Arundel (England)

Arundel is a town in West Sussex in southeast England, with a population in 2021 of about 3500. Its main attraction is the medieval castle.

Understand
Harhunedell is Old English for "valley of the horehound", the common mint plant. (The "hore" refers to its hoar-frosted appearance, not its breeding habits.) But this became garbled with arondelle the old French word for a swallow (nowadays hirondelle), and these appear on the town crest. The large bird on the town hall originally perched on the Swallow Brewery, long closed. According to the Domesday Book of 1086, the town had four burgesses, a mill and fishery, and the whole lot was worth £27.

Arundel is at the foot of the South Downs where the River Arun flows out, and until 1908 it had the lowest bridge on the river. The valley also created a route north through the Downs. So it was an obvious defensive position and there was already a castle by the early 11th century, which the Normans strengthened. The river is tidal for 25 miles and Arundel was a port until superseded by Littlehampton on the coast in the 19th century. Victorian industry largely passed the town by so its old centre was preserved, while the castle was re-fashioned into what the Middle Ages ought to have created if only they'd had makeover specialists and interior design consultants. It's nowadays the town's chief attraction.

Visitor information

 * Visit Arundel website

Get in
Stagecoach South Bus 9 runs hourly from Shoreham-by-Sea via Lancing, Worthing, Durrington, Angmering and Littlehampton to Arundel railway station and town.

Compass Bus 85 runs three times M-Sa from Chichester. There isn't a bus station in Arundel, the buses make multiple stops.

Arundel is on A27 the main coast road, which runs east to Worthing, Brighton and Hove, and west to Chichester, Portsmouth and Southampton.

A284 is the old London road, but from London you're better staying on A24 until it meets A27, then turn west.

Get around
Walk, the town is compact, although High Street is steep.

Taxis: Castle Cars are based at the railway station, tel +44 1903 884444. They're not very reliable.

See

 * Blackfriars was a Dominican priory founded some time before 1253 and dissolved in 1538. All that remains is a few stumps of masonry next to the museum.
 * is a folly within the parkland of the castle, although the folly here was by the builder rather than the landowner. In 1797 Frances Hiorne was pitching to re-build the castle, and erected this as a demonstration; he didn't get the contract and died two years later. Its modern fame is as the site of a TV skirmish between Dr Who and the Cyborgs.
 * Blackfriars was a Dominican priory founded some time before 1253 and dissolved in 1538. All that remains is a few stumps of masonry next to the museum.
 * is a folly within the parkland of the castle, although the folly here was by the builder rather than the landowner. In 1797 Frances Hiorne was pitching to re-build the castle, and erected this as a demonstration; he didn't get the contract and died two years later. Its modern fame is as the site of a TV skirmish between Dr Who and the Cyborgs.
 * is an attractive hamlet four miles west of Arundel. The parkland estate just beyond it is managed by the National Trust and has walking trails, dogs welcome on leads.
 * is an attractive hamlet four miles west of Arundel. The parkland estate just beyond it is managed by the National Trust and has walking trails, dogs welcome on leads.
 * is an attractive hamlet four miles west of Arundel. The parkland estate just beyond it is managed by the National Trust and has walking trails, dogs welcome on leads.
 * is an attractive hamlet four miles west of Arundel. The parkland estate just beyond it is managed by the National Trust and has walking trails, dogs welcome on leads.
 * is an attractive hamlet four miles west of Arundel. The parkland estate just beyond it is managed by the National Trust and has walking trails, dogs welcome on leads.

Do

 * Boat hire is available at the Riverside Cafe next to Arundel Museum.
 * Golf: there's a putting green on Mill Rd past the museum, open Apr-Sept. Avisford Park Hotel 3 miles west on A27 has an 18-hole course.
 * Horse-racing: see Chichester for Fontwell Park, a jumps racecourse five miles west on A27.
 * Golf: there's a putting green on Mill Rd past the museum, open Apr-Sept. Avisford Park Hotel 3 miles west on A27 has an 18-hole course.
 * Horse-racing: see Chichester for Fontwell Park, a jumps racecourse five miles west on A27.
 * Golf: there's a putting green on Mill Rd past the museum, open Apr-Sept. Avisford Park Hotel 3 miles west on A27 has an 18-hole course.
 * Horse-racing: see Chichester for Fontwell Park, a jumps racecourse five miles west on A27.

Buy

 * Supermarket: Co-op Food is on Queen St just south of the river, open daily 6AM-10PM. Head south to Littlehampton for big stores.
 * Art and antiques shops and galleries are dotted all over town.

Eat

 * Most eating places are along High Street, Tarrant Street and Queen Street.


 * Green and Coal is a stylish coffee shop at 5 Tarrant St behind La Campania, open daily 8:30AM-4:30PM.
 * Motte & Bailey opposite Norfolk Arms does good lunches and gets busy.
 * Juniper is a bakery and cafe at 37 Tarrant St between Nineveh Chapel and the Eagle Inn.
 * Juniper is a bakery and cafe at 37 Tarrant St between Nineveh Chapel and the Eagle Inn.
 * Juniper is a bakery and cafe at 37 Tarrant St between Nineveh Chapel and the Eagle Inn.
 * Juniper is a bakery and cafe at 37 Tarrant St between Nineveh Chapel and the Eagle Inn.
 * Juniper is a bakery and cafe at 37 Tarrant St between Nineveh Chapel and the Eagle Inn.
 * Juniper is a bakery and cafe at 37 Tarrant St between Nineveh Chapel and the Eagle Inn.

Drink

 * Fauna Brewing is in the Old Engine Shed, off London Rd just west of the cathedral. Decent ale, the froth on your pint is from all their flapdoodle about how drinking this stuff will help save the planet. The taproom is a long-table affair like a beerhall, open Th F 3-10PM, Sa noon-10PM, Su 11AM-7PM.
 * Arundel Brewery is on Ford industrial estate, no tours.
 * Sussex wine: the South Downs are chalk soil suitable for vineyards. There are several further north, and The Pig at Madehurst (see above) plans to begin production in 2023.
 * Fauna Brewing is in the Old Engine Shed, off London Rd just west of the cathedral. Decent ale, the froth on your pint is from all their flapdoodle about how drinking this stuff will help save the planet. The taproom is a long-table affair like a beerhall, open Th F 3-10PM, Sa noon-10PM, Su 11AM-7PM.
 * Arundel Brewery is on Ford industrial estate, no tours.
 * Sussex wine: the South Downs are chalk soil suitable for vineyards. There are several further north, and The Pig at Madehurst (see above) plans to begin production in 2023.
 * Arundel Brewery is on Ford industrial estate, no tours.
 * Sussex wine: the South Downs are chalk soil suitable for vineyards. There are several further north, and The Pig at Madehurst (see above) plans to begin production in 2023.

Sleep

 * Travelodge is 5 miles west on A27 towards Chichester, next to Fontwell Park racecourse.
 * Travelodge is 5 miles west on A27 towards Chichester, next to Fontwell Park racecourse.
 * Travelodge is 5 miles west on A27 towards Chichester, next to Fontwell Park racecourse.
 * Travelodge is 5 miles west on A27 towards Chichester, next to Fontwell Park racecourse.
 * Travelodge is 5 miles west on A27 towards Chichester, next to Fontwell Park racecourse.
 * Travelodge is 5 miles west on A27 towards Chichester, next to Fontwell Park racecourse.
 * Travelodge is 5 miles west on A27 towards Chichester, next to Fontwell Park racecourse.
 * Travelodge is 5 miles west on A27 towards Chichester, next to Fontwell Park racecourse.

Connect
As of Feb 2023, Arundel and its approach roads have 4G from EE, O2 and Vodafone, and 5G from Three.

Go next

 * Littlehampton is a nearby port. Bognor Regis is better for seaside activities.
 * Chichester was a Roman regional centre and has several museums and historic places.
 * South Downs are the chalk uplands flanking the coast.