holy Land. Look out for the hidden Knights Hospitaller Door, tucked away, a rare surviving relic of their time here.

The Rise (and Fall) of Cowdray House

From the 1520s, the town flourished under the Tudor dynasty. The imposing Cowdray House became a grand Tudor mansion frequented by King Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth I. But legend has it the house was cursed by a monk whose priory was destroyed during the Reformation. In a twist of fate, Cowdray was tragically gutted by fire in 1793, just as the curse predicted.

Oh, and did we mention Guy Fawkes? Yes, he once served in the household at Cowdray, adding a rebellious footnote to the town’s Tudor past.

Clocks, Coaches, & Literary Legends

By the 1700s, Midhurst was flourishing, with elegant Georgian buildings rising across town. It also became a centre of horology, the art of watch and clockmaking. Midhurst timepieces were once among the most sought-after in the world. Visit Allnut Clocks on Western Road and Grange Road for a peek into that legacy.

One of England’s oldest coaching inns, the Spread Eagle, opened in 1430 and has hosted everyone from royalty to writers, including Queen Elizabeth I and author H.G. Wells, who once taught at the local Midhurst Grammar School (Capron House), now home to the South Downs National Park and visitor centre.

Explore more of Midhurst