Barns Green

Barns Green is a small rural village in the Horsham district of West Sussex, sitting within the parish of Itchingfield around two and a half miles north of Billingshurst. It has the unhurried feel of a village that has kept its working farms and green spaces intact, with a cluster of neighbouring hamlets - Brooks Green, Dragons Green and Bashurst Hill - scattered through the surrounding countryside.

For a village of its size, Barns Green punches well above its weight on community life: a shop and post office, a primary school, a village hall, a riding school and a genuinely busy sports club scene sit alongside a proper village green. Football, rugby, cricket and tennis all have a home here, and the village hosts Run Barns Green, a half marathon, 10k, 5k and children''s colour run that has been going for more than 40 years. It''s the kind of place visitors pass through on the Downs Link path rather than seek out on a map, which is exactly its appeal for anyone after a genuinely rural Sussex base.

Top things to do near Barns Green

The village itself is small, but the surrounding Sussex Weald and nearby Horsham give visitors plenty to fill a few days.

• Sumners Ponds Fishery - Five well-stocked fishing lakes set across 100 acres of lakes, woodland and pasture, right in the village, with a working farm and lakeside cafe attached.
• The Downs Link - The former railway path running 37 miles between the North Downs and South Downs passes close to Barns Green, popular with walkers and cyclists following the old trackbed through the Weald.
• Horsham town centre - A few miles south, Horsham offers the Museum & Art Gallery, the Piries Place and Swan Walk shopping areas, and the wide green expanse of Horsham Park.
• Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens - A celebrated Sussex garden of lakes, rhododendrons and wildlife a short drive from the village, particularly striking in late spring.
• Southwater Country Park - A large country park with lakes and woodland walks between Barns Green and Horsham, good for an easy afternoon out.

Getting to Barns Green

Barns Green sits just off the A24 corridor between Horsham and Billingshurst, making it an easy drive from both towns and from the wider Sussex road network. The nearest mainline station is Christ''s Hospital, on the Arun Valley line with services toward Horsham, Gatwick and London Victoria, with Billingshurst station also within reach. Horsham station, a few miles away, has more frequent connections. The village has no direct bus route into the centre, so a car (or the Downs Link on foot or by bike) is the practical way in for most visitors.

Best time to visit Barns Green

Spring and early summer suit Barns Green well, when the surrounding Weald countryside and nearby gardens such as Leonardslee are at their best and the village''s outdoor sporting life is in full swing. Summer weekends bring the fishery and campsite to life, while autumn offers quieter woodland walks along the Downs Link. Winters are mild but wet, in keeping with the rest of the Sussex Weald, and better suited to shorter visits.

Where to stay near Barns Green

Accommodation in the village itself is limited, centred on Sumners Ponds'' camping, glamping pods, lodges and shepherd''s huts. For hotels and guesthouses, nearby Horsham and Billingshurst offer a wider choice within a short drive.

Food and drink near Barns Green

The Queens Head, a 17th-century pub in the heart of the village, is the main spot for a meal or a drink locally. Cafe by the Lake at Sumners Ponds serves food and drink through the day, including weekend breakfasts, and is a popular stop for cyclists on the Downs Link. Beyond the village, Horsham and Billingshurst add a broader range of pubs and restaurants within easy reach.