See all properties
Entire home

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

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

Property grounds
Exterior
Property grounds
Bluebells in the Spring
Property grounds

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

Map
Chilgrove, West Sussex
  • Goodwood Motor Circuit
    ‪20 min drive‬
  • Goodwood Racecourse
    ‪22 min drive‬
  • Goodwood House
    ‪22 min drive‬
  • Southampton (SOU)
    ‪55 min drive‬

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.

Property manager

Rachel
Premier Host

Languages

English, French

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Outdoor space

Have a question?

AI iconBeta

Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.

Similar properties

Fabulous new kitchen at the center of the house perfect for family and friends

Wonderful home 2min walk to Beach on private beach road, close to West Wittering

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Pet-friendly
9.8 out of 10, (110 reviews)
Wonderful home 2min walk to Beach on private beach road, close to West Wittering

House Rules

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

Children

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

Events

No events allowed
Please arrange direct with the owner
default

Pets

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

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. Weald and Downland Open Air Museum and Chichester Festival Theatre are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Goodwood Golf Club and Ashling Park Estate. 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.
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 Festival Theatre - 21 min drive - 15.1 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 Fox and Hounds - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪The Royal Oak - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Horse & Groom - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪The Kennels - ‬14 min drive
  • ‪The Pavilion - ‬21 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. Sky Park Farm and Bishop's Palace Gardens are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 65 out of 87 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 17 out of 87 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 87 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 87 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 87 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

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

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

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

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

10/10 Excellent

John C.

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

Lovely location with beautiful walks

Amazing woodland and walks on your doorstep. Beautiful house with lots of character with large quite garden to relax in. Not far from beach, would stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Stephen Wigmore

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

Excellent rural location

Interesting, beautiful house in lovely rural location, 45 minutes from West Wittering beach.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Emma H.

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

Mrs

Really homely! Beautiful spot surrounded by nature. Host was really helpful and kind
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

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

Diana S.

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

Fascinating history

Loved location - up long long track through woods. Loved history as smallpox isolation hospital.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Des M.

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

Birthday celebration

Wonderful location for our family birthday celebration. Plenty to keep the kids occupied. A fabulous time was had by all.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

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

Jonathan M.

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

Beautiful character property

This is a beautiful character property in a rural location. The property is a family home, and more than 200 years old, so expectations have to be set accordingly. The gardens are lovely and blend into the surrounding woodlands, despite the full perimeter fence. We stayed with friends, both families had kids aged 4 and 8. They loved being able to explore the house and gardens and we would be very happy to stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Raf H.

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

Great walking holiday in the Downs

Wonderful cottage with a lot of history. Perfect location in countryside, but easy access to Chichester and cosy pubs in the neighbourhood. Great for walking in the South Downs. Fits 10 perfectly. Good communication with very helpful owner.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Faith N.

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

Beautiful and unique secluded home

Rachel's house is easily the most unique stay I've been on in the UK. The history of the property is fascinating - with original doors etched with names and dates from the 1700s and documents detailing the house's use throughout the centuries framed for you to read. The grounds are enormous and secluded - perfect for outdoor dining on sunny days- and the home itself is beautifully decorated with a whimsical, classic English style. To top it off, Rachel couldn't be more friendly, amenable and helpful. I can't recommend this home enough!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 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

Minty L.

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

Remote hideaway

We enjoyed our stay. The directions for getting there seemed worryingly complicated. In the event the Postcode for The White Horse to enable Sat nav and one line to find the track from either direction proved sufficient. Our host was helpful and kept us informed and has offered to post a left behind item, for which I am very grateful. Plenty to see and do in the area and fun and games in the house. Dinner at The White Horse was excellent on our last night.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mark R.

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

Away from it all.

A beautiful spot to be away from it all without having to leave the county. A great old house with some quirky features. Easy to relax into and surrounded by mother nature. I had nothing but positive feedback from friends in our group on finding this house and location. Rachel (host) was most helpful on requests for information. Will hopefully be back next year.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 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

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

About the host

Hosted by Rachel

Host profile image

Languages:

English, French

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback

Hotels

beach rentals in Wellington
cabins Hokitika
RV and caravan rentals New Zealand

Holiday Rentals

Canterbury Holiday Rentals
Thames Coast Holiday Rentals
Fernhill Holiday Rentals
Punga Cove Holiday Rentals
Rolleston Station Holiday Rentals
Half Moon Bay Marina Holiday Rentals
Queenstown Holiday Rentals
Te Kopuru Holiday Rentals
Rotorua Holiday Rentals
Awakeri Hot Springs Holiday Rentals
Takaka Holiday Rentals
Kaka Point Holiday Rentals
Awhitu Holiday Rentals
Rarotonga Holiday Rentals
Ilikai Marina Condos Holiday Rentals
Mahia Holiday Rentals
Whangaroa Harbour Holiday Rentals
Springdale Holiday Rentals
Christchurch Holiday Rentals
Te Rapa Holiday Rentals
Whitianga Holiday Rentals
Martinborough Holiday Rentals
Muri Beach Holiday Rentals
Waingaro Hot Springs Holiday Rentals
Orewa Holiday Rentals
Barcelona Holiday Rentals
Whanganui Holiday Rentals