Prices from:
£110 per night
The whitewashed and wisteria-clad inn dates from 1768 and its rural position beneath the South Downs between Chichester and Petersfield made it a good staging post for horses when travelling over the Downs; now it’s the perfect place for foodies and wine lovers to be fed and watered, as well as a base for exploring Chichester and the glorious downland landscape on the doorstep. The White Horse ticks along like clockwork, welcoming shooting parties, overseeing the 15 quirky bedrooms, and organising summer events and small weddings in the private gardens, when the old Citroen van morphs into the Nyetimber ‘fizz’ bar and local lobsters are grilled on the barbeque. Traditional charm vies with contemporary rustic-chic in the timbered bar, where you’ll find crackling fires, wooden floors, old paintings, mirrors and deer heads (one wearing a trilby and sunglasses) on Farrow & Ball walls, and the papers to peruse with a pint. Upholstered benches, furry rugs and dramatic horse print wallpaper adorn the dining room; beyond is the dramatic vaulted and timbered barn, replete with wrought-iron chandeliers, huge candlesticks, antique dressers, and a vast table for private parties.
Kids are very welcome throughout the pub, with smaller portions available from the menu, and they can be accommodated overnight – cots £5; Z-beds £15 (including breakfast).
Being a popular shooting inn, dogs are welcome in the bar and all the bedrooms (£15), where beds and bowls are provided. You’ll also find information on local footpaths/walks to exercise your canine companion.
You’re spoilt for choice for places to drink and dine alfresco, from the secluded courtyard and spacious front lawn, dotted with smart picnic benches and posh brollies, to the tucked away side garden, replete with a vintage Citroen van (Nyetimber Bar) and barbeque, which you can hire for a private party.
What’s the Damage
15 doubles: £99 – £190 (£165 – £240 Friday & Saturday)
What Else?
Gongs
AA 5 Silver Stars & 1 Rosette; GQ’s Pub of the Year 2015; The Times – 50 Best Summer Pubs 2015
Hidden away behind the inn and housed in attractive wood-clad buildings, each of the rooms open out onto a private courtyard or lawn, edged with lush borders filled with herbs, shrubs and colourful summer flowers. Named after deer, ducks and game birds, the rooms cleverly combine rustic elegance with contemporary design and a huge dose of quirk. Expect funky steamer trunks, retro lamps and phones, sheepskin rugs on trendy chairs, eye-catching feature wallpaper, including blown-up images of Goodwood in its hey-day, and architectural four-poster beds. Smart-tiled bathrooms either boast rain showers or vast copper baths – book Stag rooms 1 or 2 for your own private patio and hot tub. Bliss.
Feather & Black mattresses; goose down duvets & pillows; Bramley bathroom products; deep, roll-top copper baths; hot tubs and private patio in Stag Rooms (2); Tea Pigs; mini-bottle of fresh milk and chocolate mallow.
Nespresso coffee machines; retro phones (no mobile signal); clocks; 50” smart TVs; free Wi-Fi.
Body & head massages can be arranged in the rooms, plus a discount is available at the Goodwood Hotel & Spa if you are staying at The White Horse.
Cereals, juices & pastries; smoked salmon & scrambled eggs, eggs Royale, Florentine & Benedict; full English breakfast.
What’s the Damage
15 doubles: £99 – £190 (£165 – £240 Friday & Saturday)
What Else?
Gongs
AA 5 Silver Stars & 1 Rosette; GQ’s Pub of the Year 2015; The Times – 50 Best Summer Pubs 2015
Monthly menus evolve with the seasons and draw on the rich larder of local produce the kitchen team are lucky to have access to. Selsey fishermen deliver fresh lobster and crab to the door, shooters drop off pigeon, rabbits and seasonal game shot on local estates, and venison comes from South Downs Game at Duncton. The best pork for miles around is reared over the hill at Funtingdon and draws discerning diners for Sunday lunch, while the vast greenhouses at nearby Nutbourne supply the tomatoes. Local Sussex cheeses are sourced from the Goodwood Farm Shop. Tuck into sandwiches or one of the grazing boards in the bar at lunchtime; eat where you please at dinner, perhaps following gravadlax of local trout and Selsey crab with slow-roast suckling pig served with herb stuffing, mash, sprouting broccoli, apple sauce and wild mushroom jus.
(Starters: £5.50-£8.95; Main Courses: £13.95-£26.95; Desserts £6.95-£9.95)
Chilli salt squid, aioli
Chicken, leek & shitake mushroom terrine, prosciutto & tarragon mayonnaise
South Downs lamb rump, leek & potato terrine, smoked aubergine puree, rosemary jus
Smoked haddock rarebit, confit tomato, spinach & caper cream
Rum baba, vanilla roasted pineapple, coconut sorbet
Dark chocolate brownie, pistachio ice cream, tuile
(£14.50)
Expect to find three roasts on the Sunday lunch menu; topside of beef, Funtingdon pork loin and, depending on the season, either corn-fed chicken or roast pheasant.
The Nyetimber Bar (Citroen Van) and barbeque can be hired for private parties, where you can quaff excellent English fizz and tuck into Selsey lobster and crab and South Downs lamb cooked on the BBQ.
Breakfast: 7.45am – 10am (8.30am – 10.30am Saturday & Sunday)
Lunch: 12 noon – 3pm
Dinner: 6pm – 9pm (9.30pm Friday & Saturday)
All Day Menu: 12 noon – 9.30 Saturday; 8pm Sunday
Nutbourne tomatoes
Chilgrove wood pigeon
Funtingdon pork, Adsdean Farm Shop (see Food Trail)
South Downs Venison & Game, Duncton (see Food Trail)
Hallgate Farm, Petworth (Eggs)
Langfords Lobster (Selsey)
Selsey Willows (Crab)
Chilgrove Gin (www.chilgrovespirits.com)
Nyetimber Wines (see Food Trail)
Four Walls Wines (opposite the White Horse – see Food Trail)
Whatever your poison, be it boutique gin, an espresso Martini, fine wine or a pint of local ale, the amazing choice of drinks behind the groaning bar will be sure to slake the most adventurous of thirsts. On tap, there could be Hammerpot Shooting Star (brewed in Arundel) or Langham Hip Hop (brewed in Lodsworth), or Chapel Down’s Curious Brew. Gin lovers should peruse the mouth-watering G&T menu, which champions the locally distilled Chilgrove Gin (just up the road), alongside stylish gins from Chase, Sipsmiths, Silent Pool, and Fifty Pounds. The cellar brims with fabulous wines, the impressive Red Book collection lists some opulent Burgundies and some 1st growth Bordeaux wines, all selected by renowned vintner Barry Philips, whose shop (see Food Trail) stands across the drive from the pub. Expect some great quaffing house wines (plenty by the glass) and excellent fizz.
(£5.50 – £7.50)
Spicy chorizo sausage, honey & balsamic glaze
Mushroom & chestnut arancini, red pepper mayonnaise
Smoked mackerel pate, horseradish mayonnaise
Sandwiches (lunchtime only)
11am – 11pm
What’s the Damage
15 doubles: £99 – £190 (£165 – £240 Friday & Saturday)
What Else?
Gongs
AA 5 Silver Stars & 1 Rosette; GQ’s Pub of the Year 2015; The Times – 50 Best Summer Pubs 2015
Take it back home
Tour the brewery that brewed your favourite pint, visit the shop on the farm that reared your delicious Sunday roast beef, and seek out the roadside stalls selling the local crab and samphire on the inn’s menu, the Food Trail features the local artisan producers and suppliers where you can buy to enjoy at home.
Change of scenery
Looking for a pub for lunch following a country walk, a different venue for dinner, or a good café for coffee, light lunch or afternoon tea, then the best in the area are listed below. If you find a new and exciting eatery in the area that’s worthy of a mention on the Food Trail, then please to do let us know – .
Langham Brewery is an award-winning independent brewery producing cask-conditioned real ale. For craft ale lovers, who want to know more about it, a guided tour of the 10 barrel steam-powered brewery is a perfect treat. Groups of all sizes are welcome, so please call the brewery to book: 01798 860861. Friday night and Saturday tours are particularly popular!
On the edge of the South Downs National Park, Tinwood's has a swanky tasting room where you can sip on sparkling wine while gazing over the vines (after a tour of the vineyard of course).
Not far from the beach, Samphire calls itself an English Kitchen, and given the amount of local produce and sparklingly fresh seafood on offer, that's a fair description. Chef-owner David Skinner has fabulous supply lines and makes just about everything on the premises.
The Cowdray Farm Shop and Cafe, is the hub of the 16,500 acre Cowdray Estate set in the South Downs. The shop is famous for its holistically reared lamb, beef and vension and sale of local produce. The cafe's outstanding food - from lunch to afternoon tea - is all homemade using traditional artisan techniques. The Farm Shop and cafe are open every day, 9am - 5pm (please check website)
The Horse Guards, Tillington GU28 9AF (see Inn Places entry)--foodtrail-----0.6297104--50.98985
Nestled beneath Blackdown Hill, this quirky little shop stocks a full range of Lurgashall Vineyard's traditional English country wines, meads, liqueurs and other goodies too. In the winery's 17th century barn local products are for sale and visitors can sample wines with the help of knowledgeable staff. The barn's cafe serves coffees, teas and cakes including delicious cream teas, which can be enjoyed inside or outside on benches in the courtyard.
The redundant Forge building in pretty Slindon village has now been restored and extended providing a community shop selling local produce. The cafe serves their own blend of coffee, cakes, light lunches including their legendary sausage rolls, home-made soup and homemade ham. With a full licence and local beers for sale it's a perfect stop off for walkers and cyclists.
foodtrail
This locally renowned independent specialist food shop, at the foot of the High Street in Arundel, has an impressive selection of food and wines. Proprietors, Mark Robinson and Jonathan Brantigan champion smaller producers. Whether sourced locally in Sussex or from elsewhere, shelves groan with interesting and high-quality goodies. At the deli there are delicious ingredients for picnics.
Set at the heart of the 12,000 acre Sussex estate, Goodwood Home Farm is the largest lowland organic farm in the UK. The Farm achieved full organic status in 2004 and boasts the first dairy herd in the UK to be totally organically fed. The farm shop sells estate game, organic beef, lamb, pork and dairy including Goodwood cheese, ales and lager.
The Chilli Fiesta is an annual event in which West Dean gardens dedicates itself to three days of chilli madness. Chilli enthusiasts can watch food demos, sample chilli-based grub, and purchase plants to take home. The glasshouses in the walled gardens are filled with over 250 varieties.
This unique little shop is passionate about good food, colourful ceramics, kitchenware and olive oils! For sale, is a wide variety of olives, spices, marinades, sauces and dips which visitors can try. Their ‘Tap’ system allows customers to fill their own containers with favourite premium olive oils and balsamic vinegars.
Local couple Helen and Simon founded Montezuma's, hand making their luxury chocolate bars, truffles and gifts with one little machine. Now Montezuma's is Britain's leading and most innovative luxury chocolate maker. Here, at their first shop in Chichester, the family love affair with chocolate continues…. to be shared!
The Four Walls Wine Company started by Barry Phillips as a club in 1969, which expanded and eventually became a commercial enterprise affiliated to the White Horse at Chilgrove. When Barry retired from the pub in 1999 he continued with this first love – wine - and the Old Forge not only stocks wine accumulated during the early years at the White Horse but also wines purchased from great vineyards and vintages in more recent years.
400-year-old flint pub with beams and blazing fires tucked away in a peaceful South Downs village. Perfect for a pint and ploughman’s after a downland ramble, best enjoyed in the glorious summer garden with farmland views.
Simon Goodman’s idyllic, wisteria-clad old pub stands hidden away in woodland and is worth seeking out for sublime pub food, local ales, and wonderful Weald views from the rambling and tiered garden, Superb local walks.
Michelin starred chef Tom Sellers (Restaurant Story) and head chef Graham Squire reopened this glorious 15th-century rural pub in 2014 following extensive refurbishment. Now very much a destination dining pub, the informal and huge characterful bar is the place to relax with a pint and some great bar snacks. Head upstairs for delicious seasonal dishes from an innovative modern menu.
One of Britain’s most prestigious provincial theatres, and an instantly recognisable landmark in Chichester, the hexagonal-shaped, 1,300-seat theatre is one of the largest in southern England. Recently restored and attracting famous acting talent, it’s the perfect place to see top quality productions before they head to the West End. Set in large grounds, theatre lovers can bring picnics in summer or visit the new bars and restaurant.
The highest water quality and excellent facilities have made West Wittering, south-west of Chichester, one of the premier Blue Flag beaches in the country. This stretch of coast is popular with wind and kite surfers and is an obvious venue for lots of exhilarating recreational activity.
Cowdray Park is recognised worldwide as the Home of British Polo. Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty within Viscount Cowdray's 16,500 acre estate, the game of polo has been played at Cowdray for nearly a century. On summer afternoons it's a relaxed way to an enjoy an exciting game in a wonderful setting.
There are boat trips four times a day during the high season. Taking to the water on this stretch of the coast is a great way to discover one of Britain's great natural harbours and learn all about its wildlife.
The famous racecourse rises and falls around a natural amphitheatre. Racing is a regular fixture here and for one week during the summer this spectacular site becomes 'Glorious Goodwood' when countless race-goers converge on the course for one of the sporting calendar's most prestigious events.
Out to sea, beyond Chichester Harbour, you can try your hand at sea fishing. There are half- and full-day trips available and there's even an evening outing for mackerel fishing. Rods, bait and tuition are also provided.
Sparks Yard General Store was opened in 2003 by Holly Heggadon; her dream was to have specialist gift shop. Now she's expanded from the ground floor of this Grade II listed Victorian warehouse, to fill the upper levels - with cook shop, home store, coffee bar and most recently Californian inspired eatery called 'The Loft' - with great burgers, cocktails and amazing roof top views of Arundel.
Kim's has been trading for over 40 years, with branches in both Arundel and Chichester. In both shops you'll find new, second-hand and antiquarian books on a vast range of subjects. Cards and wrapping paper are also available.
Located on North Street, Something Different specialises in shabby-chic, textiles, artefacts, wall art, jewellery and gifts.
Heading west on the A27 from Chichester brings you to the small coastal town of Emsworth. Stroll its streets and you'll discover an assortment of antique shops and independent retailers. There's also a monthly market.
Artichoke is an independent rustic gift and hand-painted furniture shop based in Midhurst, on the South Downs. Expect an eclectic range of home accessories among many other items.
Arundel’s longest running and atmospheric antique centre is where you’ll find a mesmerising selection of quality antiques, including stalls dealing in items of French furniture, vintage clothing as well as a room dedicated to vintage cameras where they also do repairs and source old film.
Established in 1985 by Robert Goldsmith, all the work is hand thrown and turned stoneware. No machines or moulds are used and the traditional techniques have taken many years to perfect. Combined with high temperature stoneware glazes, fine brushwork, wax resist and glaze trailing, the finished pots with rich copper red and cobalt blue glazes are both functional and decorative with a contemporary look.
Located near Chichester, Fishbourne Roman Palace was built in the 1st century AD, about 30 years of the Roman conquest of Britain. Visitors get the chance to see the largest collection of mosaics in situ in the country, notably the perfectly preserved dolphin mosaic in the north wing.
Opened to wide critical acclaim in 2006, Pallant House Gallery's collection of British Modern Art is often described as one of the most impressive in the UK. Expect works by the likes of Henry Moore, John Piper and Graham Sutherland.
Looking at Uppark House today, it's hard to believe that this imposing Georgian building was badly damaged by fire in the 1980s. The restored National Trust house, near Petersfield, was the childhood home of HG Wells - his mother was in service here.
These award-winning gardens feature a Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden, Sunken Garden, Orchards and circular walk set in beautiful parkland. Delicious homemade goodies can be eaten in the Garden's restaurant. Look out for courses and festivals including the summer Chilli Fiesta in August, celebrating over 250 chilli varieties!
One of the region's most picturesque towns, Arundel is packed with handsome buildings and historic landmarks. Top of the list here is Arundel Castle, the principal home of the Dukes of Norfolk. Within its great walls lie countless treasures, including tapestries, clocks and portraits by Van Dyck, Gainsborough and Reynolds.
North of Chichester, the museum, occupies a picturesque 40-acre site in rolling downland with 50 historic buildings which have been dismantled from around the country and rebuilt for preservation.Here you can learn all about building conservation and rural life in Britain down the centuries. Among many demonstrations there is cooking in the Tudor kitchen and flour milling in the working watermill. The buildings' gardens have been specially designed with plants, layouts and animal breeds from each period.
Petworth's magnificent late 17th-century country house, set in a 700-acre deer park, is home to The National Trust's finest collection of pictures with numerous works by Turner, Van Dyck, Reynolds and Blake. The servants' quarters contain fascinating kitchens and outside, the grounds, which can be enjoyed by walkers, were landscaped by 'Capability' Brown and immortalised in Turner's paintings.
Arundel Wetland Centre, set in ancient woodlands near the River Arun, is home to kingfishers, water voles, hundreds of British wildfowl and migrating wild birds. Visitors can enjoy 'Safaris' on quiet, electric boats everyday (weather permitting) or walk amongst ancient reed beds with well positioned hides. The Centre's cafe, is the perfect place to bird watch over lunch!
Set in the village of Amberley, north of Arundel, and dedicated to the industrial heritage of the south-east of England, the Amberley Museum includes a narrow-gauge railway exhibit and a nostalgic bus tour of the 36-acre site. The museum is also home to traditional craftspeople such as the potter and the blacksmith.
Only three families have lived at Parham House, near Storrington, since its foundation stone was laid in 1577 during the reign of Elizabeth I. Outside the house visitors can stroll in the delightful walled garden and pleasure grounds.
The Petworth Festival is a summer festival of music and the arts, set in the historic market town of Petworth. Over two-weeks in July the town comes alive with a high quality programme of classical concerts and recitals, chamber music, song, jazz, cabaret, theatre, comedy, visual arts, talks and walks in and around Petworth.
www.walkinginsussex.co.uk
www.bosham-walk.co.uk
www.nationaltrail.co.uk/south-downs-way
Experience some of our finest countryside between Winchester, first capital of England, and the white chalk cliffs of Eastbourne. If you are interested in great views, attractive wildlife, visible prehistory, fine pubs and pretty villages, or if you just fancy a challenge, the South Downs Way awaits you. Further south you can taste the salty tang of the sea on spectacular walks at Itchenor, Bosham, Climping and West Wittering.
www.cycle-route.com
Whether it’s sleepy coastal inlets and meandering tracks around Chichester Harbour or spectacular, breezy trails across the South Downs, in terms of cycling this delightful corner of West Sussex has something to suit all tastes. For an easy trek over flat terrain, try the 20-mile cycle route between Selsey and Chichester Canal Basin.
www.festivalofchichester.co.uk
www.goodwood.co.uk
Chichester is the place for colourful festivals and events, including the city’s Real Ale and Jazz Summer Music Festival. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is a celebration of motorsport and classic vehicles, spread over three days at the famous circuit, and at Ardingly, near Haywards Heath, there is the popular South of England Show with the accent on equestrianism and a range of countryside activities.
By Road: From A286 north of Chichester, take B2141 signed to Petersfield and South Harting; 3 miles to inn. From London, take A3 to Petersfield and then B2146 to South Harting, turning left onto B2141 after the village to climb over the South Downs to Chilgrove.
By Rail: Nearest railway station is Chichester, 5 miles south.
High Street, Chilgrove, West Sussex, PO18 9HX
Honest seasonal menus, well-kept ales, rambling old bars and peaceful, tucked away rooms, close to the Sussex Downs
See more
A seashore hideaway, favoured for fabulous seafood and luxurious rooms, the best have serene views across marsh and sea
See more
Quirky country chic, fabulous food and ales, simple cottagey rooms, and gorgeous summer garden; close to Petworth
See more
