# Where to stay for the Cowdray Gold Cup polo > The Cowdray Gold Cup, the British Open Polo Championship, is played at Cowdray Park in Midhurst every July. The 2027 dates have not been published; in 2026 it ran from 23 June to 19 July, with the final on Sunday 19 July. The Marden is three self-catering houses at West Marden, about 25 minutes’ drive from Cowdray Park, each sleeping 4, with a heated outdoor pool open from mid-June to early September. - **Dates:** 2027 not yet published - **Last year:** 23 June to 19 July 2026 - **From the farm:** About 25 minutes to Midhurst - **Sleeps:** 4 per house, 12 across the farm ## What it is and when The Gold Cup is the British Open Polo Championship. It has been played at Cowdray Park, on the edge of Midhurst, every July since 1956. It is a tournament and not a single day: matches are played over several weeks and it ends with a Sunday final. The 2027 dates were not published when we wrote this. As a guide, the 2026 tournament ran from 23 June to 19 July with the final on Sunday 19 July, and the 2025 final was on Sunday 20 July. So expect late June to mid or late July, with the final on a Sunday in the second half of July. Check the [Cowdray Park Polo Club](https://cowdraypolo.co.uk/gold-cup/) page before you fix a date. ## Getting there from the farm and back Midhurst is about 25 minutes’ drive from West Marden. That is our estimate in normal traffic, across the Downs. Final day will be busier at the ground, so give yourself longer. One thing to watch: if the 2027 final falls on Sunday 18 July, it will be the same day as the last day of the [Goodwood Festival of Speed](https://themarden.co.uk/events/goodwood-festival-of-speed). The roads around Goodwood will be slow that weekend. Parking at the houses is free. ## Why a house for the polo Polo is a picnic sport as much as anything. With a kitchen of your own you can make the picnic properly, pack the car and go. In the evening you come back to a garden and, in July, a heated outdoor pool. Each house has its own front door, kitchen and garden. [Keepers](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/keepers), [The Old Stables](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/the-old-stables) and [Barley Cottage](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/barley-cottage) each sleep 4 in two bedrooms. A party can take two or all three, up to 12 people. See [whole-farm hire](https://themarden.co.uk/breaks/whole-farm-hire). Check-in is from 4pm and check-out is by 10am. The farm has been in the family since 1947 and covers 1,000 acres. ## What else to do Because the tournament runs for weeks, you can see a match on a quieter day and have the rest of the stay to yourselves. [Uppark and Harting Down](https://themarden.co.uk/local/uppark-and-harting-down) are on the way to Midhurst. [Singleton and West Dean](https://themarden.co.uk/local/singleton-and-west-dean) are on the other road back. Our [day trips](https://themarden.co.uk/local/day-trips) page covers Midhurst and Petworth. Late June and July are full of other things. The [Festival of Chichester](https://themarden.co.uk/events/festival-of-chichester) runs from 12 June to 18 July 2027, and [Glorious Goodwood](https://themarden.co.uk/events/qatar-goodwood-festival) is 27 to 31 July. A week here can take in polo, racing and a concert without much driving. ## When to book We cannot give you the final date yet, and nor can anyone else. If you want final weekend, the safest thing is to message us on WhatsApp now and we will tell you what is free across the likely Sundays. Mid-July is busy because of the Festival of Speed, when there is a three-night minimum stay, so do not leave it until the polo dates come out. Book direct with no booking fees. ## Questions ### When is the Cowdray Gold Cup 2027? The 2027 dates have not been published. In 2026 it ran from 23 June to 19 July, with the final on Sunday 19 July, so expect a similar pattern. ### Where is the Cowdray Gold Cup played? At Cowdray Park in Midhurst, West Sussex. It has been held there every July since 1956. ### How far is West Marden from Cowdray Park? About 25 minutes by car in normal traffic. That is our estimate, not a measured time. ### Does the Gold Cup final clash with the Goodwood Festival of Speed? It may. The Festival of Speed ends on Sunday 18 July 2027, and recent Gold Cup finals have been on the third Sunday of July. The polo dates are not confirmed. ### Is the pool open in July? Yes. The heated outdoor pool is open from mid-June to early September. It is shared by the three houses and is for house guests only. ## Related - [Day trips from West Marden: Petworth, Arundel, Midhurst, Portsmouth and Butser Hill](https://themarden.co.uk/local/day-trips.md) - [Uppark and Harting Down: a house on the crest and the downland beside it](https://themarden.co.uk/local/uppark-and-harting-down.md) - [Where to stay for the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2027](https://themarden.co.uk/events/goodwood-festival-of-speed.md) - [Where to stay for Glorious Goodwood 2027, the Qatar Goodwood Festival](https://themarden.co.uk/events/qatar-goodwood-festival.md) - [Three homes together: the whole farm for up to 12](https://themarden.co.uk/breaks/whole-farm-hire.md) - [Keepers: a house for two couples, with a bath in every bedroom](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/keepers.md) ## Booking Book direct with The Marden at https://themarden.co.uk (no booking fees), or message us on WhatsApp: https://wa.me/447822026091. West Marden Farm, West Marden, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 9EN. Page: https://themarden.co.uk/events/cowdray-gold-cup-polo · Last updated 2026-11-14