insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 15 - May 2016 | Page 76

TOWNSPOTLIGHT

S P OT L I G H T

O N

MIDHURST

BY LISAMARIE LAMB

Midhurst is a memorable place. Once you have visited you won’t be able to forget its sweeping,
wide streets and its beautiful architecture. And, it isn’t just good looks that Midhurst has going
for it; with a superb Sussex location and a plethora of things to do and places to eat, it’s a
wonderful place to explore.

History in Brief
Although the most famous former resident of
Midhurst is probably novelist H. G. Wells, who
set his story, The Invisible Man there, the town
itself first makes an appearance in records
in 1186 where it is noted as being called
Middeherst, meaning ‘the place amongst
the wooded hills’. Such a picturesque and
descriptive name must have enticed settlers
to arrive in the area, as it wasn’t long before
Midhurst became a popular destination with
travellers.

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The Norman lord, Savaric Fitzcane, built a
fortified house atop St Anne’s Hill, and the current
town grew up around the castle fortifications. By
around 1300, the Fitzcanes, by then known as
the powerful de Bohun family, had built a new
house by the riverside, which became known
as Cowdray House. Today, Cowdray House is a
magnificent Tudor manor set in parkland. Though
gutted by fire in 1793, the house is a marvellous
reminder of a bygone age, and remains one of
the most imposing Tudor houses in the country,
with its walls still standing to full height.