The old Roman way could be followed directly across the hills for four miles until the high road is joined near Halnaker Hill, where we shall presently arrive from Goodwood, but a longer route must be taken to explore the lovely and retired part of the Downs which lies between Bignor and Singleton.  A path between Farm Hill and Barton Down leads to Up Waltham where is a little Early English church with the rare feature of a circular apse.  Just south of the village an exquisite combe opens out to the south-west and is traversed by a rough and stony hill road leading to East Dean; this claims to be the real East Dean where Alfred met Asser, but its beautiful situation will be its chief recommendation to the traveller.  Another mile brings us to the hamlet of Charlton from which the extensive forest to the north takes its name.  A short distance further and the Midhurst-Chichester road is joined at Singleton, which village, very pleasantly situated, has a Perpendicular church with a Norman tower, so ancient that some authorities name it Saxon; it is at the latest very primitive Norman.  Notice the quaint wooden gallery and the stairs to the rood loft, and also a stoup in good preservation.  The village is in a most beautiful situation, surrounded by groups of low wooded hills.  There is a station here on the Midhurst railway.

The high road now winds through West Dean to Mid-Lavant and Chichester.  Both villages have “restored” churches.  The first named contains a notable monument—­the Lewknor.  Near by is the beautiful West Dean Park.  Mid-Lavant church is Early English but boasts a Norman window.  The name of this village perpetuates a phenomenon which is becoming more rare each year.  At one time erratic streams would make their appearance in the chalk combes in the head of the valley and combining, cause serious floods or “lavants.”  For some unknown reason the flow of water is gradually becoming smaller and of late years it has been quite insignificant.

[Illustration:  EAST LAVANT.]

To resume the route a return must be made to Singleton and the path taken which leads over the Goodwood hills past the Race Course to Halnaker.  The whole of this beautiful stretch of Downland is open to the stranger; the best views are undoubtedly from the Race Course, which dates from 1802.  This is the most fashionable of all race-meetings and the course is in the most beautiful situation.  To the west of the course, on an isolated eminence, sometimes called “Roche’s Hill” and sometimes “The Beacon” is an ancient camp with double vallum and fosse enclosing over five acres.  On the slope due south of Roche’s Hill are some caves supposed to have been prehistoric dwelling-places.  A mile to the south is Goodwood House (Duke of Richmond), on certain days and during certain seasons open to the public.  The house, so far as its exterior is concerned, is exceedingly ugly, but contains a magnificent collection of paintings, chiefly portraits, the most famous of which are by Lawrence, Gainsborough, Romney and Vandyke, the last named being represented, among other works, by the well-known painting of Charles I with his queen and children.