Work blessed upon me the opportunity to take off a few days (otherwise know as “use it or lose it”). While boyfriend Ben toiled away with delights of his own, I used the opportunity to spend four (and a bit) days in and around Chichester in South England.

Day 1 – Winchester

On my drive down to Chichester I stopped off at Winchester for half a day.

Top tip: expect to be persistent with parking. I drove around the two “park and walk” car parks on Worthy Lane for thirty minutes before striking up a conversation with a pedestrian and taking his space when he left. Park and walk car parks are limited to four hours maximum stay.

It had been years since I’d visited Winchester, when the city was a source of escapism from my studies at Southampton University. Strolling around some of the quieter streets I found a building that included a brick laid by one of Swindon’s historic mayors, a claim to fame worthy of a photo.

Winchester Cathedral is where I spent the bulk of my time. First at the cathedral’s café, tucked away behind a high wall at the front of the cathedral, and then in the cathedral itself. The last (and coincidentally first) time I visited was in 2011, which ultimately swayed me into the decision to pay £13.50 for entry (valid for a year).

As well as hosting many examples of beautiful architecture, the cathedral also contains a memorial stone to Jane Austen and a permanent exhibit, “Kings & Scribes”. The three levels of the exbibit include the cathedral’s history, original biblical scripts and a King James I bible. A personal highlight was the the Bishop Morely library, full of old dusty books on pretty much every topic known to medieval man. Friendly volunteers were on hand throughout to answer questions.

Filled with a hefty dose of history and teacake, I headed back to my car and drove onto Chichester and the little cottage I’d booked. I spent the evening with a ready meal and got an early night, ready for the day ahead.

Day 2 – Chichester

On my first full day I made the most of everything outdoorsy the city had to offer. This started with coffee and homemade cake at the Canal Café, a volunteer-led operation at the Chichester Ship Canal Trust. A lovely way to spend an hour people watching.

In what was meant to be “ten minutes one way, ten minutes back”, I ended up taking a leisurely stroll along the length of the Chichester Ship Canal.

The canal itself is a pleasant walk, flat terrain with information boards dotted along the full course. This stretch is also believed to contain the view that inspired the famous “Chichester Canal” painting by artist J.M.W. Turner.

I caught one of the frequent buses at Chichester marina to get back into the city centre (the circular route involves walking along a stretch of very busy road with limited footpaths).

In the afternoon there was time to visit The Novium Museum, a free to enter museum which features sizable remains of a Roman bath house, alongside permanent and rotational exhibitions on the history and culture of Chichester. It’s also the home of the city’s tourist information point.

In the evening I dined at Franco Manca, Chichester. They put me in the window, providing a lovely view of the Cathedral at night. Sadly, service was pretty poor, I felt like I’d been completely forgotten about.

Day 3 – Arundel / Chichester

Waking up slightly later than planned, I made the fifteen minute drive to the town of Arundel to be greeted with ample parking in one of the main car parks.

Top tip: Stays of over four hours = a sharp increase in parking charges, so consider taking the train if you plan on visiting for the full day. Trains run frequently from Chichester to Arundel station, which is about 15/20 minute walk from the town itself.

Arundel Castle was sadly closed at the time of visiting, but that didn’t take away the enjoyment in having a leisurely stroll around the small streets and independent shops that call Arundel their home.

A visit to Arundel Cathedral is a must for those who can squeeze it into their itinerary. As well as being free to enter, this cathedral is a central feature point on the Arundel skyline and one of the few Roman Catholic cathedrals in England (blame Henry VIII).

As a side note, I was disappointed to have missed out on Arundel Castle due to its seasonal openings. Given the number of people milling around Arundel, I think the owners may have missed a trick. Another attraction for another time, maybe!

After driving back to Chichester in the mid afternoon, I visited another cathedral (my third in as many days). Chichester Cathedral is free to enter.

At the time of visiting, the cathedral had an exhibition to celebrate its 950th anniversary. For a free-to-enter site, the standard of this exhibition was high, with colourful and engaging boards, and cabinets filled with carefully selected artefacts from the cathedral’s collection.

In the evening I ate at the Italian restaurant Piccolino, Chichester. It was very busy, and the prices a little bit on the steep side. They seated me in the front window, which doesn’t usually happen as a solo diner! Owing to the price, I went for a simple pasta dish.

Day 4 – Chichester

I spent my fourth day in numerous coffee shops in Chichester. Reading and writing to my heart’s content, it was wonderful.

Independent shout out: Naima Speciality Coffee (Instagram account here.)

In the evening I ate at Bill’s Chichester. Staff were very friendly (especially given it was a Friday and the place was packed). Bill’s is a popular chain, you kinda know what you’re going to get. Good food, at a reasonable price.

Day 5 – Chawton, near Alton

Driving back home, I stopped part-way into my journey to visit Chawton, near Alton. This little village is quaint in its own merit, but what sets it apart from other Hampshire villages is its connection to literary royalty. 2025 marks Austen’s 250th birthday and by the time I’d booked my entry ticket to Jane Austen’s House I was practically whipped up into a new wave of Austen mania.

Top tip: book in advance, as numbers entering Jane Austen’s House are strictly limited. Once you’re inside you can stay as long as you like, and the small surrounding garden has no time restrictions. Dogs are not allowed inside the house.

The house is part staged reconstruction (downstairs), part exhibit (upstairs). Seeing Jane’s writing table and her surviving hand written manuscript drafts on tiny sheets of folded paper, shows that in the literary world size doesn’t always matter.

After the house, I sat in the garden and read my book, before making my peace and exiting through the gift shop, avoiding all eye contact with the highly tempting merchandise on sale.

After Austen’s house it felt only right to pay my respects at the gravesite memorials of Cassandra Austen and Cassandra Leigh, Jane’s sister and mother who are buried at St Nicholas Church at the other end of the village, next to Chawton House (former home of one of Jane’s brothers, Henry). The interior of the church is pleasant enough, however is a little overshadowed by the long line of people marching past the front door to get sight of the Austen graves tucked around the back.

When it comes to light refreshments, The Old Kitchen Tearoom at Chawton House has plenty of seating and Chawton itself offers a welcoming pub and café.

From Chawton I drove back home, returning by the late afternoon and ready for a cup of tea and a full debrief with Boyfriend Ben. A chilled Sunday followed, before returning to work on the Monday, refreshed and ready to take on the 1000+ emails and twice as many Teams messages and missed Zoom calls.

A wonderful few days with the glorious weather to match. Who says you can’t get sunburn while holidaying in Britain?

AEB

NB: All prices, information and external links correct at time of writing, April 2025

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