9 Most Hospitable Towns In England
Across Sussex, Kent, Hampshire, and Wiltshire, small towns in England build their social life around monthly markets, community halls, and the local pub. Arundel Castle opens its grounds for an International Medieval Jousting Tournament every July, and the Arundel Farmers Market brings out local producers and artisans on the third Saturday of every month. In Lewes, the King's Head pairs its drinks with Sea Shanty Night and Open Mic. New Alresford puts you aboard the Watercress Line for a steam or heritage diesel trip through the Hampshire countryside, with views out to the South Downs National Park. These 9 towns showcase small-town England's hospitality, where visitors are treated like locals from the moment they arrive.
Arundel
Arundel Castle hosts its International Medieval Jousting Tournament in July, plus a History Day every now and then, and both revive the old ways that once were commonplace here. The Arundel Farmers Market opens on the third Saturday of every month for a few hours, long enough to meet local producers and artisans and talk with the people behind the microgreens at Amy's Super Greens or the breads at Albion House Bakery. Travel up the River Arun, either by foot on the River Arun and Warningcamp Circular path, which you can take back to Arundel, or drive up in your vehicle after a day of exploring Arundel Castle, and get cozy with a craft ale or a Sunday Roast at The Black Rabbit in West Sussex.
Steyning
Steyning's Cobblestone Walk is where it all happens. An assortment of boutique shops, like Flicker Rose, selling beauty products, spiritual services, or simply homemade gifts, line the courtyard, as does The Cobblestone Tea House, which is great for an indulgent lunch while conversing with the shop owners. This West Sussex town on the River Adur also has its own gathering of creative folk every other year, known as the Steyning Festival, which hosts comedians, musicians, other entertainers, and even scientists. Steyning Festival is an opportunity to mingle not only with locals but also with new people in town. And, history buffs and culinary gourmets may appreciate making acquaintances through the occasional talks from September until June at the Steyning Centre from the Steyning Society.
Burgess Hill
Get together for a night of games with the gang at shrunkenTERRA at Dice and Drinks on Church Walk, just off the high street, while nibbling on cakes and coffee. A short walk away on Church Road, try Block & Gasket Burgess Hill for playing pool and watching live sports. For a change of pace, the leisure center, The Triangle, is excellent for physical recreation, such as playing tennis or taking a Zumba class. In summertime, this West Sussex town has its annual Summer Fayre, where a parade led by schoolchildren starts off the day, and sports and creative performances happen alongside food vendors not far from the northern edge of South Downs National Park.
Lewes
The Lewes Farmers Market is one of the best ways to connect with the growing community here in semi-rural East Sussex, held on the first and third Saturdays of every month. Lewes Friday Food Market at the Market Tower is another good way to develop new connections and also support local farmers. And for your evening plans, The King's Head hosts a variety of events to pair with the drink, such as Sea Shanty Night or Open Mic, where you can blend into the audience or maybe get over your stage fright. Additionally, Riverside Lewes on the River Ouse features a 17th-century building that houses a chocolate shop, cafe, hair salon, and more.
Tenterden
Tenterden has Kent & East Sussex Railway heritage trains meant for exploring the Rother Valley in southern England, an expedition where you can strike up conversation with your seatmate as you take in the countryside. Back in town, The Woolpack Tenterden provides a comfortable, modern rustic setting for sitting down for a hearty meal off the Sunday Menu, not to mention the chance to sip on your favorite drink while chatting with the other pub goers. And on the outskirts to the south of Tenterden, Chapel Down Vineyard allows bookings for both tours and events at their estate, as well as offering a fantastic wine tasting experience.
Faversham
Take part in the Faversham Society's Regency Ball by dressing up to the nines in your best Regency period clothing, taken straight from the wardrobes of Jane Austen's novels, and dancing the night away. Faversham also has Shepherd Neame Brewery, which has been operating since 1698, offering 80-minute tours of the 17th-century brewery for a fun outing with friends or family. Some of the sights include a coopers' workshop and old-fashioned delivery vehicles. Faversham Market is a classic staple of this Kent market town, organizing a Faversham Charter Market on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays; Best of Faversham Market on the first and third Saturdays of the month; and Faversham Antiques Market on the first Sunday of the month.
Petersfield
Further west sits the Hampshire town of Petersfield, where Petersfield Farmers' Market occurs at The Square on first Sundays. Get your cheese or honey fix while integrating into the community at The Square, or attend the pre-show refreshments at The Festival Hall an hour before watching your choice of live theater or music. And on the last Saturdays of the month, there is the Petersfield Repair Café for fixing up your old gear, whatever it may be, accompanied by a slice of cake and a cup of coffee with your visit. The Square Brewery is another popular spot for getting acquainted with the people of Petersfield, plus the bonus of live music.
New Alresford
Board the Watercress Line in New Alresford, and choose from a steam locomotive or a heritage diesel, and venture through the Hampshire countryside with views out to the lush South Downs National Park, where sometimes ale trains and brewery and vineyard tours are offered, although they sell out fast. The town's biggest day is the Alresford Watercress Festival, free to attend and held on the third Sunday in May, when the streets close to traffic and a cavalcade brings out the Watercress King and Queen with the first cress of the season. Cookery demonstrations, live music, and the World Watercress Eating Championship round out the afternoon, and the Watercress Line adds a park and ride service from Ropley.
The Arlebury Café also hosts occasional special events, like this winter's wreath-making session, just in time for the holidays, where the cheery atmosphere may lead to budding friendships. The Globe by Old Alresford Pond hosts Friday Night Feasts, and the Alresford Fair Night comes with free face painting and glitter tattoos; either one is a chance to get to know the people who make New Alresford the market town it is today.
Amesbury
In the Wiltshire countryside lies Amesbury, about 2 miles east of Stonehenge, where community hubs like Grade II Antrobus House teach classes such as Tai Chi and yoga, and offer afternoon tea and chat once a week. The same house is the regular meeting place of the Amesbury Society, which puts on 6 public talks a year and adds field trips to historical and environmental sites over the summer. Amesbury History Centre fills out the calendar with exhibitions, guest lectures, and quiz nights served with supper, setting the stones inside a local story that stretches back some 10,000 years. The Orchard, the friendly pub with a giant blue chair outside, is another great place to interact with longtime inhabitants of this market town on the River Avon. The Amesbury Farmers Market remains a monthly spectacle for picking up meats, cheeses, chutneys, and more delights, with the added benefit of mixing with different folks as you shop and browse.
A Warm Welcome Across Small-Town England
These English towns share a social life that revolves around a market stall on a Saturday morning, a repair café at month's end, and a Sea Shanty Night at the pub. And then there are the jousting crowds at Arundel, Faversham's Regency Ball, and Friday Night Feasts at The Globe in New Alresford. For anyone arriving without an introduction, England's small towns are the surest way to meet the people who live there.
