Jewel in the Cowdray Crown

Following on from recent blips about the Cowdray Estate, this is perhaps the jewel in the Cowdray crown.

"Cowdray Ruins" are the remains of an important early Tudor courtier's house. In a very colourful history, one of the claims to fame was visits by Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.

The building was partly destroyed by fire in 1793, and became fashionable as a romantic ruin in Victorian times. It has recently been the subject of a major conservation programme and is again open to the public, with facilities to learn about the lives of the rich and poor on the Cowdray Estate. The setting is Cowdray Park, Midhurst, thought to be so stunning that both Turner and Constable painted the ruins.

It is also used for events like concerts, outdoor theatre and period re-enactments. Today I arrived just after the sun had left it, but still plenty of light in the sky.