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]

In the castle Rose Garden we have a wonderful array of roses planted for their colour, scent and structures giving everyone a good idea of different varieties, looking for a shrub, climber or standard rose.  This garden is enhanced by the dramatic backdrop of the ancient castle, which is reflected by the gothic archways and seats designed especially to blend aesthetically with the castle’s gothic windows.

See the following link for a tour of the Rose Garden:

A Tour of the Rose Gardens with Martin from Arundel Castle on Vimeo.

Originally built in 1783, The Norfolk Arms Hotel was later extended to include the neighbouring houses. The original building finished at the sitting room and when extended, it incorporated the stone, self-supporting staircase which is now a much-admired feature of the building. the main staircase used to be situated behind what is now the Tap Bar, and a splendid Billiards room once sat where the Club Room currently is.

The hotel has had an erratic history of occupancy by tenants over its lifetime. For the first 18 years of its existence it was more often closed than open. Throughout the Napoleonic wars (1812) the hotel was occuped by battling troups. *

*From hotel literatlure

Description from the Rough Guide website:

Inspirational and informative pocket guide, shining a spotlight on the best of holidaying at home in the UK through clearly laid-out walking and driving itineraries.

Explore the best of Brighton, Sussex & the South Downs with this unique Rough Guide Staycation to Brighton, Sussex & the South Downs, packed full of insider information and stunning images. From making sure you don’t miss out on must-see attractions like Brighton Pier, Chichester’s Novium Museum and grandiose Petworth House to discovering hidden gems, including spotting Sussex wildlife at Arundel Wetland Centre, walking the rambling South Downs Way and mooching down Brighton’s The Lanes, the easy-to-follow, ready-made walking and driving routes will save you time, help you plan, and enhance your staycation in Brighton, Sussex & the South Downs.

Review:

The walking routes within Brighton and the car tours in the wider area inspired me to purchase the book to help us enjoy the best of what Brighton has on offer.  Each tour gave us the information we needed to explore Brighton to the full; sharing information of interest that we would othewise have missed. We didn’t have enough time to explore the wider area more fully but the book has inspired us to go back and explore the area more including places we have visited before.

The bottom line is that this book helped us get the most out of our holiday in Brighton and Arundel so I would reccommend it to others who are interested in exploring the area.

The book includes a FREE eBook version for those who prefer guides in a digital format.

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.

Before setting off we called in at mum’s to collect our anniversary card. She had been hoping to post it to the hotel until she realised we were stopping in two hotels.

Our journey ran smoothly although there were a few slow areas due to heavy traffic. We had lunch at the Granary Cafe at Watlington which was recommended in my recently purchased ‘Extra Mile’ book. Which lists delicious eateries as alternatives to stopping at motorway service stations. We had to wait a while for the food to arrive (crustless quiche for me) but when it did it was worth the wait. After lunch we enjoyed a quick stroll through the town to see the interesting architecture, including the Town Hall.

On arrival at Arundel, we found the tucked away hotel carpark and checked in to The Norfolk Arms. It was a lovely sunny day so we dropped our bags in our room then enjoyed a glass of wine (beer for Mr C) in the hotel garden area.

Later, our bags unpacked, we enjoyed dinner in the hotel restaurant. I chose guinea fowl with croquettes flavoured with truffle oil; it was delicious. We shared a desert; apricot and almond fool with amaretti cream. Yum!

We crossed the road to the Red Lion where we found that an open mike evening was taking place. We were treated to some talented singing and good old classic music before it was time to retire for the evening.