A great little cottage holiday retreat right below Chanctonbury Ring on the South Downs

This compact studio cottage is situated within the moated grounds of Buncton Manor Farmhouse. The ducks often stubbornly take up residence on the driveway while the chickens come and greet you while you unload! This is staying in the country!

The cottage enjoys its own private entrance with a sheltered, west facing garden that slopes towards the moat. There is wildlife galore with carp and rudd in the moat and nuthatch, woodpecker, moorhens, and occasionally a kingfisher that visit the garden because of the water. The studio is complete, offering compact accommodation that consists of a double bed, en—suite shower room and a fully equipped kitchen with four ring hob and beamed lounge area with a television and DVD player. Although the cottage is on one level and suitable for those with restricted mobility there are three steps to negotiate on the outside..

Wiston and beyond

Buncton Manor Cottage is just a short walk by footpath to Wiston Tearooms, shop and post office. En route is the 12th Century Buncton Chapel that served a very small community. The tearooms offer homemade lunches and cakes and share their grounds with many small farmyard animals.

To the south is the famous landmark of Chanctonbury Ring on the South Downs where there are excellent views from the path to Wiston. The walk up to the Ring is close to the cottage with a path up through the woods to the South Downs Way. At the top turn right — it is a walk of no more than two miles. Chanctonbury Ring was originally an iron age hill fort and following that a Roman temple was located there. It is most famous though for the ring of beech trees planted in 1760 by Charles Goring. The great storm of 1987 ripped through the Ring and, following a second storm in 1990 the Goring family replanted the trees and today Chanctonbury Ring is regaining its former glory. At 238 metres there are fine Downland views in each direction. Walk three miles to the south from Chanctonbury and you will reach Cissbury Ring which is one of the greatest prehistoric Iron Age hill forts in the country. The banks and ditches that you see here are the remains of a vast defensive wall that enclose an area of 65 acres. On a clear day you can see Beachy Head to the east and the Isle of Wight and Chichester Cathedral spire to the west.

Three miles east of the cottage along the A283 is Steyning. It is a vibrant small town full of narrow streets and timber framed buildings. Its Norman church contains some of the best Romanesque architecture in England. Steyning‘s immediate neighbour is the small village of Bramber that has remained largely unchanged over the centuries and is overlooked by the remains of the castle built after the Norman Conquest and now looked after by English Heritage. St Mary‘s House is a magnificent late medieval house and has interesting connections — King Charles II hid there on his escape to France and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle chose the house as a setting for one of the Sherlock Holmes stories. It is well worth visiting on a trip into Bramber.

Places to visit

Chanctonbury Ring - South Downs

St Mary's House - Bramber

Local Events

Parham House and Gardens - Country Fair - June, Garden Weekend and Live Craft - July

Amberley Musuem & Heritage Centre -

Vintage Car Show - April

Heavy Horses and Woodland Craft - May

Classic Car Summer Picnic - August

• Local shop — 1.5 miles
• Nearest supermarket — Steyning 3 miles
• Nearest restaurant — Washington 1.5 miles
• Nearest pub — Washington 1.5 miles
• Bus service — Hourly to Steyning, Storrington and Pulborough
• Gatwick Airport 30 miles