Pollingfold Mansion (site of)

There's not much to see at Pollingfold these days - that's the thing about archaeology. What stands before you is essentially a field with the memory of a grand Tudor mansion buried underneath. The site near Horsham marks where a proper substantial house once stood, but centuries of ploughing and development have done their work.

You won't find visitor facilities, signage, or even clear public access here. This is one for the genuinely curious - the sort of person who finds satisfaction in knowing where something important happened, even if there's nothing visible to gawp at. If you're into Sussex history or architectural archaeology, it has merit as a stop-off whilst exploring the wider area. Everyone else will likely find fifteen minutes quite enough.

The real value comes if you're basing yourself at one of the nearby campsites - Riverside Farm and Sussex Topiary are within a couple of miles, and Sands Farm just under five miles away. It makes sense as part of a broader amble through rural Surrey rather than as a destination in itself. Check with Horsham's local heritage centre before you visit to confirm access and to pick up whatever scraps of information exist about what once stood here.

Worth a quick visit if you're in the area and have transport. Don't expect more than that.