The Cowdray Park Estate

One of the major features of Midhurst is the impact of the Cowdray Estate on the town. The intertwining of the Estate and the town goes back centuries and is still felt strongly today.

The estate still incorporates many of the leading attractions in Midhurst.

Firstly, Cowdray Estate contains the interesting Cowdray Ruins. These are the partly restored ruins of the grand Tudor manor house of Cowdray House. The House is located in a magnificent setting which is made even more wonderful (if that could be possible) by the landscaping of the legendary Capability Brown although there are some who reckon that the Park was even more beautiful before Brown got hold of it.

A recent addition to the attractions provided by the Estate is the lovely Walled Garden at Cowdray.

Secondly, the estate has a large impact on Midhurst's sporting and social life. The annual summer polo attracts many visitors to the town each year. As well as being a top sporting event in its own right, the polo is a major contributor to the Midhurst economy.

And Cowdray Golf Club offers a good test of hilly windy downland golf.

Further details of these great facilities can be found on the official Cowdray website.

At a more mundane level, you're bound to notice one very visual effect of the Estate on the town. The window frames of many of the Estates cottages around Midhurst are painted in garish yellow paint - a sort of a signature in colour.