Chesworth Farm
It is called Horsham’s secret paradise: a place where you can see natural wildflower meadows; where you can walk the dog, ride a horse, jog for miles or have a family cycle ride, well away from any roads; where rare skylarks nest and hover and sometimes barn owls float past at dusk.
It is where you can walk through clouds of butterflies, encounter cows and sometimes see rare sheep and their llama companions in a countryside setting which has been farmed since before 1086. It even has royal connections as one of Henry VIII’s wives –Katherine Howard – lived at neighbouring Chesworth House.
This 90-acre (36-hectare) site is managed as farmland bordering the River Arun. It features numerous public footpaths and bridleways, incorporating grassland, wet meadow, ancient hedgerows and access to the greater countryside. There are also a few unofficial, well-trodden paths which are further encouragement to make your own circular route.
It can also be explored via the Horsham to Southwater cycle route, (Pedlars Way) or as part of Horsham’s Riverside Walk, following the River Arun. Chesworth Farm was voted a Hidden Gem, one of 12 in the district, for Horsham District Year of Culture 2019. It was awarded Local Wildlife Site status in 2021.
It is free and open to the public all year round. Public access is by foot, cycle or horseback. Main paths are accessible by people using wheelchairs or mobility scooters. There is limited car parking outside the Queensway/Chesworth Lane entrance. Some neighbouring roads feature public footpath or bridleway access and offer limited parking (subject to local restrictions). The nearest town car parks are currently in Denne Road and New Street.
For a map showing the location of Chesworth Farm, Chesworth Lane, Horsham RH13 0AA in relation to other HDC countryside sites, links to A roads, B roads and nearest car parks: HDC Countryside sites map
Basic map of Chesworth Farm
About the Friends of Chesworth Farm
Common carder bee: David Verrall
The Friends of Chesworth Farm (FCF) is a group of local people who have joined together to support the farm as a unique site for informal recreation and appreciation of farmland wildlife.
Our future and past events can be found on the Events tab at the top of the page under News. For seasonal events see below.
The group was formed in August 2011,’To foster and promote the preservation, enhancement, improvement and appreciation of Chesworth Farm, for the benefit and protection of wildlife, environment and history of the site for the enjoyment of all.’
FCF seeks to represent the views of its many and varied members: hikers, dog walkers, horse riders, naturalists, cyclists and households bordering the site. It works in partnership with the site-owner, Horsham District Council.
Our Farm News column (right) has the latest updates, often expanded on the News page. You can find our links to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TripAdvisor and Flickr there too.
Volunteering on the farm
If you are interested in carrying out practical conservation tasks on the farm, since spring 2022, our Wildlife Garden team welcome new volunteers. Find out more about this extra haven for wildlife, full of ideas you can adapt for your own green spaces, next to the Volunteer Centre, an old barn in the centre of the site.
There are other tasks (such as clearing ditches or tree- or flower-planting) or events (such as monthly litter-picking or spring-cleaning the Volunteer Centre) where Friends are invited to help. You can also take part in other, sometimes larger, projects at Chesworth by joining Horsham Green Gym, an independent volunteer nature conservation group. See its website for details Horsham Green Gym.
Header photo: Fox at Chesworth Farm, January 2024, by Dave Verrall
Friends of Chesworth Farm 