Tudor ruins in Sussex were once visited by Henry VIII

But one with particular significance is Cowdray House, now known as Cowdray Ruins.

The ruins, in Easebourne, near Midhurst, are the skeleton of what was once a grand manor house.

The Cowdray Ruins are known to have been visited by King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.

Though the ruin is only open to the public on select days for heritage tours, you can get a good view of it on footpaths nearby.

When the second Viscount Anthony-Maria Browne owned Cowdray, during the late 16th and early 17th century, Guy Fawkes was briefly employed at the manor as a footman.

The second Viscount was briefly imprisoned for complicity in the Gunpowder plot after staying away from Parliament on November 5, 1605, following a warning.

Cowdray Ruins are not open to the public every day but visitors can book tours (Image: Roger Cornfoot)

Cowdray continues to be a thriving manor and by September 1793 it needed some repairs and refurbishments.

It was then that a fire in the carpenters’ workshop destroyed most of the mansion. The ruins are Grade I listed for their historical importance. The Kitchen Tower is the only part of it that remains intact.

Also lost in the fire were a number of 16th-century wall paintings, originally commissioned by Sir Anthony Browne.

They had been painted onto the walls of a hall in Cowdray House.

The house is in the South Downs National Park and is not far from the park’s visitor centre in Midhurst.

The park team wanted to encourage visitors to come to the centre and said there are “amazing walks” in the area, including routes past the ruin or by the nearby River Rother.

You can get a good view of Cowdray Ruins on walks nearby (Image: Rob Farrow)

Zara Kelleway, who manages the visitor area and shop, said: “Do come and find out more about the National Park and discover some of the amazing places you can go.

“We look forward to welcoming you.”

The next Cowdray Ruins Walk and Tour is on September 15, from 11am to 12pm. 

On the talk and guided walk, visitors can hear stories of what Tudor life was like and tales of important guests who visited the house.

Tickets are £10 for adults and children aged eight and over can visit for £6 each.