Petworth Antiques Market

Petworth's antiques market sprawls across a proper warren of rooms and alcoves, the kind of place where you genuinely lose track of time hunting for that one piece. The dealers here stock everything from Victorian furniture and ceramics to vintage jewellery and quirky collectables - some stalls lean high-end, others are pure rummage-bin territory. It's less polished gallery, more atmospheric junk shop with standards, which is exactly the appeal.

You'll want a good couple of hours minimum, longer if you actually stop to examine things rather than just drift through. History enthusiasts and interior designers love it; kids get bored after twenty minutes unless they're the sort who like fossicking through old postcards. It's free to wander, though obviously you're expected to buy if something catches your eye.

The market sits in Petworth itself, a handsome market town about five miles south of Pulborough, and it works perfectly as a rainy-day mission if you're staying at one of the nearby glamping spots like Wakestone & Wild or Woodfire at Westerlands. Pop in after breakfast, dig around for an hour, then head back for a walk around the grounds. It's not a destination in itself, but it's exactly the sort of proper small-town browse that breaks up a quiet Sussex holiday nicely. Go on a weekday if you can - weekends pull the coach parties and it turns a bit crowded.