Sussex parish named among the UK’s best secret villages

Harting, a cluster of hamlets near Chichester, has made a Sunday Times list of hidden gem villages that are in high demand.

With average house prices topping £851,870, the parish benefits from gorgeous views due to its close proximity to the South Downs.

South Harting, the biggest of the cluster, is described as a “quintessential English village” which embodies the “traditional rural aspects of English life”, with a population of 1,450.

It is home to a singular pub, the White Hart, described as a “fine old village inn full of character and charm”.

“The White Hart is a delightful gem that never disappoints,” the pub’s most recent TripAdvisor review reads.

“I’ve visited several times, and each experience has been consistently excellent, with delicious food and warm, friendly service.

The White Hart pub (Image: Colin Smith)

“The atmosphere inside is wonderfully cosy, perfect for a relaxed meal. The White Hart provides a lovely, welcoming environment that keeps me coming back time and again.”

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The village is also steeped in history, having been named in the 1086 Domesday Book.

Also in South Harting is Uppark House and Garden, a 17th-century Grade I listed manor owned by the National Trust.

Uppark House (Image: Brian Robert Marshall)

Classic science-fiction writer H.G. Wells, known for his pioneering works such as War of the Worlds, spent much of his youth at Uppark as his mother worked there as a housekeeper.

An Anglican parish church of St Mary and St Gabriel is located in South Harting, which has a coppered spiral and six bells. Within its churchyard is the South Harting war memorial cross.

Harting also contains the smaller hamlets of East and West Harting and Nyewood.

It is the perfect spot for walkers, with the Harting Down route circling the village and boasting “stunning” views. According to archaeological evidence, the Harting Down was first occupied approximately 5,000 years ago.

The Sunday Times describes the village as a “magnet for families”, which is said to be subject to an “unofficial waiting list for good-sized houses”.