South Downs Light Railway

The River Rother flows from Empshott in Hampshire, England, to Stopham in West Sussex, where it joins the River Arun. At 52 kilometres (32 mi) long, most of the river lies within West Sussex except for the first 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) which lie in Hampshire. The upper river, from its source to Midhurst, has been used to power watermills, with the earliest recorded use being in 1086, when the Domesday survey was conducted. Although none are still operational, many of the buildings which housed the mills still exist, and in some cases, still retain their milling machinery. This upper section is also noted for a number of early bridges, which have survived since their construction in the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The lower river, from Midhurst to its junction with the River Arun, has been used for navigation. Boats used the section from the Arun to Fittleworth following improvements made to the Arun in 1615, and after the Arun Navigation was completed in 1790, the Earl of Egremont made the river navigable up to Midhurst by constructing eight locks and some small cuts. The work was completed in 1794, and many of the bridges built at that time still survive. With the opening of the Mid-Sussex Railway branch to Midhurst in 1859, traffic declined, and commercial use of the river had ceased by the 1880s. Pleasure boats continued to be used on the river for many years, and published accounts of journeys along the decaying navigation appeared in 1914 and 1920. The navigation was officially abandoned in 1936, after an undergraduate pointed out that it was still a public right of way. The river flows through the South Downs National Park, and is a designated Site of Nature Conservation Importance, in recognition of its value for wildlife. It supports a wide range of fish, and its upper reaches are the only location in Sussex where native white clawed crayfish can be found. The quality of the water is generally good, and the river is measured at four gauging stations, three on the main channel, and one of the River Lod, just before its junction with the Rother. Water from the underlying Lower Greensand aquifer and the adjacent chalk aquifer helps to maintain the flows during the summer months, despite the fact that large volumes are abstracted from both the aquifers and the river for the public water supply.

Hardham is a small village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Coldwaltham, in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England. It is on the A29 road 1.2 miles (2 km) southwest of Pulborough. In 1931 the parish had a population of 107.

St Botolph's Church is the Church of England parish church of Hardham, West Sussex. It is in Horsham District and is a Grade I listed building. It contains the earliest nearly complete series of wall paintings in England. Among forty individual subjects is the earliest known representation of St. George in England. Dating from the 12th century, they were hidden from view until uncovered in 1866 and now "provide a rare and memorable impression of a medieval painted interior". The simple two-cell stone building, with its original medieval whitewashed exterior, has seen little alteration and also has an ancient bell.

Park Farm Cutting is a 0.2-hectare (0.49-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Pulborough in West Sussex. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.This site exposes the Sandgate Beds of the Lower Greensand Group, which dates to the Early Cretaceous between 140 and 100 million years ago. It is the best collecting ground for a diverse range of mollusc fossils.The Wey South Path goes through the site.

Hardham Priory was an Augustinian priory in Hardham, West Sussex, England. It was founded around 1248 by Sir William Dawtrey as a priory of Black Canons of St Augustine which was at first called Heringham Priory. It was enlarged by Sir William Pagnell during the reign of Edward III, but fell into disrepair in the late 15th century and was disbanded in 1534 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.Its remains stand in an area of water meadows next to the River Arun, 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) southwest of the village of Hardham. The refectory building has been converted into a farmhouse, which is a Grade I listed building.

Stopham is a hamlet and civil parish in the District of Chichester in West Sussex, England, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of Pulborough on the A283 road. It is in the civil parish of Fittleworth. The parish has a land area of 874 acres (354 ha). The 2001 Census recorded 87 people living in 39 households, of whom 40 were economically active.

Pulborough railway station serves the West Sussex village of Pulborough. It is at the western end of the village, just off the A283 road. It is 50 miles (80 km) down the line from London Bridge via Redhill.

Coldwaltham is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is divided in two by the A29 road and lies 2.4 miles (3.9 km) southwest of Pulborough which has both a railway station on the Arun Valley Line and a bus connection to Worthing. It is around a 30-minute drive from Gatwick Airport. The 2011 Census population included the village of Hardham plus hamlet of Watersfield. The 13th century Anglican parish church is dedicated to Saint Giles; a rare 11th century gravestone and a simple Saxon font are present on the site. A yew tree near the north west corner is among the oldest in England, believed to be over 3000 years old. There is one pub, the Labouring Man. Sandham Hall is used for village events. The Church of England primary school shares a headteacher with Amberley School.

Pulborough is a large village and civil parish in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England, with some 5,000 inhabitants. It is located almost centrally within West Sussex and is 42 miles (68 km) south west of London. It is at the junction of the north–south A29 and the east–west A283 roads. The village is near the confluence of the River Arun and the River Rother, on the Stane Street Roman road from London to Chichester. It looks southwards over the broad flood plain of the tidal Arun to a backdrop of the South Downs. It is on the northern boundary of the newly established South Downs National Park. The parish covers an area of 5,183 acres (2,098 hectares). The twelfth-century parish church is dedicated to St Mary. In the 2001 census there were 4,685 people living in 1,976 households of whom 2,333 were economically active. At the 2011 census the population of Bignor was included and the total population was 5,206.

Greatham ( GRET-əm) is a small village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Parham, in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England. It lies on the Coldwaltham to Storrington road about 2 miles (3 km) south of Pulborough. In 1931 the parish had a population of 55.

Greatham Church (the dedication is unrecorded) is the Anglican parish church of the hamlet of Greatham in the district of Horsham, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. The tiny single-room building has been described variously as "delightful" and "one of the most appealing churches in Sussex". The unrestored 12th-century stone church serves a rural area near the River Arun and sits apart from the hamlet next to the ancient manor house. The church is a Grade I Listed building.

Waltham Brooks is a 47.4-hectare (117-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south-west of Pulborough in West Sussex. It is owned and managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust and is part of the Arun Valley Ramsar site and Special Protection Area.This is one of the few remaining areas of grazing marsh in the county and it has a rich variety of aquatic flora, including one nationally rare species, the small water-pepper. Many bird species winter at the site, including three in nationally important numbers, Bewick’s swan, teal and shoveler.There is access to footpaths through the site.