9 Of The Best Villages To Consider Living Around Chichester

Chichester enjoys a reputation as one of the top towns to call home along England’s south coast, as it combines a wealth of its own amenities and the surroundings of some of the region’s best countryside and coastline with excellent transport connections.

Lockdown has led to major changes in people’s top priorities in what makes the best new home and a new property in the countryside has become more appealing if there is less reliance on commuting. The budget can also go a lot further outside a town or city, meaning a home with more space inside and out.

If you’re looking for the best new homes for sale in West Sussex, then Chichester itself and the surrounding area are a top place to start your search.

Bosham

The coastal village of Bosham sits on a small inlet three miles to the west of the city along the A259, with Bosham station providing regular rail services taking six minutes to Chichester and around one hour 45 minutes to central London. The village offers a mix of red brick, flint and thatched period properties, while up the hill and away from the shore, more modern homes sit alongside the local primary school (rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted).

Funtington

Funtington is a rural village five miles west of Chichester. The parish also contains the villages of East Ashling, West Ashling and West Stoke, and the Kingsley Vale National Nature Reserve. The parish church of St Mary's dates back to the 1300s. The A27 is only a few minutes away, in turn leading to numerous large towns, the A3 and M27.

Mid Lavant, East Lavant and West Lavant

These three villages take their name from the River Lavant which runs from nearby East Dean to Chichester Harbour. Situated just outside the city boundary the villages retain their rural roots, surrounded by working farms. The village hall offers a base for many local organisations and clubs. Lavant CofE Primary School is rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted. A mile to the east of Lavant is Goodwood House, seat of the Duke of Richmond. The house, set in 12,000 acres, is home to Goodwood motor racing circuit, horseracing, a golf course and country club.

Singleton

On the A286 road to Midhurst, north of Chichester, is the pretty village of Singleton. The village, which nestles in the beautiful Lavant Valley, has remained largely unchanged for centuries, with the Partridge Inn and a number of bed and breakfast hotels offering a welcome to the many visitors to the area. Locals can enjoy cricket in the summer at Singleton Cricket Club, at the western edge of the village and the village school (rated ‘Good’) provides a good education children from Singleton and surrounding villages.

Birdham

Three miles south-west of Chichester is the picturesque village of Birdham. Many desirable houses are situated on the waterfront and the man-made marina at Birdham Pool is the largest in the area, home to many of the yachts that regularly sail the harbour. The village offers peace and quiet, with wide leafy residential areas of large white and brick houses and bungalows. There’s a village hall, primary school, cricket club and convenience store.

West Itchenor

Another village on the shores of Chichester Harbour, and only four miles from the city, West Itchenor is home to around 450 people. Village life centres around the sailing club, St Nicholas Church and the Ship Inn. Surrounded by internationally important wetlands and protected areas for birds, the village is popular with walkers and ornithologists keen to view the wading birds and wintering wildfowl. The Itchenor Ferry runs a service across the mouth of the harbour to Smugglers Hard at Bosham.

Boxgrove

Located around three miles north-east of Chichester, was once the site of one of the first settlements in the British Isles and home to Boxgrove Man, evidence of early Stone-Age inhabitants dating back some 500,000 years discovered in 1993. There’s now a village hall, primary school (rated ‘Good’), church, priory, community hall and store and café.

Find out more about current new homes develpoments in and around Chichester.

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