RURAL HOTSPOT

Get to know the castle town of Arundel in Sussex

A MARKET TOWN SUFFUSED WITH HISTORY AND SET AGAINST A FAIRYTALE BACKDROP

Arundel Castle was built to stand guard over the River Arun in 1067 by Roger de Montgomery, a kinsman of William the Conqueror. How surprised he might have been to see that, down the centuries, his simple fortress in West Sussex evolved into a turreted, fairytale-like structure, overlooking a genteel market town, with a tea room on every corner. There are just 3,500 residents

– or ‘mullets’ as the natives are known locally after fish in the

Arun – in this compact town, yet it is also home to a magnificent French Gothic cathedral.

IN THE ESTATE AGENT’S WINDOW There are, says Peter Robson of Pegasus Properties,

‘few chimney pots in the old town’ – industry speak for not much availability. The brick and flint houses in this quarter are very highly sought after. ‘A fourbedroom detached home could cost £750,000, though there is much fluctuation between streets,’ Peter says. The beauty of Arundel is that its architecture has been well preserved, but a consequence is no new developments since the 1980s. More affordable houses can be found beyond Maltravers Street. BUTCHERS, BAKERS & COFFEE MAKERS There’s plenty to keep the weekly shopping basket

topped up at Pallant delicatessen and Arundel Butchers. But the town’s speciality is antiques, with a princely provision of collectables clustered around the High Street and Tarrant Street. Round off a day’s bargain hunting at Arundel Brewery – blueberry Berliner Weisse and apple crumble IPA give a flavour of the latest craft offerings. COUNTRY LIFE & CULTURE This historic hotspot is home to a largely older demographic – a third of the population is over 60 – and there is a rich array of arts and music to match. Of international renown,

The Hanover Band gives beautiful baroque concerts. From the sublime, to the frivolous, the annual Arundel street festival and the

SET IN STONE

Pumpkin Festival in October at nearby Slindon are great fun. SCHOOLS Two primaries in

Arundel proper – St Philip’s Catholic School and Arundel Church of England School, both rated ‘good’. For secondaries, Bishop Luffa (Chichester) and St Philip Howard (Barnham) are ‘outstanding’.

GET AROUND London is 90 minutes’ drive away, or similar by direct train to Victoria Station. Gatwick Airport is less than an hour. Bucketloads of seaside towns are within easy reach via the A27, so too is Chichester.

IN THE AREA Swanbourne Lake is an idyllic spot to idle away an hour, or follow walking trails out to the dramatic South Downs.

In the heart of Arundel, this beautifully presented twobed flint cottage at 41 King Street has a rear garden and balcony with views to the coast, all for £550,000.

Arundel view in autumn; charming shops encourage happy browsing

When Lou Archer moved to Shropshire with her family 10 years ago, she was not a country girl. Lou and her husband Paul were keen to be closer to his business and give their children Antonia and Warwick a rural lifestyle. Some 14 miles from the market town of Ludlow, high on the Shropshire Hills, they found The Larches, a Victorian house with a slight nod to the Gothic. ‘The property was engulfed in foliage, but as we are The Archers and the property is called The Larches, it seemed to be fate,’ says Lou. ‘Relocating from a small, modern Oxfordshire cottage, to a lofty, 1000ft above sea level, rural 15-acre smallholding, was definitely life changing. Our friends all thought we’d gone potty.’

With Paul at work, Lou and the children started learning about country life. Their fields were overgrown and the hedges out of control. One day, returning from school drop-off, overdressed in heels and a jacket – pretty much all her wardrobe comprised at that time – Lou spotted a farmer on her lane, cutting hedges. ‘I hobbled down the bumpy lane, waving my arms, keen to ask him to cut our hedges, too. I must have looked like such a townie,’ she says. But this chance meeting was a turning point.

The farmer suggested Lou borrow some cows to graze the land and set about introducing her to other locals. ‘The day the herd of cows stampeded onto the land was pretty terrifying, but they soon got the fields under control,’ she says.

Once the paddocks were manageable, the hedges under control and the fences mended, Lou began to learn more and, over time, welcomed rescue cats, rare breed chickens and sheep to the growing smallholding. All was good – and then her husband did something unexpected.

‘One Sunday, Paul arrived at The Larches with a trailer containing two pregnant alpacas. A gift for the family, he said! He then immediately left to work in Italy for a period. Other than some guidance from the previous owners, I had no clue how to look after them. I wasn’t amused,’ says Lou. ‘After the initial shock, I signed up for a British Alpaca Society Husbandry course. The more I learnt, the more I adored them (and him). The children and I used to sit in the paddock, reading our books, leaning against their backs as they cushed (sat). We got to know them really >