# The Mardens and their neighbours: Compton, Stoughton and Racton > The Mardens are four small downland settlements in the South Downs near Chichester: West, Up, East and North Marden, the last three all within 4 miles of West Marden Farm by road. West Marden is the largest and the only one with a pub. Up Marden has St Michael’s, a 13th-century church at the end of a farm track, whose interior the critic Ian Nairn counted among the loveliest in England. - **From the farm:** Every village within 4 miles - **Churches:** 8, seven open all day - **Bus:** 54, Monday to Saturday - **Best for:** Quiet churches and short walks ## West Marden West Marden is the largest of the four Mardens and the only one with a pub, the Victoria Inn. It has no church, though the Victoria County History suggests there was once one. The village lies in a small valley running north-west to south-east, in the civil parish of Compton. The farm has been in the same family since 1947 and covers 1,000 acres, all arable now. The three homes are a very short walk from the pub and the bus stop is by the pond. ## Up, North and East Marden None of the three is more than a church, a farm and a few houses. That is the reason to go. - Up Marden: 3.3 miles by road, though the church is only about half a mile east of West Marden across the fields. St Michael’s is 13th century, was given to Lewes Priory before 1121 and is reached by a farm track. Ian Nairn, writing the Sussex volume of The Buildings of England in 1965, thought its interior among the loveliest in the country. Octagon walk 8 passes it in 1.7 miles. - North Marden: 3.7 miles. St Mary’s is a tiny 12th-century church of a single room ending in an apse. It is the only church in Sussex with an apse and no chancel arch. - East Marden: 3.6 miles. St Peter’s, also 12th century, stands beside a thatched well-house on the green. The well was the village’s only water supply until 1924. ## Compton, Stoughton, Racton and the rest Five more places make up the rest of the neighbourhood, all within four miles. - Compton: under a mile. St Mary’s was largely rebuilt between 1849 and 1851 but keeps its late 12th-century north arcade and chancel arch. The village shop and tea room is on the B2146 and is run by the owner of the Victoria Inn. Check its opening times before you walk over. The Coach and Horses on The Square may be closed. - Forestside: about a mile. A hamlet on the edge of Stansted Forest, with a Victorian church. - Walderton: 2.5 miles. A hamlet in the Ems valley with the Barley Mow, on the Monarch’s Way. It has no church. - Racton: 3.2 miles. Known for the Racton Monument, a ruined triangular folly of brick and flint with a round turret at each corner, built between 1766 and 1775 for the 2nd Earl of Halifax. It is on private land beside a footpath, so look from the path. - Stoughton: 3.6 miles. St Mary’s holds a Millennium Tapestry of 14 panels. The Hare and Hounds is here, and so is the northern way up to [Kingley Vale](https://themarden.co.uk/local/kingley-vale). ## Eight churches, one parish The eight churches of these villages form a single Church of England parish, [the Octagon](https://theoctagonparish.org.uk/the-octagon-parish/the-octagon-churches/). The eighth is St Paul’s Chapel at [Stansted Park](https://themarden.co.uk/local/stansted-park). Seven of the eight are open all day. The Octagon Way links them in one loop of 15.2 miles, or about 18 with the detour to each church door, and eight short walks cover the same ground a village at a time. All nine routes are on our [Octagon walks](https://themarden.co.uk/local/octagon-walks) page. ## From the farm On a short winter afternoon, drive to Up Marden, see St Michael’s and walk the 1.7-mile loop. You will be back by the fire at [Keepers](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/keepers) or [The Old Stables](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/the-old-stables) before dark. With a dog, book [Barley Cottage](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/barley-cottage). The 54 bus between Chichester and Petersfield stops at West Marden, Compton and Walderton Bridge. There are five journeys each way from Monday to Saturday and none on Sunday, so you can walk down the valley to the Barley Mow and ride back. It is a council-supported route, so check the timetable before you rely on it. More on [getting here](https://themarden.co.uk/local/getting-here). ## Questions ### Where are the Mardens? In the South Downs National Park in West Sussex, north-west of Chichester. West Marden is about 10 miles from Chichester and 9 miles from Petersfield. ### How many Mardens are there? Four: West Marden, Up Marden, East Marden and North Marden. West Marden is the largest and the only one with a pub. The other three each have a medieval church. ### Which church did Ian Nairn praise in the Mardens? St Michael’s at Up Marden, a 13th-century church reached by a farm track. In the Sussex volume of The Buildings of England (1965), Nairn rated its interior among the loveliest in England. ### Is there a shop in West Marden? Not in West Marden itself. There is a village shop and tea room in Compton, under a mile away, and a convenience store in Rowlands Castle, five minutes by car. All the main supermarkets deliver to the farm. ### Is there a bus to West Marden? Yes. The 54 between Chichester and Petersfield stops at West Marden, with five journeys each way from Monday to Saturday and no Sunday service. Check the current timetable before you travel. ### Does West Marden have a church? No. West Marden and Walderton are the two villages in the Octagon parish without one. The nearest are St Mary’s at Compton and St Michael’s at Up Marden. ## Related - [Walks from the door: the Octagon Way and its eight short loops](https://themarden.co.uk/local/octagon-walks.md) - [Pubs near West Marden, nearest first](https://themarden.co.uk/local/pubs.md) - [Kingley Vale: the yew forest and the Devil’s Humps](https://themarden.co.uk/local/kingley-vale.md) - [Stansted Park: house, arboretum, farm shop and a flat walk, ten minutes away](https://themarden.co.uk/local/stansted-park.md) - [Getting to The Marden: by car, train and bus](https://themarden.co.uk/local/getting-here.md) - [A self-catering walking holiday in the South Downs, on the Octagon Way](https://themarden.co.uk/breaks/walking-holidays.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/local/the-mardens · Last updated 2026-11-14