From the Gunpowder plot to Doctor Who: discover more about Midhurst
Midhurst is a bustling market town with a lot to offer and its residents are fiercely proud of where they call home.
DebraJacquessaid:“Midhurst is home. Six generations of my familyhavelivedhere.Twoofmy four grandsons being the sixth generation.
“I have seen many changes to our town throughout the years. Itislovelytoseetheindependent shops, and the weekly market in EdinburghSquare.Itisjustlovely to see the town coming back to life after the lockdowns, with a great choice of eateries.
“And I must say that the planters around town are beautiful.”
Adam Harrison Trish added: I love the views we have, the countryside, the fact we have independent shops and the high street isn’t full of big players. I love that there is a clear identity here with the prevalence of the Cowdray livery everywhere.”
Harvey Tordoff is vicechairman of the Midhurst Society, he said: “What do I love about Midhurst? Its quaint old buildings and quirky streets; its picturesque river and ruins; its position,nestledbetweenridges of the Downs. The quiet streets of the Old Town are steeped in character and history.
“And more than that, I love its community spirit, which came to the fore as we faced Covid-19 together. That will remain, long after the pandemic becomes a fadingmemory. Visitorswillfind a variety of independent shops, and they will receive a warm welcome in the cafes, pubs and restaurants.”
The market town and civil parish of Midhurst is situated on the River Rother.
It stands within the grounds of Midhurst Castle, which was owned by the de Bohum family, the castle who abandoned in favour of Cowdray in 1280.
CowdrayHouseandCowdray Park,whichisthehomeofBritish polo are very popular with residents and tourists alike.
The village of Easebourne, a mile north-east of the town centre, is known for its many houses with yellow-painted windowframesanddoors,which indicatesthepropertiesbelongto the Cowdray Estate.
The Cowdray Ruins is one of England’s most important early Tudor Houses.
Said to have been visited by both King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth, in September 1793, whilst undergoing repairs and refurbishments for the impending marriage of the 8th Viscount Montagu, a fire destroyed most of the property. Thekitchentoweristheonlypart still intact.
The A286 runs through the heartofthetownandthebustling street is full of high-street favourites and independent shops and cafes.
Over the years, Midhurst has seen a number of famous faces either live or work in the town and surrounding area.
In the late 1500s the owner of Cowdray House Anthony-Maria Browne, 2nd Viscount Montagu, briefly employed Guy Fawkes as a footman. In 1605, Browne was briefly arrested in connection with the Gunpowder Plot due to employing Fawkes and because he stayed away from Parliament on November 5 following a warning from co-conspirator Robert Catesby, no charges were brought.
War of the Worlds novelist H.G. Wells lived there during the 1880s, working briefly as an chemist apprentice before joining Midhurst Grammar School as an assistant teacher.
It has also been the backdrop to a number of TV shows includingTheManintheOrange Shirt, Foyle’s War, Tom Baker’s Doctor Who in the 1970s and film Mary Queen of Scots.For history,culture,shoppingorfood Midhurst has it all.