There are nearly 1,000 years of history at this great castle, situated in magnificent grounds overlooking the River Arun in West Sussex and built at the end of the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel.

The oldest feature is the motte, an artificial mound, over 100 feet high from the dry moat, and constructed in 1068: followed by the gatehouse in 1070. Under his will, King Henry I (1068-1135) settled the Castle and lands in dower on his second wife, Adeliza of Louvain. Three years after his death she married William d’Albini II, who built the stone shell keep on the motte. King Henry II (1133-89), who built much of the oldest part of the stone Castle, in 1155 confirmed William d’Albini II as Earl of Arundel, with the Honour and Castle of Arundel.

Apart from the occasional reversion to the Crown, Arundel Castle has descended directly from 1138 to the present day, carried by female heiresses from the d’Albinis to the Fitzalans in the 13th century and then from the Fitzalans to the Howards in the 16th century and it has been the seat of the Dukes of Norfolk and their ancestors for over 850 years. From the 15th to the 17th centuries the Howards were at the forefront of English history, from the Wars of the Roses, through the Tudor period to the Civil War.

The building we see now owes much to Henry, 15th Duke of Norfolk (1847-1917) and the restoration project was completed in 1900. It was one of the first English country houses to be fitted with electric light, integral fire fighting equipment, service lifts and central heating. The gravity fed domestic water supply also supplied the town.

The garden is a memorial to the 14th Earl of Arundel, an avid art collector. The garden has a central canal with a domed pergola and fountains. The centrepiece of the garden is a rockwork mountain planted with palms and ferns to represent another world. A green oak version of ‘Oberon’s Palace’ flanked by two oak obelisks has a shell lined interior with a stalagmite fountain with a gilded coronet ‘dancing’ on a jet of water.*

* Information from Arundel Castle by John Martin Robinson

The Fitzalan Chapel is the chancel of the church of St Nicholas in the western grounds of Arundel Castle.

The church of St Nicholas is one of the very few church buildings that is divided into two worship areas, a Roman Catholic area (the chancel) and an Anglican area (the nave and transepts). The chancel of the Fitzalan Chapel, is used as the private mausoleum of the Dukes of Norfolk. It is a Grade I listed building.^[1]

Richard FitzAlan, 3rd Earl of Arundel, was responsible for the building of the Chapel posthumously according to his will. The original Fitzalan Chapel consisted of the entire building, and was built as the Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity in 1380 by commission of Richard FitzAlan, 4th Earl of Arundel, whose family owned Arundel Castle. It is an example of Perpendicular Gothic architecture, and the architect and mason is believed to have been William Wynford. A number of noted Fitzalan and Howard family members are buried in the chapel, many in tombs adorned with sculpted effigies. Most of the recently deceased Dukes of Norfolk are buried there.^[2]

The water gardens at Arundel Castle openened in 2020. The gardens feature three ponds connected by a boardwalk and rustic bridge. The ponds are historic ’stew ponds’ that originally contained fish to supply the castle and nearby Dominican Friary.

Head gardener Martin Duncan has re-designed the historic ‘stew ponds’ at Arundel Castle, keeping the original framework of the ponds. He worked with the estate foresters to sustainably source the timber for the boathouse and roundhouse which were built by local artisans Kevin Coull and Bradley Hanson. The thatching was completed by a Master Thatcher, Gavin McDonald, and his sons.

Martin commented: “We have created this wonderful garden for visitors to enjoy the water plants, wildflowers and wildlife in a way that feels unobtrusive and natural. The thatched boathouse and roundhouse blends beautifully with the charming scenery while serving as a focal point for visitors.

“It’s a safe haven for wildlife and a lovely outdoor space for our visitors to relax in. We’re delighted to see people enjoying it.

“The Arundel Castle Garden team have done a wonderful job in the planting up of the water gardens and creating wildflower areas. The water lilies were placed from our rowing boat, Jemima Puddle-Duck.”

Straight after breakfast we walked the short way to Arundel Castle arriving 15 minutes before it opened. We took advantage of a nearby bench to soak up the early morning sunshine whilst we waited.

After purchasing our tickets, we walked around the gardens which included a new water garden that Mr C wasn’t very enamoured with. I thought it was lovely as were the rest of the gardens and features.

We also visited the Fitzalan Chapel which is the chancel of the church of St Nicholas. The chapel which has a peaceful atmosphere is divided from St Nicholas’ knave and transepts and contains tombs of the Howard family.

We completed our tour of the castle gardens just in time for lunch which we enjoyed in a window seat in the castle restaurant.

By the time we had finished lunch, the castle and keep were open. We made our way up the stairs to the rooftop of the keep. The stairways were every bit as narrow as I remembered them. This time I had sensibly used a small rucksack rather than a handbag (which I struggled with last time). I climbed the last few stairs using all four limbs (no hand rail to hold on to). With my rucksack on my back, I had the image of me being a turtle proceeding slowly up those last few steps. The views from the rooftop were well worth my inelegant ascent.

Descending from the keep, our route took us through the castle where both of us had forgotten some of the rooms leading us to enjoy the castle as if we had not visited on a previous occasion. I knew that one of my favourite items from my previous visit was no longer there; a set of gold rosary beads carried by Mary Queen of Scots at her execution. The rosary beads (unique and meaningful in their location) along with other items had been stolen on a targeted hit.

Our tour of the castle and gardens complete, it was time for afternoon refreshments. We found a café with a sunny location overlooking the river Arun where we enjoyed refreshing drinks and shared a piece of lemon cake.

There was just enough time for us to visit Arundel Museum which showcases the town’s local history before we returned to our hotel to chill out.

Once back at the hotel, we found that our hotel room had not been fully serviced for the second day running. The first day our tea and milk supplies had not been replenished. This was easily fixed by a phone call to reception. However, today we arrived back at the room to find that the bed had not been made and the bathroom seemed not to have cleaned and serviced.

We had a glass of bubbly on the hotel terrace before dining at the Swan Hotel which is a Fullers Pub. The food was lovely but Mr C found the atmosphere uncomfortable so after dining we returned to the Red Lion where once again, we were treated to live music but the atmosphere was also somewhat lacking…

We decided to relocate to the hotel bar for a nightcap. I was delivered a short measure of wine which I made sure was rectified. Shortly after this other customers arrived and were told the bar was closing soon but they were welcome to come in for a drink. The bar wasn’t scheduled to close for at least 30 minutes!

The lady serving was giving off big vibes that the customers were an inconvenience to her. Maybe she should remember that if it wasn’t for the customers, she wouldn’t have a job?

Breakfast was a mixture of buffet style and cooked-to-order with a toast-your-own-toast option. The latter was a little quirky as is often the case. Everything was good quality with the bacon standing out for a special mention; it was perfect in texture and taste.

Fuelled up with breakfast we walked to the nearby Wetlands Centre. It was a delight to hear a cuckoo along the way.

We saw many species of wildfowl and I particularly enjoyed the Dalmatian pelicans, kingfisher and sand martins. We took a trip on an electric boat with a knowledgeable guide who pointed out various wildlife features and creatures along the way as well as imparting lots of interesting information. We walked along the shady board walk and also took advantage of the various hides around the site.

We tried out the various binoculars that were on display before heading off on our return walk to the hotel. I was tempted by a couple of pairs of the binoculars and thought I might go back and purchase a pair.

Back at the hotel we freshened up and had a pre-dinner prosecco in the bar attached to the hotel before dining in the China Place Chinese Restaurant. We opted for one of the set menu meals and were treated with excellent service throughout our meal.

After dining we returned to the Red Lion for a night cap. The live entertainment wasn’t quite so lively as it had been the previous evening.

In 1380 the 4th Earl of Arundel, Richard Fitzalan, founded a secular College of Canons, that is to say, a community of clergy to maintain daily worship and pray for the souls of the founder’s family. This initiated the building of the church you see today. From the beginning the church was divided into two parts, with the nave accommodating the people of the parish and the chancel as the collegiate chapel and chantry. An iron grille, which you can still see today, separated the two parts of the church.*

This arrangement was common in many churches in England. What sets Arundel apart is that on 12th December 1544, just before Henry VIII ordered the abolition of the chantries, the 12th Earl shrewdly surrendered the College to the king, who a few days later sold it back to the Earl for 1,000 marks and an annual rent. The collegiate chapel, therefore, was taken out of the hands of the Church and became the private property of the Earl and his descendants. The Chapel, now know as the Fitzalan Chapel, can only be accessed through the castle. *

In 1879 an action heard before Lord Chief Justice Coleridge determined that the Fitzalan Chapel did not form part of the parish church but was an independant ecclesiastical structure. The chapel has therefore remained Catholic, an unusual, if not unique, anomaly in England. It is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, Blessed Virgin Mary and All Saints. The parish church is dedicated to St Nicholas.**

The chapel is still used as the burial place of the Dukes of Norfolk and several masses are said here every year for the repose of their souls in accordance with the intention of the founder in the 14th century. The major artistic interest of the Fitzalan Chapel lies in the tombs of the Earls of Arundel and Dukes of Norfolk which form one of the finest assemblages of their kind in England.**

*From a Church of St Nicholas Arundel leaflet

**From an Arundel Castle leaflet on the Fitzalan Chapel

The Rose Garden occupies the site of a medieval bowling green. It is enclosed by yew hedges and laid out with formal beds of Rosa Rugosa Alba, Rosa Winchester Cathedral, Rosa Alfred Carriere and Rosa Isaac Perrier. *

*From the Arundel Castle guidebook