Petersfield

Petersfield sits in a shallow bowl of the South Downs, roughly midway between Winchester and the Sussex coast, and it wears its market-town history well. The town grew up around a medieval market charter granted in the 12th century, and the wide, sloping Market Square at its centre still hosts a market twice a week, much as it has done for hundreds of years. Georgian and Victorian frontages line the main streets, a bronze statue of William III on horseback presides over the square, and independent shops, cafes and bookshops have quietly replaced the coaching inns that once served travellers on the old London to Portsmouth road.

What sets Petersfield apart from other Hampshire market towns is how close the real countryside comes to the shops. The South Downs National Park, England's newest national park, effectively begins at the town's edge, with chalk downland, beech hangers and open heath within a short walk of the centre. Petersfield Heath, a 100-hectare expanse of heathland and ancient Bronze Age barrows wrapped around a large lake, sits just off the high street, while the wooded scarp of the Downs rises immediately to the east and south. It is a town built for walkers, cyclists and anyone who wants proper countryside without a long drive to reach it.

Top things to do in Petersfield

Petersfield rewards a slow wander as much as a day of hiking, with plenty to see in the town itself before you head for the hills.

• Petersfield Heath — A large heathland common right by the town centre, centred on a tranquil boating lake and dotted with Bronze Age burial mounds; good for a lakeside stroll, birdwatching or letting children loose on the playground.
• South Downs National Park — The chalk ridge and beech hangers rise straight from the edge of town, with waymarked routes including a stretch of the Sussex Border Path and the climb up to Butser Hill, the highest point on the Downs.
• Petersfield Physic Garden — A free, tucked-away 17th-century-style garden behind the high street, with formal herb beds, a knot garden and topiary walk, created on the site of a former physician's garden.
• Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery — Housed in the town's former Victorian police station and courthouse, telling 10,000 years of local history through the Flora Twort art collection, the Bedales dress collection and social history displays.
• The Market Square — The wide Georgian square at the heart of the town, home to a street market every Wednesday and Saturday and overlooked by a bronze equestrian statue of William III.
• Queen Elizabeth Country Park — A few miles south of town on the A3, with miles of forest and downland trails through Butser Hill, plus a visitor centre and mountain bike routes.
• Old Petersfield town centre — Independent bookshops, galleries and cafes fill the lanes off the square, a legacy of the artistic circle that once gathered around painter Flora Twort's bookshop on the corner of The Square.

Getting to Petersfield

Petersfield lies just off the A3, the main road linking London and Portsmouth, making it an easy stop for anyone travelling between the capital and the south coast. The town has bypassed traffic since a road scheme took through-traffic off the historic centre, so the streets around the Square stay relatively calm. Petersfield railway station sits on the London Waterloo to Portsmouth line, with fast, frequent services making the journey from London in well under an hour and connections on to Guildford, Haslemere and Portsmouth. Winchester, Chichester and the coast are all within easy reach by car, and the Downs themselves are walkable from the station.

Best time to visit Petersfield

Spring and early summer bring the beech hangers on the surrounding Downs into fresh green leaf and the Heath's grassland into bloom, making it a rewarding season for walkers. Summer is busiest, with the Heath's lake and playground popular with local families and visitors alike, and outdoor tables filling the Square. Petersfield's Wednesday and Saturday markets run year-round, but autumn adds a particular draw as the beech woods on the Downs turn copper and gold. Winter is quieter still, when the town's pubs and cafes offer a cosy base for short walks on the lower ground, though the exposed chalk ridges can be cold and windswept.

Where to stay in Petersfield

Petersfield's accommodation ranges from traditional coaching inns in the town centre to farmhouse bed and breakfasts scattered across the surrounding Downs. The Kings Hotel and other former coaching inns on the main streets offer a central base within walking distance of the station and shops, while a scattering of country pubs with rooms and rural B&Bs make the most of the views over the National Park. For a longer stay, self-catering cottages in the villages around Petersfield, such as Steep, Buriton and East Meon, put walkers within easy striking distance of the Downs while keeping the town itself close by for supplies and evenings out.

Food and drink in Petersfield

The town's food scene leans on solid, unpretentious pubs and a strong showing of independent cafes. The Good Intent, a timber-framed pub just off the Square, is a long-standing favourite for a pint after a walk on the Heath, while The Square Brewery serves its own beer in the heart of town. JSW, a well-regarded restaurant just outside Petersfield, has built a reputation for seasonal, precisely cooked British food. For something more casual, the cafes clustered around the Square and Chapel Street serve good coffee and cake between browsing the town's independent shops, and the Wednesday and Saturday markets are a reliable source of local produce, from Hampshire cheese to seasonal fruit and veg.