A SUSSEX tourist hotspot has been named as one of the top places in the country to make a house a home.

Arundel came sixth in property finders Garrington's list of "the 18 best small towns in England to live in".

The company cited the town's attractive architecture, including Georgian houses and a French Gothic cathedral, as one of several reasons why it was placed so highly in the rankings.

The LG Cafe in Arundel

The LG Cafe in Arundel

Other attractive features included two primary schools, Arundel Church of England Primary School and St Philip’s Catholic Primary School, with "good" Ofsted ratings, the stunning surroundings provided by the South Downs National Park and the ability to take a train to London Blackfriars in less than an hour and 20 minutes.

A Garrington spokesman said: "Arundel is a historic market town nestled into a steep-sided valley of the River Arun in the South Downs of West Sussex.

"According to the town’s tourist information office, the place captures all that is 'urban chic' and combines it with a rich 1,000-year heritage amidst country pursuits.

"...(It) features fine houses from practically every architectural period (but especially Georgian) – so much so, that one website says those who live there feel that they’re living on the set of a 19th-century costume drama.

Castle keep, walls and tower. Arundel. West Sussex. England.

Castle keep, walls and tower. Arundel. West Sussex. England.

"London is only 65 miles away while the coast at Littlehampton is just a 10 minute drive."

The average price of a a detached property in Arundel during the year leading up to November 2020 was £641,415.

The small town which took the top spot in Garrington's list was Southam in Gloucestershire.

A company spokesman said: "Live in Southam if you are looking for a small, friendly, community-oriented place to live which attracts those still in work and many who are retired.

"It is one of the quintessentially English hamlets of the world-famous Cotswolds – with buildings constructed from the distinctive honey-coloured stone of the area."

Epping in Essex finished as the runner-up, followed by Windsor in Berkshire, Frome in Somerset and Dorchester-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.