Why Ardingly?
Situated between the thriving market towns of East Grinstead and Haywards Heath, Ardingly (pronounced Ardingl-eye) is famous for the boys' public school, Ardingly College, which was built about 1860. The village has a pretty High Street with cottages lining the road. Ardingly Reservoir lies on the very edge of the village, also close by are the Royal Botanic Gardens of Wakehurst Place and the South of England Showground, which hosts events throughout the year.
Copyright © Countryside Agency
Activities to enjoy in the Ardingly area
There are many opportunities for walking and strolling in the countryside and discovering the area’s unique features; hammer ponds (remnants of the iron industry), sandstone outcrops (once shelter for Mesolithic hunter gatherers), scattered farmsteads and cottages (built with local stone and timber) and small, irregular shaped pastures (carved out of the woodland that once covered the area).
Cyclists can join sections of the National Cycle route 21 and horse riders have easy access to Ashdown Forest.
There is a wonderful collection of gardens to visit; Wakehurst Place, Nymans Garden, Standen House and Garden, Borde Hill and High Beeches. All are set within the wooded landscape of the High Weald, the area’s acid soils providing plantsmen with the opportunity to grow acid-loving plants such as azaleas and rhododendrons.
Copyright © Countryside Agency
For more tourist information on the area contact East Grinstead Tourism InitiativeTel: 01342 410121tourism@eastgrinstead.gov.uk
Click below more information on the activities you can enjoy in the Ardingly area:
Planning your stay in the Ardingly area
Whether you come to Ardingly for one night or stay for a longer visit, click on the links below to find all you need to know about where to stay, where to eat and drink and other activities on offer in the area.
