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West Dean College

West Dean Chichester
Rated 8.8 in 520 reviews

West Dean College, nestled in the picturesque landscape of West Dean in the United Kingdom, offers a unique blend of historic charm and contemporary comfort. Set within a stunning 6,350-acre estate in the South Downs National Park, this destination is as much a cultural experience as it is a retreat for rest and relaxation. Formerly the home of the famed poet and patron of the arts, Edward James, West Dean College provides guests with a serene getaway imbued with rich artistic heritage.

The property itself is an architectural gem, reflecting a harmonious mix of history and elegance with its well-preserved classic interiors and carefully maintained gardens. Guests can explore the beautiful grounds, which include tranquil gardens, enchanting glasshouses, and extensive parkland.

West Dean College serves as a renowned center for arts education, offering a variety of short courses in disciplines such as textiles, painting, and pottery. Guests have the unique opportunity to engage in these creative classes during their stay, further enhancing the distinctive appeal of the experience.

Accommodation at West Dean College promises comfort and convenience, where each room is thoughtfully decorated to complement the historical ambiance of the estate. The on-site dining boasts a selection of locally-sourced dishes, providing a delightful culinary experience that reflects the region's produce and flavors.

Whether seeking a peaceful escape to unwind or an enriching cultural experience, West Dean College represents an ideal destination, inviting guests to immerse themselves in a tranquil yet stimulating environment.

 Swimming pool

Climate and Weather

January
 8°
 1°
 7°
 2
Sun hours / day
 12
Rain free days
February
 8°
 1°
 7°
 3
Sun hours / day
 13
Rain free days
March
 11°
 2°
 8°
 4
Sun hours / day
 15
Rain free days
April
 14°
 4°
 9°
 5
Sun hours / day
 15
Rain free days
May
 17°
 7°
 11°
 7
Sun hours / day
 19
Rain free days
June
 20°
 10°
 15°
 8
Sun hours / day
 19
Rain free days
July
 22°
 12°
 17°
 8
Sun hours / day
 21
Rain free days
August
 22°
 12°
 18°
 7
Sun hours / day
 20
Rain free days
September
 19°
 10°
 17°
 6
Sun hours / day
 18
Rain free days
October
 15°
 7°
 15°
 4
Sun hours / day
 16
Rain free days
November
 11°
 4°
 11°
 3
Sun hours / day
 13
Rain free days
December
 8°
 2°
 8°
 2
Sun hours / day
 12
Rain free days

Michelin Restaurants in West Dean and near West Dean College

Weald and Downland Living Museum
Weald and Downland Living Museum
Open air museum in Singleton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom
0.7km / 0.46mi
Monarch's Way
Monarch's Way
Long-distance footpath running from Worcester to Shoreham
210m / 230yd
The Parish Church of St Andrew
The Parish Church of St Andrew
Church in Chichester, United Kingdom
60m / 70yd
The Parish Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Parish Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Church in Chichester, UK
1.6km / 1mi
Goodwood Racecourse
Horse racing venue in England
2.7km / 1.7mi
Goodwood House
Goodwood House
Country house in Westhampnett, West Sussex, England, UK
2.1km / 1.3mi
Fox Hall
Fox Hall
House in Singleton, Chichester, England, UK
2.7km / 1.7mi
Goosehill Camp
Goosehill Camp
Hillfort in West Sussex, England, UK
3.3km / 2.1mi
Trundle
Trundle
Hillfort in West Sussex, England, UK
2.1km / 1.3mi
Goodwood Circuit
Goodwood Circuit
Motorsport track in the United Kingdom
5.5km / 3.4mi
Goodwood House
Goodwood House
Country house in Westhampnett, West Sussex, England, UK
4.5km / 2.8mi
Chichester/Goodwood Airport
Chichester/Goodwood Airport
Airport in the United Kingdom
4.6km / 2.8mi
Cass Sculpture Foundation
Charitable commissioning body
4.8km / 3mi
Devil's Jumps
Devil's Jumps
Group of round barrows in Elsted and Treyford, Chichester, England, UK
5.9km / 3.7mi
Monkton  House
Monkton House
House in West Dean, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18
5.8km / 3.6mi
St Catherine of Siena Church, Cocking
St Catherine of Siena Church, Cocking
Church in Chichester, UK
5.2km / 3.3mi
Church of St Peter
Church of St Peter
Grade I listed church in Chichester, United Kingdom
5.8km / 3.6mi
The Parish Church of St Mary
The Parish Church of St Mary
Grade I listed church in Chichester, United Kingdom
5.8km / 3.6mi
The Parish Church of All Saints
The Parish Church of All Saints
Church in East Dean, Chichester, UK
4.3km / 2.7mi
Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Cathedral
Grade I listed cathedral in Chichester, United Kingdom
7.8km / 4.8mi
Fishbourne Roman Palace
Fishbourne Roman Palace
Roman palace and museum near Chichester in Sussex, United Kingdom
8km / 5mi
Boxgrove Priory
Boxgrove Priory
Priory in Boxgrove, Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
6.8km / 4.2mi
Tangmere Military Aviation Museum
Tangmere Military Aviation Museum
Aviation museum in Tangmere, West Sussex, United Kingdom
7.8km / 4.9mi
Priory Park, Chichester
Priory Park, Chichester
Public park in Chichester, West Sussex, England
7.3km / 4.6mi
Stane Street
Stane Street
Roman road that ran from London Bridge to Chichester
6.3km / 3.9mi
Novium Museum
Novium Museum
Museum in Chichester, Sussex, England, United Kingdom
7.6km / 4.8mi
Chichester Cross
Chichester Cross
Structure in Chichester, England
7.8km / 4.8mi
Chichester Guildhall
Chichester Guildhall
Chapel in Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
7.4km / 4.6mi
Chichester Castle
Chichester Castle
Castle in Chichester, Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
7.4km / 4.6mi
St John the Evangelist's Church, Chichester
St John the Evangelist's Church, Chichester
Church in Chichester, UK
7.9km / 4.9mi
St Andrew's Church, Tangmere
St Andrew's Church, Tangmere
Church in Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
7.5km / 4.7mi
Church of St Pancras
Church of St Pancras
Church building in Chichester, Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
7.7km / 4.8mi
St James's Post
St James's Post
Architectural structure in Chichester, Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
7.3km / 4.6mi
Bevis's Thumb long barrow, 370m west of Fernbeds Farm
Bevis's Thumb long barrow, 370m west of Fernbeds Farm
Archaeological site in Compton, Chichester, England, UK
8km / 5mi
Church of St Michael
Church of St Michael
Church in Chichester, UK
6.9km / 4.3mi
The Parish Church of St Mary
The Parish Church of St Mary
Church in Funtington, West Sussex, England, UK
7.6km / 4.7mi
The Parish Church of St Mary
The Parish Church of St Mary
Church in Stoughton, West Sussex, England, UK
6.2km / 3.9mi
Church of St Mary
Church of St Mary
Historic church in North Marden, Sussex, England, United Kingdom
6.6km / 4.1mi
Church of St Andrew
Church of St Andrew
Grade I listed church in Chichester, United Kingdom
6.2km / 3.8mi
Chichester War Memorial
Chichester War Memorial
War memorial in Chichester, Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
7.6km / 4.8mi
Chichester Roman amphitheatre
Chichester Roman amphitheatre
Roman amphitheatre in Chichester, Chichester, England, UK
7.9km / 4.9mi
Bowl barrow on Graffham Down, 200m south of Limekiln Bottom
Bowl barrow on Graffham Down, 200m south of Limekiln Bottom
Bowl barrow in Graffham, Chichester, England, UK
6.9km / 4.3mi
Providence Chapel
Providence Chapel
Chapel in Chichester, Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
7.5km / 4.6mi
The Parish Church of St Peter, Westhampnett
The Parish Church of St Peter, Westhampnett
Church in Chichester, United Kingdom
6.7km / 4.1mi
The Parish Church of St James, Heyshott
The Parish Church of St James, Heyshott
Church in Chichester, UK
6.6km / 4.1mi

What to do in West Dean and near West Dean College

Weald and Downland Living Museum
Weald and Downland Living Museum
Open air museum in Singleton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom
0.7km / 0.46mi
Monarch's Way
Monarch's Way
Long-distance footpath running from Worcester to Shoreham
210m / 230yd
The Parish Church of St Andrew
The Parish Church of St Andrew
Church in Chichester, United Kingdom
60m / 70yd
The Parish Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Parish Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Church in Chichester, UK
1.6km / 1mi
Goodwood Racecourse
Horse racing venue in England
2.7km / 1.7mi
Goodwood House
Goodwood House
Country house in Westhampnett, West Sussex, England, UK
2.1km / 1.3mi
Fox Hall
Fox Hall
House in Singleton, Chichester, England, UK
2.7km / 1.7mi
Goosehill Camp
Goosehill Camp
Hillfort in West Sussex, England, UK
3.3km / 2.1mi
Trundle
Trundle
Hillfort in West Sussex, England, UK
2.1km / 1.3mi
Goodwood Circuit
Goodwood Circuit
Motorsport track in the United Kingdom
5.5km / 3.4mi
Goodwood House
Goodwood House
Country house in Westhampnett, West Sussex, England, UK
4.5km / 2.8mi
Chichester/Goodwood Airport
Chichester/Goodwood Airport
Airport in the United Kingdom
4.6km / 2.8mi
Cass Sculpture Foundation
Charitable commissioning body
4.8km / 3mi
Devil's Jumps
Devil's Jumps
Group of round barrows in Elsted and Treyford, Chichester, England, UK
5.9km / 3.7mi
Monkton  House
Monkton House
House in West Dean, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18
5.8km / 3.6mi
St Catherine of Siena Church, Cocking
St Catherine of Siena Church, Cocking
Church in Chichester, UK
5.2km / 3.3mi
Church of St Peter
Church of St Peter
Grade I listed church in Chichester, United Kingdom
5.8km / 3.6mi
The Parish Church of St Mary
The Parish Church of St Mary
Grade I listed church in Chichester, United Kingdom
5.8km / 3.6mi
The Parish Church of All Saints
The Parish Church of All Saints
Church in East Dean, Chichester, UK
4.3km / 2.7mi
Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Cathedral
Grade I listed cathedral in Chichester, United Kingdom
7.8km / 4.8mi
Fishbourne Roman Palace
Fishbourne Roman Palace
Roman palace and museum near Chichester in Sussex, United Kingdom
8km / 5mi
Boxgrove Priory
Boxgrove Priory
Priory in Boxgrove, Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
6.8km / 4.2mi
Tangmere Military Aviation Museum
Tangmere Military Aviation Museum
Aviation museum in Tangmere, West Sussex, United Kingdom
7.8km / 4.9mi
Priory Park, Chichester
Priory Park, Chichester
Public park in Chichester, West Sussex, England
7.3km / 4.6mi
Stane Street
Stane Street
Roman road that ran from London Bridge to Chichester
6.3km / 3.9mi
Novium Museum
Novium Museum
Museum in Chichester, Sussex, England, United Kingdom
7.6km / 4.8mi
Chichester Cross
Chichester Cross
Structure in Chichester, England
7.8km / 4.8mi
Chichester Guildhall
Chichester Guildhall
Chapel in Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
7.4km / 4.6mi
Chichester Castle
Chichester Castle
Castle in Chichester, Chichester, West Sussex, England, UK
7.4km / 4.6mi
St John the Evangelist's Church, Chichester
St John the Evangelist's Church, Chichester
Church in Chichester, UK
7.9km / 4.9mi

About West Dean

West Dean, located in West Sussex, offers a range of activities and attractions for visitors. A notable highlight is the West Dean Gardens, which features an impressive array of plants, landscaped areas, and a picturesque walled garden. These gardens are well-maintained and provide a tranquil setting for leisurely walks.

Another significant attraction is the West Dean College of Arts and Conservation, which provides various workshops and courses. This institution is known for its commitment to creative arts and conservation, making it a good destination for those interested in learning new skills or exploring artistic pursuits.

The South Downs National Park surrounds the village, offering opportunities for hiking, cycling, and enjoying the natural beauty of the landscape. The park is home to diverse wildlife and provides numerous trails suitable for all levels of fitness.

For those interested in history, visiting the West Dean Village itself can be quite rewarding. The charming architecture and local heritage reflect the area's rich past. Exploring the village can provide insights into the local culture and history.

Lastly, the local pubs and cafés offer a chance to experience regional cuisine and hospitality. These establishments often feature locally sourced ingredients and provide a comfortable atmosphere to relax after a day of exploration.

Overall, West Dean presents a blend of natural beauty, cultural experiences, and opportunities for creativity, making it an appealing destination for various interests.




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