Bolney: Wine, Walks and Local History

Bolney combines wine country, walking routes and notable reminders of the village’s history. For families and other travellers who enjoy combining different interests on holiday, the options range from guided wine tastings to historic buildings and designated footpaths. When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house in Bolney, you can use your preferred travel rhythm as a guide.

Experience wine and discover regional products

Bolney Wine Estate, a working winery and visitor attraction in the West Sussex countryside, plays a special role. The estate includes an 18-acre visitor vineyard. The winery was founded by the Pratt family in 1972 and grows, presses and bottles its still and sparkling wines on site. This combination of cultivation and processing makes a visit an informative insight into how the wines are made.

Bolney Wine Estate offers guided tours through the vineyards and winery, followed by hosted tastings of still and sparkling wines. A wine tasting includes five Bolney wines, each paired with selected cheeses from Sussex. At the Bolney Café & Wine Bar, you can also plan time at a venue set in a vineyard landscape. For those arriving by car, the estate offers visitors free parking on site. When planning your trip, check the specific dates and conditions of the individual offers.

Walking routes for active days

Walking routes lead in all directions from Bolney. The Diamond Jubilee Walk is a designated route along the footpaths within the parish of Bolney. In addition to visiting the winery, this provides an opportunity to explore the village on foot and add a route within the parish to your day’s plans.

Church, mill and historic buildings

St. Mary Magdalene is one of Bolney’s notable historic landmarks. The church was built in the 11th century. Its tower was erected in 1536 by John Bolney. The tower contains a very rare complete peal of eight bells, which together weigh just over 3 tonnes. The church therefore combines great age, the date of the tower’s construction and distinctive bell fittings. Anyone interested in ecclesiastical art and historic buildings can put St. Mary Magdalene on their cultural itinerary; this does not constitute any current assurance of access or opening.

The Old Mill House also adds to the historic character. The restored timber-framed building dates from the late 16th century. A watermill stood at the lower of the two original Bolney Mill Ponds throughout the 18th century. These two details point to different chapters of the past: one building illustrates traditional construction, while the ponds recall the former use of water power. Wykehurst Park provides another architectural accent. It is a large manor house in the style of a French château.

The right accommodation for your own travel rhythm

When choosing accommodation in Bolney, you can use your preferred travel rhythm as a guide. Bolney Wine Estate offers a specific reason to plan your day with tours and tastings; the Diamond Jubilee Walk and historic landmarks provide another way to structure your day.

For more travel ideas, you can also explore Wiston, Plaistow, Hurstpierpoint, Trotton, East Grinstead, Rake, Shoreham-By-Sea and Lancing.

For the broader travel overview: West Sussex.