In focus: South Downs National Park

The South Downs National Park incorporates the counties of Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex, stretching across from Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the east.

It is the newest of the UK’s 15 national parks and the third largest, covering 1,627 square kilometres, with 113,000 people living and working within its boundaries and an additional 2 million people living within 5 kilometres.

The area is also one of only 23 Dark Sky Reserves in the world, making it one of the best places to view the night sky.

With 575 scheduled monuments and 5,203 listed buildings, the park is full of history, alongside rolling chalk hills, iconic white cliffs such as the Seven Sisters, globally important habitats including lowland heath, described as rarer than rainforest, and ancient woodland.

Towns and villages

There are four market towns within the South Downs National Park: beautiful Petworth with its cobblestone streets, Georgian architecture and vibrant community life; Midhurst, which has a timeless charm with a blend of Tudor, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture and lively centre; Lewes, with its rich heritage and bohemian culture; and Petersfield, often referred to as the Gateway to the South Downs National Park, with a bustling town square and medieval layout and character.

There are numerous picturesque villages and hamlets dotted throughout the landscape, including Graffham, South Harting, Lodsworth, Milland and East Dean to name a few.

Attractions

With more than 3,300 kilometres of footpaths, including the 101-mile South Downs Way, which is entirely within the park, the park is a popular destination for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. It is thought that the chalk ridgeline of the South Downs Way has been used by people for more than 6,000 years.

Cissbury Ring, the largest hill fort in Sussex, encompasses 65 acres of land that was used for both farming and mining flint, some of which is still evident in the walls of buildings across the national park.

The landscape is home to a wealth of attractions such as The Goodwood Estate at the heart of West Sussex, known for the world famous Festival of Speed, Goodwood Revival and Glorious Goodwood, and the Cowdray Estate for golf, polo and a wide variety of outdoor pursuits and events.

House prices

With such a varied landscape and wealth of picturesque towns, villages and countryside, there’s unsurprisingly an equally varied selection of property across the South Downs National Park. There is everything from grand country estates and farms and equestrian properties, to quaint historic cottages and more modern family homes.

The average house price in the South Downs is £535,540 (to June 2025), which has increased by 9.4% over the last ten years.

For a good-sized, detached family home with outside space in one of the sought-after areas of the park, you’d be looking to spend around £1.5m.

The main buyers in the area are families, drawn by the excellent schools, together with access to country life alongside proximity to the amenities in the larger towns; retirees in search of tranquillity and the active communities that can be found here; and commuters, with mainline stations in Winchester, Petersfield and Liphook and the A3 and other major roads offering good connectivity to both London and the south coast.