This little do-it-yourself adventure in England is taken from my new guidebook Daytrips From London, available now.
Trip 12
Arundel
Like a vision from a fairy tale, the picture-book town of Arundel nestles snugly at the base of its massive castle. Both date from the time of the Norman Conquest, and possibly even earlier. Arundel was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a port of some consequence, which it remained throughout the Middle Ages. There is still a good deal of boating activity on its river, the Arun, which flows into the sea at nearby Littlehampton. Delightful country walks can be made along its banks and to the Arundel Wetlands Centre, or through peaceful Arundel Park. Those preferring more sedentary activities will find excellent antique and crafts shops, charming pubs, and a small museum. The main attraction remains, of course the castle — one of the finest in all England.
GETTING THERE:
Trains to Arundel leave hourly from London's Victoria Station. The journey takes about 90 minutes, with return services until mid-evening.
By Car, Arundel is 56 miles south of London via the A24 and A29 roads.
PRACTICALITIES:
Avoid coming on a Monday (except in August) or between early November and the end of March, when the castle is closed. The local Tourist Information Centre, T: (01903) 882-268, W: sussexbythesea.com, is at 1-3 Crown Yard Mews on River Road. Arundel is in the county of West Sussex, and has a population of about 3,000.
FOOD AND DRINK:
Among the many restaurants, pubs, and tea rooms are:
The Town House (65 High St.) Fine dining in an elegant Regency building, with less expensive lunch choices. Reserve, T: (01903) 883-847, W: thetownhouse.co.uk. ££ and £££
Arun Restaurant (in the Norfolk Arms Hotel, 22 High St.) Traditional English dishes at an old coaching inn. T: (01903) 882-101, W: norfolkarmshotel.com. ££
Tudor Rose (49 High St.) Light meals in a quaint tearoom stuffed with all manner of oddities. T: (01903) 883-813. £
SUGGESTED TOUR:
Numbers in parentheses correspond to numbers on the map.
Leaving the train station (1), turn left and follow The Causeway and Queen Street to the River Arun. Because the main part of castle does not open until noon, you might want to begin with a short country walk of a bit over one mile.
To do this, cross the bridge and turn right on Mill Road, passing a parking lot. Continue on until you come to a recreation ground on the right. Just beyond this turn right on a well-defined track that leads to the river, then turn right and follow the embankment with its gorgeous views of town and castle. Back near the bridge are the ruins of the Dominican Priory (2), founded in the mid-13th century for preaching friars near the bridge and market place where townspeople came together. Nearby, in temporary quarters, is the Arundel Museum and Heritage Centre, featuring displays of bygone times with models, tools, weapons, clothes, photographs and the like. T: (01903) 88-23-04, W: arundelmuseum.org.uk. Open mid-March through late Oct., daily, 11-3. £. A new museum building is to be located closeby.
Follow the map uphill to:
*ARUNDEL CASTLE (3), T: (01903) 883-136, W: arundelcastle.org. Open Tues.-Sun. (plus Mon. in Aug.), first Sat. in April to first Sun. in November., grounds at 10, keep at 11, interior at noon. Closes at 5. Last admission at 4. ££₤. Restaurant. Gift shop. Enter castle via drawbridge.
Arundel Castle is everything a great fortress should be. Built in the late 11th century, it was besieged by Henry I in 1102 and again by King Stephen in 1139. After severe damage caused by Parliamentary forces during the Civil War in 1643, it fell into a dilapidated state until restoration began in the 18th century. What you see today is mostly a romantic Victorian vision, a stately home with all the trappings of a medieval stronghold. Throughout most of its history, the castle has been the seat of the dukes of Norfolk and their ancestors, the Fitzalans. This family, among the highest nobility in England, has always remained Roman Catholic despite centuries of persecution, a fact that explains much of what you'll see in Arundel.
Enter the castle grounds via Lower Lodge in Mill Road and follow the signed route up the driveway. Enter the castle itself via an iron gateway and a flight of steps. The immense *Barons' Hall features some interesting paintings, including a portrait by Van Dyck. The route leads past the Dining Room and the drawing room, which has an appealing lived-in quality and several fine portraits by Gainsborough, Reynolds, and Van Dyck. The elaborate bed in the Victoria Room was made for the queen's visit in 1846. From here you go through the handsome Library and several smaller rooms to an exit near the keep the shop and restaurant.
Before or after touring the main castle building, you might want to climb the steps of the 12th-century Keep, which was occupied only during a siege. A banner is flown from its top whenever the duke is in residence.
Before leaving the castle grounds, take a walk over to the 14th-century Fitzalan Chapel (4). Many of the earls of Arundel and dukes of Norfolk are buried here. A wrought-iron grill and glass wall separates this Catholic chapel from the Anglican parish church, another part of the same building.
Exit through the gate and stroll up London Road. On your right is the Protestant part of the church, which makes an interesting contrast and should be visited.
Just beyond this stands the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady and St. Philip Howard (5), begun in a grandiose French Gothic style in 1869 as a parish church. It became a cathedral only in 1965, when a new bishopric was created for the region. Inside is the tomb of the 13th Earl of Arundel, canonized in 1970 as Saint Philip, who died in the Tower of London in 1595 for the crime of praying for the success of the Spanish Armada. Other features of the cathedral include its attractive rose window above the west door, and its fine stone carvings throughout. T: (01903) 882-297. Open daily 9-6, or dusk when earlier. Free.
Follow the map to the spooky Ghost Experience (6), in the underground prison cells of the old Town Hall, where ghosts of former inmates tell their tales. Open daily, 10-6, ££. T: (01903) 889-821, W: arundelghostexperience.com.
Two other places in Arundel may interest you, both just off the map but within easy walking distance along Mill Road (7). They are Arundel Park, a gorgeous 1,100-acre spread of natural beauty beginning at Swanbourne Lake, and the Arundel Wetland Centre where you can observe a great variety of exotic wildfowl from around the world in natural environments from hidden vantage points. The latter is open daily from 9:30–5:30, closing at 4:30 p.m. in winter. Last admission an hour before closing. Closed Christmas Day. ££₤. Restaurant. Gift shop. Picnic facilities. T: (01903) 883-355, W: wwt.org.uk.
Text and map copyright © 2009 by Earl Steinbicker
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