Midhurst Footpath Companions
Walking in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.

Midhurst Walk on 24th September 2025

After meeting in the Central Car Park in Midhurst, Denis led us just around the corner to admire Philip Jackson's statue of Dante.  The bronze was donated to Midhurst by Jackson to thank the area in which he has lived for many years. Dante, author of the poem "Divine Comedy" is buried in the Italian city of Ravenna, which happens to be twinned with Chichester. After many photographs of this astonishing work of art, we used the Jubilee Path and Bepton Road to reach the start of the common, after passing the Skate park and the Cemetry. A sign indicated the presence of 4 Pest Houses, originally the homes of people suffering from smallpox, founded by Viscount Montague of Cowdray in 1741.  Later this work evolved into a more general charity for local people :- www.pesthouse.org   After a few twists and turns through the Severals, we crossed the A272  to traverse the late Kerry Packers's polo field and then found an ideal stop for the morning refreshment. Back onto Severals Common we took the Serpent Trail and headed south crossing the route of the now dismantled Midhurst to Petersfield railway line. The end of our common walking led us to Bepton Road (again crossing the remains of a railway line - this time the Midhurst to Chichester line) and eventually back to the Central Car Park. We then retired to Kemaellis for a very tasty and well deserved lunch.

Gathering together

South Pond looking for volunteers

Dante, by Philip Jackson holding a copy of his poem "Divine Comedy" describing his search through Hell and Purgarory to find Paradise

The three characters are Dante, Virgil and Beatrice. He's standing there, wondering if Midhurst really is his journey's end

Our journey continued up the Jubilee Path, journey not quite over!

Pest houses, not home for pests but rather a home for those suffering from a pestilence

A little further on is a house called Cherries, rumoured to be once the home of a vicar who was exceptionally charitable to Midhurst folk

Heading across the common

A tributary of the River Rother, still looking short of water

A short climb to a lawn?

Well, a wee bit bigger than the usual lawn.

Big enough for some Polo matches, said Kerry Packer

Time for a break on Stedham playing field

Time for a swing

Bakehouse, in use in 1865, probably using malt and grain from the mill just down the river in Iping

Still a nice village - see https://www.stedhamwithiping-pc.gov.uk/History/History.aspx

This is the way home - I hope!

Still a few roads to cross

Around 5 and a bit miles

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