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Peaceful 18th C Country House In The Heart Of A Nature Reserve, Near Chichester

Family-friendly holiday home in Chichester with a water park

Photo gallery for Peaceful 18th C Country House In The Heart Of A Nature Reserve, Near Chichester

Property grounds
Exterior
Property grounds
Exterior
Exterior

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
5 bedrooms3+ bathroomsSleeps 11343.7 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Parking available
  • Fireplace
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View map
  • Place, Goodwood Motor Circuit
  • Place, Goodwood Racecourse
  • Place, Goodwood House
  • Airport, Southampton (SOU)

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 11)

Bedroom 1

3 Single Beds

Bedroom 2

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 3

1 King Bed and 2 Cribs

Bedroom 4

1 King Bed

Bedroom 5

2 Single Beds

3 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shampoo

Bathroom 2

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shampoo

Bathroom 3

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet

Bathroom 4

+1
Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Bidet · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Peaceful 18th C Country House In The Heart Of A Nature Reserve, Near Chichester

The property was built in the 18th Century by the groom to the bedchamber of George II as a smallpox isolation hospital (and featured on the BBC's House Detectives) but is now a large comfortable family home - plenty of space for multi-generational families and ideal for reunions. The large garden has mature flower beds, fruit trees and a large pond (fenced) with an island. The property itself is set in the middle of a wood in the Kingley Vale Nature Reserve within South Downs National Park but is only a 20 minute drive from Chichester and the market town of Petersfield. The property is 15 minutes drive from Goodwood and 30 minutes drive from West Wittering beach. There is a cancellation/refund policy. It is a birdwatcher's paradise - we recorded over 43 different birds in the garden within the space of 1 day. It is a truly magical, tranquil place - an oasis in the middle of the forest with footpaths and cycle routes going straight from the property into the woods and beyond to the Devil's Humps where there are views of the Isle of Wight and Solent.

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Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 26
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Please see owner's policy
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Events

No events allowed
Please arrange direct with the owner
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Pets

Pets allowed: limit 3 total
Please see owner's policy
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Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas
Any charges imposed by HomeAway for using the on line payment system will be the responsibility of the traveller.
The owner has a more flexible cancellation policy than shown above contained in the booking conditions that the owner will email to the traveller
The owner's booking conditions apply to all bookings which are emailed to the traveller

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Please arrange direct with the owner
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Chichester

Located in Chichester, this holiday home is in a rural area and near the beach. Goodwood Golf Club and Ashling Park Estate are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit West Sussex Falconry and Bishop's Palace Gardens. Looking to enjoy an event or a game? See what's going on at Goodwood Motor Circuit or Goodwood Racecourse. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
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Map
Chilgrove, West Sussex

What's nearby

  • Weald and Downland Open Air Museum - 19 min drive - 12.7 km
  • Goodwood Motor Circuit - 20 min drive - 15.1 km
  • Chichester Cathedral - 21 min drive - 15.8 km
  • Goodwood Racecourse - 22 min drive - 17.0 km
  • Goodwood House - 22 min drive - 15.4 km

Getting around

  • Fishbourne Station - 14 min drive
  • Southampton (SOU) - 73 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Daffodil - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Horse & Groom - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪The Partridge Inn - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪The Kennels - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪Farmer, Butcher, Chef Restaurant and Bar - ‬16 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Peaceful 18th C Country House In The Heart Of A Nature Reserve, Near Chichester pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows pets (limit 3 total).

What time is check-in at Peaceful 18th C Country House In The Heart Of A Nature Reserve, Near Chichester?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Peaceful 18th C Country House In The Heart Of A Nature Reserve, Near Chichester?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Peaceful 18th C Country House In The Heart Of A Nature Reserve, Near Chichester located?

This family-friendly Chichester holiday home is located by the sea, 3.1 mi (5 km) from Kingley Vale, and within 6 mi (10 km) of West Sussex Falconry and Uppark. Bishop's Palace Gardens and Thorney Island are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy
Rating 10 - Excellent. 71 out of 98 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 21 out of 98 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 98 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 98 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 98 reviews

Reviews

8/10 Good

Isabel L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Nice peaceful location. Good for family gathering Lovely new kitchen.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Joan A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fantastic stay! Rachel was a delight to work with. The home is in a very peaceful location and is so pretty! Its history is really amazing and we enjoyed reading the extensive folder Rachel created with historical details about the house. We would definitely stay here again!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Judie T.

Liked: Cleanliness, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely house

We enjoyed our stay, it is well off the beaten track and a very stiff gate at the entrance made us doubt if we were in the right place. The house is lovely if in need of some serious TLC, especially with the plumbing. Lots of games, books and adventures for our grand children who loved the drum kit and piano and we loved kitchen. A good location for everything once the driveway had been negotiated.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Denyse G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect house for a relaxing weekend in beautiful countryside. As a relaxing escape from busy lives we felt immersed in nature. There was plenty of space with options for 8 adults to read, cook, play music & games, dine - both indoors and outside, without feeling crowded. The history of the house interested some of us and we really liked the comfortable style of the furnishings and decor. The owner Rachel, was very helpful with communicating directions and ‘things to know’. We’d very happily stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brian W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Holiday in West Sussex.

A very good property. We were very happy there.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

8/10 Good

Anna G.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location

Lovely house

We loved the house and the location. Very unique. Loads of room inside and out for a large family, but the beds are not kings. This is not a property for those wanting a sparkling pristine house. It’s very old which is its charm. The kitchen was new and very nice indeed. But the windows - especially upstairs - were badly in need of a good clean!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Joyce A.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
New kitchen was lovely although the work surfaces are impractical.Open fires good, although unable to use the one in the dining room (because of bees), A pity no logs were provided.The gates are not easy to manoeuvre, and the garden access for vehicles is tricky. The very lengthy drive could have been cut back more to avoid scratching cars.The shower head in the en suite bathroom was full of lime scale.The entrance porch has a huge cupboard for muddy boots but no hooks to hang wet coats, we had to use doors.We would have liked better quality bed linen and towels.A welcome pack would have been welcome.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Eleanor H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A charming house in a beautiful location

We had a wonderful stay in this lovely old house with its amazing history. Such a treat to be in the middle of nowhere with no traffic noise, clean air, dark skies and no neighbours to upset with the sound of the drums! The house is both cosy and roomy enough for a group of 10 to relax and have fun. We may well be back.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicola M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Interesting house

The house was beautiful with plenty of space for 11 adults - the drive is a long way in the dark but worth it when you get there. Be careful if you have very full cars, go very slowly.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

rachel d.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful breakaway

Enjoyed a lovely weekend away, in this lovely romote house in a lovely nature park. The house is very spacious and has alively garden and access to the nature reseve and some lovely walks. Rachel was in co tact with any up dates after booking
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Pardhy37

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Glorious base for nature adventures!

Firstly, thanking Rachel for her flexibility on early check in and late check out as well as moving the dates of the rental twice! VERY appreciated. It is a very sweet, witches house vibe in the most perfect location close to the best hikes. I liked that it felt lived in and was not so spotless that we had to worry about being precious anything. It is definitely very cosy and ramshackled and we loved that vibe! Thanks so much for the useful hiking maps. Would definitely recommed for groups of up to 10 people! Many thanks
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

6/10 Okay

Helen C.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quirky country house

Lovely venue for a special family get together. We had t expected it to be a lived in family house so not your typical holiday rental. The interior is spacious and functional. It’s a lovely setting, remote and peaceful. The property would be better for visitors if the garden were tidied up and broken things and junk removed. The history of the house was interesting to read and Rachel was very responsive to questions especially helpful letting me know what kitchen equipment was available.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anne C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

short stopover

the house is amazing in a very secluded spot with nature all around. Sadly, were not able to make the most of it as the weather was pretty dismal! We enjoyed the space the property offered and found it really comfortable to be in, although when we first arrived, the house was rather cold and it took a while for us to get it warm enough for my elderly mum. All in all a lovely place and we wish we could have had longer and better weather. Host communication was brilliant.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Stuart M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Characterful

This historic characterful house in a remote location is perfect for a family get together. It comfortably accommodated 11 and was perfect for our murder mystery and New Years Eve Party. In the middle of a nature reserve walks are a plenty and lots of wildlife about. The house has some fascinating history. It also has some quirks like a mile and a half track from the nearest road and water supplied from bore holes neither of which caused a problem.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

8/10 Good

Leah L., Seaford, East Sussex

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family celebration for 80th birthday party

A beautiful spacious country house hidden in the forest of Kingly Vale. Remote, peaceful and welcoming. Ideal for three generations of our family to gather to celebrate an 80th birthday. We enjoyed the music room/lounge with its grand piano, garden and terrace and BBQ for an evening of good food, wine and music. Near enough to West Wittering beach and ideal for Chichester. We had problems with the showers, dishwasher, oven and lack of basic cleaning supplies but it wouldn't take much to remedy this. Think shabby chic farmhouse in the Dordogne...! Overall really lovely and we would return for another weekend stay. Very remote access on forest lane but manageable.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

8/10 Good

Di P.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family weekend

We all enjoyed the long weekend to celebrate a special birthday. I loved the house, great space for our party of 9 and 2 little ones. The kitchen is well equipped, some items have seen better days, the bedrooms worked well for our family dynamic, however some of the linen could have been better laundered and some of the duvets & pillows would benefit from a launder or even replacement. We had a problem with one of the showers but this was sorted very quickly by Rachel although she & the plumber came to sort it at 8pm on Saturday evening when the babies were asleep and we were enjoying a family evening meal. Overall, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the property if you are looking for a get away from It all break but be prepared for a little rough round the edges feel - I loved it!! Happy holidays!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Ali B.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quirky, remote house. Great for hide and seek in the dark.

Big 5 bedroomed house in the middle of a nature reserve. The driveway to the house is over a mile and a half and is quite difficult to traverse in the dark for the first time. Low, sporty type cars need not try it! The house was big and old and has plenty of space and bathrooms. The master bedroom is a through room between bedrooms which is different but not bad, but there are two staircase so you can go around. It just takes some getting used to. We loved reading the history of the house which the owner has completed in great detail. Fascinating. What we didn't realise is that this house is lived in by the owners (not sure where they go) and we felt like we were intruding. They are obviously used to it but.. We did play hide and seek in the dark one night and that was great fun as there is no light pollution and boy was it scary.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sandra T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We loved the quiet isolation of the house and enjoyed the lovely safe gardens The postcode is not accurate at all but the host gave driving instructions that were very helpful We did not expect the bridleway to be so long and uneven and the drivers in standard cars were very anxious we all arrived safely and in the correct spot but on the leaving day one car got a puncture and needed AA to rescue them The kitchen is new and lovely but I did spend the time following people around and wiping up drips and moving things on to mats to protect the wooden workbench which doesn’t seem fit for the job
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Debbie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Our family had a wonderful stay in this idyllic house. The house was quirky and full of history with lots of lovely features. The large dining room was perfect for entertaining a large group and the kitchen was fully equipped and modern. All cleaning equipment was provided. The music room was a real bonus as one of my granddaughters is learning to play piano, and the boys loved the drums.The garden was a favourite too. The children loved exploring and running around, and it was a fabulous place to spend the evenings. We left our cars for the weekend and walked along the various bridleways nearby. Rachel was an excellent host, pleasant, responsive and helpful. We booked this house for an opportunity to spend quality time as a family without the usual distractions and no one wanted to leave.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Gill W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A great characterful property in a wonderful secluded setting within a nature reserve. The property is large, but homely and the children loved running around the two main staircases and the lounge with the piano and drum kit. We also loved the piano and the music Rachel kindly left was very much appreciated. We were a 3 gen family of 11 and could sit round the dining room table with ease. The kitchen was new and very well equipped for everything you could possibly want.The 3 bedded childrens room was amazing, with a huge range of wooden toys. Also an extensive selection of books too. The other bedtooms were all comfortable.The gardens were safe for children, a beautiful fenced in pond, a range of play equipment and lovely places to sit and listen to the birds. The garden had a fence all the way round so we could relax knowing everyone was safe.Wifi was a little patchy but worked well most of the time and my mobile phone reception was a bit sporadic in the house but there were places I could get a decent signal even with ee. We stayed during a very dry spell, except for our last day, and being a lot of us, the water supply struggled a bit, particularly the shower in the top bedroom and the king room. The shower in the main bathroom was brilliant though. We just ensured we staggered our times. The downstairs toilet has some fascinating literature about the property, well worth reading. Only one of the staircases had a handrail though. The track was fine.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Russell W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful, peaceful getaway

We had a wonderful time. Rachel was a lovely host! The pictures of the house and lands dont do it justice when seen in the flesh!Thanks Rachel!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Friends and family party for 8

We had so much fun ! The house has amazing history which is all documented indoors as you enter the house …the setting is utterly beautiful and tranquil ..the pond has ducks which fly in and we heard the deer at night outside… we spent most of our time in the garden .. there are numerous dining spaces and the main lounge has a wonderful ambience .. someone in our group can play the piano so that got used aswell !! (Check out the farm nearby in village of Westbourne about 20 mins drive away that does Alpaca walking .) Rachel the owner went above and beyond to accomodate us .. we all did not want to leave .. stunning location !! Thankyou Rachel
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Perry H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A 70th birthday celebration on my favourite hill!

The property was chosen because of its location - I have known the area around Bow Hill over 6 decades. Blackbushe House was marvellous for its character, charm and the spacious accommodation. We had a wonderful time socialising and celebrating in the house and garden whilst also enjoying walks to Kingley Vale, the Devils Humps tumuli and to the Hare and Hounds in Stoughton. A huge thank you to our host Rachel for the opportunity to stay in your home.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mark R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

long term friends

A unique house, with a fascinating history in an area of natural beauty. With great walks from the gate and beyond.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Paul W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful get-together

A perfect place for our annual university friends get together. We’re now all in our fifties and since Covid seven of us get together for a long weekend. This was the perfect location. Great for walks. Great for cooking together and relaxing, and a good pub within a 30mins walk.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

About the host

Hosted by Rachel

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Languages:

English, French

Premier Host

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