24 places from our The South Downs guide, from Lewes and the Seven Sisters to Midhurst and Petworth. Each links to its area guide and, where we have one, its official site.
Attractions
24 places
Each dot is a place in the list below. Scroll with the page; click or focus the map to zoom with the wheel.
Historic houseThatched 14th-century Wealden hall house on The Tye; in 1896 it became the first building the National Trust bought.
Historic houseTimber-framed 15th-century house given to Anne of Cleves after her marriage to Henry VIII ended; Tudor kitchen and garden.
ViewpointBritain's highest chalk sea cliff, 162 metres above the sea, with views along the coast towards the Isle of Wight.
Other sightDecommissioned clifftop lighthouse near Beachy Head, moved back from the eroding edge in one piece in 1999.
Other sightLarge Roman courtyard villa near Stane Street, known for mosaic floors that are among the most complete in the country.
Other sightNational Trust clifftop café and shop on the Seven Sisters, with 50 steps down to a shingle beach.
Historic houseCountry home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, decorated by the Bloomsbury artists, with a garden, galleries and café.
Other sightRuins of an early Tudor house visited by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, gutted by fire in 1793; open for events and tours.
Park or natureShingle beach where the meandering River Cuckmere meets the sea, with the Coastguard Cottages and the view of the Seven Sisters.
Other sight
Zoo or aquariumSmall zoo near Alfriston focused on conservation and children, with play areas and rides.
Other sightOpera house on a country estate near Lewes, known for its summer opera festival; there is also an autumn season.
CastleNorman castle built after the Battle of Hastings; climb the keep for views, then visit the Museum of Sussex Archaeology next door.
Other sightRuins of the Priory of St Pancras, founded in the 11th century by William de Warenne and dissolved in 1537, with a herb garden.
Park or natureHill figure on Windover Hill, recorded since at least 1710 and Europe's largest portrayal of the human form; free to visit.
Historic house
Historic houseLate 17th-century house with Grinling Gibbons carvings and many Turner paintings, in a Capability Brown deer park with fallow deer.
Park or nature280 hectares of chalk grassland and the meandering Cuckmere valley, leading to the beach at Cuckmere Haven.
Other sightThe National Park Authority's visitor centre in Midhurst, with leaflets on walks, OS maps and South Downs gifts.
GardenPublic gardens of a house built in 1572, in the centre of Lewes; they host events from theatre to beer festivals.
Historic houseNational Trust house of about 1690 set high on the Downs; the garden is free and the house reopens for Christmas on 6 December.
Museum
GardenRestored gardens at the foot of the Downs with Victorian glasshouses, a spring garden and a plant nursery.
GardenNational Trust gardens near Midhurst with the Tulip Folly; pre-booking required, reopening Apr 15, 2027.
Try a different name or type, or clear the filters. Filters that need a reported flag (step-free, kids, entry, booking) hide places we hold no report for; they do not rule them out.
By area
Each link opens the area guide with the full descriptions, photos and directions.
More about The South Downs: the The South Downs guide, free things to do and UK museums and galleries.
How the flags work
Every flag below comes from a source you can open. Where we hold no report, the list says "not stated" or shows nothing: it does not guess. Check the venue before you travel, because prices, hours and booking rules change.
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