Lavant Village
The downland village at the gates of the Goodwood estate
Lavant is the village most closely associated with the Goodwood estate, sitting at the foot of the Downs along the A286 between Chichester and Midhurst. The village is divided into Mid Lavant and East Lavant, with the two parts separated by the road and connected by the village's shared facilities, church and community life. The River Lavant, a chalk winterbourne that flows through the village, gives the settlement its name and its character.
The village's proximity to Goodwood has shaped its history and its present. Many of the older properties in Lavant were built for estate workers, and the relationship between village and estate continues through employment, community activities and the shared use of the landscape. The Lavant Memorial Hall, the church of St Nicholas and the village shop provide focal points for a community that is small but active.
The River Lavant is one of the chalk streams that rise on the South Downs and flow south towards Chichester Harbour. As a winterbourne, it flows only during and after periods of sustained rainfall, when the water table in the chalk rises sufficiently to feed the springs that supply it. In wet winters, the Lavant can flood, and the village has experienced several notable flooding episodes that have affected properties along the riverbank. In dry summers, the bed is empty, a dusty channel of flint and chalk that hints at the water table's position far below.
East Lavant is a quiet, residential settlement with attractive flint and brick cottages, several of which date from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The village has a rural character that is well preserved, and the surrounding farmland and downland provide a setting of great beauty. The walk from East Lavant to The Trundle, ascending through the chalk grassland to the summit of St Roche's Hill, is one of the classic walks in the Goodwood area.
Mid Lavant, on the A286, has a slightly more developed character, with the village pub, some commercial premises and the main road traffic that passes through on its way between Chichester and the Downs. The Earl of March pub, named after the Goodwood family's courtesy title, is a well-regarded dining pub that serves food of a high standard and attracts visitors from across the area.
For visitors to Goodwood, Lavant provides accommodation, dining and a base from which to explore the estate and the surrounding Downs. Bed and breakfasts, holiday cottages and the Earl of March pub all offer overnight stays, and the village's position at the junction of the A286 and the road to Goodwood makes it a convenient stopping point. During major Goodwood events, Lavant experiences the traffic and bustle that comes with 200,000 visitors passing through over a few days, and the village's relationship with the estate's event programme is a balance of economic benefit and local inconvenience.
Lavant is not a tourist village in the conventional sense. It is a working community whose residents include farmers, estate workers, commuters and retirees. But its setting, its proximity to Goodwood and its attractive character make it a natural point of interest for anyone exploring this part of West Sussex.