The perfect location

West Sussex has stunning coastlines & natural landscapes, activities that connect the whole family, fun days, heritage & history finds, culture, shopping and seasonal food from local restaurants. 

Its all on your doorstep...

Rubens Barn is the ideal base for hikers, cyclists and those wanting to be close to nature. As well as stunning views, nature lovers can soak in the vast range of diverse habitats that the surroundings cover, from ancient woodlands, river valleys, chalk grassland to mixed farmland and coastal habitats. The 'Star and Garter' pub is located along a small country lane 1 mile from the barn to finish off a perfect day, and serves excellent food.

Be entertained...

Chichester Festival Theatre shows. Festival of Speed and Revival meetings at Goodwood. Glorious Goodwood and regular horse race meetings (May-Oct). All just a short drive away you can play golf, enjoy motor racing, go sailing and fishing and even book hot air balloon rides. Wine tasting at local vineyards. Beautiful sandy beaches at West Wittering, famous for windsurfing.

Sensational Night Skies

There are only 19 International Dark Sky Reserves in the world, and the South Downs National Park is one of them. With the stunning landscape, several Dark Sky Discovery Sites, a planetarium and an annual Dark Skies Festival, when you come to Rubens Barn, we can offer some of the best star-gazing opportunities around.




Places to eat

We are spoilt with a wonderful range of pubs, cafés & restaurants for you to explore. Below is a small selection we recommend...

Places to Shop

  • Goodwood Farm Shop

    Goodwood Home Farm is one of the only self-sustaining organic farms in Europe. With both a dairy and butchery on-site, their skilled artisans can work together to produce the best-tasting beef, pork and lamb, all of which are reared on the estate


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  • Cowdray Farm Shop

    The Cowdray Farm Shop, West Sussex, traditional butchery, artisan cheeses, deli, fine food & gifts, open 7 days a week in Midhurst.


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  • Adsdean Farm Shop

    Award-winning farm shop, Itchingfield nr Horsham, offering home-grown or very local produce including home-bred beef, lamb and pork.


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  • The Hungry Guest, Petworth

    The Hungry Guest is an award-winning food brand with a café, grocery shop, bakery, fishmonger, butchers and cheese mongers all in the market town of Petworth.


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  • West Dean Stores & Tearoom

    West Dean Stores is a vibrant community village shop and tea room nestled in the South Downs near Chichester, West Sussex


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  • The Milk Hut at Ides Barn, East Dean

    Their farm milk vending machine provides freshly pasteurised organic milk and milkshakes. Reusable 1 litre and 250ml glass bottles are available to take your milk home in.


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  • Pallant of Arundel

    A delicatessen offering fine foods, wines and cheeses. Specialising in Sussex Hampers. 


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  • Bosham Walk Art & Crafts Centre

    It selects and displays arts and crafts for sale in a venue featuring a café, ice cream and sweet shop, and other services.


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Walking & Cycling

  • Cycling the South Downs Way

    Cycling is an excellent way to enjoy the South Downs National Park, with its vast array of wildlife and scenery from rolling hills to sea views and woodlands. The South Downs Way is 100 miles long running from Winchester to Eastbourne.


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  • Walking the South Downs Way

    The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath and bridleway running along the South Downs in southern England. It is one of 16 National Trails in England and Wales. The trail runs for 160 km from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex.


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  • Chichester Harbour Conservancy

    There are over 56 miles of public footpaths with a further 7 miles of permissive routes across the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Many of these paths run right along the shoreline, giving fantastic views across the water and perfect places to stop and birdwatch. Others cut across farmland and through picturesque Harbour villages.


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  • Chichester Harbour Circular Cycle Route

    Circular cycle routes pass through pleasant countryside, historic villages and along the Chichester Harbour estuary. And if you fancy a swim at the seaside, head south-west all the way to The Witterings.


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  • Chichester Canal

    Chichester Canal passes through 4 miles of open farmland from the Basin to Chichester Harbour at Birdham. The route takes you through a mixture of open farmland with benches available so you can rest, appreciate the tranquillity and admire an abundance of wildlife. 


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  • Petworth Park, Lodsworth & Bexleyhill- Parkland, Priory and Pinewoods

    This circular walk in West Sussex is a full day’s excursion. It is mostly a level walk but its length makes it fairly strenuous, although the beauty of the landscape will lighten your feet.


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  • Off Root - Guided Mountain Bike Rides

    Off Root runs a wide range of guided MTB tours across the UK for varying abilities.


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Parks, Gardens & Wildlife

  • West Dean Gardens

    Nestled at the foot of the South Downs, West Dean Gardens in West Sussex is one of the greatest restored gardens open to the public today.


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  • Denmans Garden, Fontwell

    A peaceful and stunning 4 acre garden, nestled at the foot of the Sussex South Downs


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  • RSPB Medmerry, Sidlesham

    Follow the winding trails to explore a landscape that's alive with waders, birds of prey and much more.


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  • Aldingbourne Country Centre, Chichester

    ​A great family day out all year round, supporting a charity while you have fun


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  • Uppark House & Gardens, Petersfield

    Uppark is a tranquil and intimate 17th century house set in gardens and surrounded by woodlands.


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  • Petworth House & Park

    The 700-acre Deer Park at Petworth is one of the finest surviving and unspoilt examples of an English landscape designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown.


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  • Cowdray Estate, Midhurst

    The 16,500-acre, family-owned Cowdray Estate in Midhurst - the heart of the stunning South Downs National Park - is steeped in history and heritage.


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  • Arundel Wetland Centre

    A stunning nature reserve with guided boat trips through reedbeds, secluded spots to watch wildlife and a collection wildfowl from around the world.


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  • Graffham Common Nature Reserve

    Graffham Common is a 38-hectare (94-acre) nature reserve between Midhurst and Petworth in West Sussex. It is owned and managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust.


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Vineyards & Breweries

  • Tinwood Estate, Chichester

    South Downs in the quaint village, Halnaker. The Tukker family grows high-quality grapes that produce award-winning English Sparkling Wines from Sussex.


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  • Kinsbrook Vineyard, Thakeham

    Kinsbrook Vineyard is a family-owned vineyard and wine producer building an inclusive, sustainable lifestyle culture in Thakeham, West Sussex.


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  • Wiston Estate Winery, Pulborough

    With its historic flint barns and buildings, elegant restaurant and continental–style courtyard, this pristine Sussex wine estate welcomes visitors for tours and tastings, fine dining, and restorative rambles through the surrounding countryside.


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  • Stopham Vineyard and Winery, Stopham

    Visitors to the estate can enjoy vineyard, winery and wine tasting tours with the winemaker on Saturdays at 11am or 2pm between April and October. The tours include an in-depth tour of both the vineyard and the winery, offering a deep insight into the winemaking process, from soil to bottle. 


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  • Nyetimber Vinyard, West Chiltington

    Situated in the rural heart of the South of England, Nyetimber use only the finest estate-grown fruit to craft our award-winning world-renowned wines.


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  • Nutbourne Vineyards, Pulborough

    Nutbourne is a family run boutique wine producer making award winning still and sparkling wines in the heart of West Sussex.


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  • Langham Brewery, Petworth

    Based in the South Downs National Park, they are an award-winning independent West Sussex brewery producing cask-conditioned real ale and keg beers.


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  • Ashling Park Estate, Funtington

    Ashling Park is a family-owned vineyard estate set amongst mature South Downs woodland, it offers vineyard tours and tastings and sells trophy-winning wines from their cellar door shop.


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  • Digby Wine - Guided Tasting & Events, Arundel

    Visit Digby’s Arundel tasting room for the tasting flights while learning how Digby makes their English sparkling wine. 


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Culture & Heritage

  • Arundel Castle

    Set high on a hill, this great castle commands the local Sussex landscape with magnificent views across the South Downs and the River Arun.


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  • Arundel Cathedral

    Arundel Cathedral is one of the most beautiful Catholic Cathedrals in the country with a rich and important legacy of faith that spans many decades.


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  • Chichester Cathedral

    In the heart of Chichester, a magnificent Cathedral with treasures ranging from medieval stone carvings to world famous 20th Century artworks.


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  • Petworth House

    Visit the 17th-century house, with parkland landscaped by 'Capability' Brown. Home to paintings and sculpture, including work by Turner and Van Dyck.


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  • Goodwood House

    Goodwood House combines the glamour of a country house with the warmth of a family home, boasting some of the most significant private art in the country.


    Enjoy Afternoon Tea in the stunning Ballroom at Goodwood House and enjoy a selection of finger sandwiches, homemade fruit scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, plus the pastry chef's selection of the day.


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  • Cowdray Ruins

    The ruins at Cowdray Estate, often referred to as Cowdray Castle, are the remains of one of the country's greatest Tudor houses. 


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  • Fishbourne Roman Palace & Gardens

    Explore world-famous mosaics and recreated Roman gardens at the largest Roman palace in Britain.


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  • Bignor Roman Villa, Pulborough

    Bignor Roman Villa is the stunning remains of a Roman home with world-class mosaic floors in a spectacular Downland setting. One of the largest villas open to the public in Great Britain, with some of the finest mosaics all in-situ and all undercover.


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  • Weald & Downland Living Museum, Chichester

    Discover their fascinating collection of over 50 historic rescued rural homes and buildings, from as early as 950AD, set amongst 40 acres of beautiful landscape in the South Downs National Park. Their collection tells the untold stories of the people who lived and worked in rural South East England for over 1,000 years.


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  • Amberley Museum

    The museum is dedicated to preserving the industrial heritage of the South East - Narrow gauge railway, vintage vehicle demos, old buildings and exhibitions in a former chalk quarry.


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Theatre, Sports & Relaxation

  • Chichester Festival Theatre

    Chichester Festival Theatre is one of the UK's flagship theatres, renowned for the high standard of its productions and its work with the community.


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  • Goodwood Golf

    36 holes of unrivalled golfing experience, across two distinctive championship courses at England's greatest sporting estate.


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  • Goodwood Motor Circuit

    Nestled at the foot of the Sussex Downs, the track is the only classic circuit in the world to remain entirely in its original form. Home of the world-famous Goodwood Revival and Members' Meeting, Goodwood Motor Circuit combines all the nostalgia of the golden era of motorsport with the modern technology of today.


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  • Goodwood Races

    Between May and October, 19 days of racing take place at the world's most beautiful racecourse, including one of the undoubted highlights of the season: the Qatar Goodwood Festival, known as 'Glorious Goodwood'.


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  • Goodwood Health Club

    If you want to indulge in the perfect combination of good food and great spa-ing, then find out more below.


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  • The Sanctum - Skin, Beauty, Relaxation

    A place to relax, be pampered and feel the cares of the world slip away. Massage, Facials, Skin, Beauty and Relaxation.


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  • Surfs SUP Watersports, Bracklesham Bay

    Surfs SUP Watersports offers lessons in Windsurfing, Stand up paddleboarding and Wing foiling.


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  • Chichester Sailing, Chichester Marina

    Sailing on the South Coast from Chichester. Licenced by Portsmouth Harbour to take up to 6 guests with 2 crew for as little as £95 per person per day. 


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  • West Wittering Beach

    The wonderful view of Chichester and the South Downs, the natural views, and the unspoilt sandy beach of West Wittering have made it a favourite destination for a family day out for generations. The highest water quality and excellent facilities have made it one of the premier Blue Flag beaches in the country.


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  • Chichester Watersports

    This 40-acre lake in Chichester is a major center for a wide range of water based activities from wakeboarding and paddleboarding to waterskiing, monoskiing, wakeskating, wakesurfing and knee boarding.


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