Often overlooked by home movers more familiar with the West Sussex coastal towns, Emsworth is an unspoilt, peaceful harbour town right on the eastern Hampshire border with West Sussex. With average house prices generally up to 10% lower in the PO9 postcode than in the PO19 postcode of Chichester, just 10 miles distant, Emsworth represents real value for money and is a lovely place to live. Read on to find out everything you need to know about living here and things to do in Emsworth.

Where is Emsworth?

Nestled at the far northern tip of the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) of Chichester Harbour, Emsworth is effectively sheltered completely by Thorney Island to the east and by Fowley Island and Hayling Island to the west. This charming town has managed to retain the quaint feel of its fishing village origins with the cobbled stones and Georgian housing on the main streets around the harbour. Despite this prime coastal location, it is highly convenient for the A/M27 and also the A3, so it is an easy commute to nearby Portsmouth, Chichester, and Havant with its rail connections to London Waterloo.

What to do in Emsworth:

  • Outdoor Activities

With its proximity to Chichester Harbour and the Solent beyond, this once important port is now very much centred around watersports and the two sailing clubs. But you certainly don’t have to be a sailor to live here and there is plenty to occupy you outside the sailing, SUP, kayaking, and windsurfing.

In spite of its waterside location, Emsworth is also very close to the South Downs National Park where you can enjoy fabulous walking, biking, and horse-riding. Thorney Island is also very popular with dog walkers and bird-watchers.

  • Art, Wining & Dining, Shopping and Culture

Apart from all the outdoor activities, there is much in Emsworth to satisfy those who appreciate art, good food and interesting shops. The town even has a museum.

  • Emsworth’s art galleries are supplemented by the Emsworth Art Trail, which takes place in September and is celebrating 20 years in 2021.
  • The Emsworth Horticultural Society holds an annual fair over the August Bank Holiday, where you can see demonstrations of traditional crafting and gardening skills.
  • Emsworth has earned its reputation as a food destination not least because of the fame of seafront restaurant 36 On The Quay, featured in the Sunday Times’ 30 best beachfront cafes and restaurants. Fat Olives is another popular local restaurant.
  • Emsworth has a fantastic selection of independent shops, including the amazing Emsworth Deli, which has been serving local products since 1999, Vin Wine Merchants, an independent wine merchant, and several antique shops.
  • Locals’ favourite pubs include The Blue Bell Inn, The Lord Raglan, The King’s Arms and The Ship Inn.

Schools in Emsworth

Emsworth has a good selection of local primary and secondary schools, all rated good by Ofsted, including:

Rail and Road Links from Emsworth

Rail

  • Portsmouth: 10 minutes
  • Chichester: 11 minutes
  • Brighton: 58 minutes
  • Gatwick Airport: 1hr 10 minutes
  • London Waterloo: 1hr 34m (via Havant)
  • London Victoria: 1hr 44m (via Chichester)

Road (via A27/M27 and A3)

  • Portsmouth: 9 miles
  • Chichester: 12 miles
  • Brighton: 46 miles
  • Gatwick Airport: 52 miles
  • Central London: 70 miles

Property in Emsworth

The centre of Emsworth and the roads around the harbour feature lovely, quaint 17th-century fisherman’s cottages and smart Georgian townhouses. A few modern mews houses are also available, attracting retirees. As in all coastal towns, the closer you are to the water, the higher the price premium. In Emsworth, the higher-value properties can be found on Beach Road and along the waterfront overlooking Slipper Pond and Emsworth Pond.

Further from the town centre are peaceful leafy avenues with Victorian and Edwardian houses while a mix of 20th-century homes and more modern developments, like new builds in Emsworth, can be found on quiet residential roads. As you get closer to the South Downs or travel east and west from Emsworth, you can also find country cottages and old farm dwellings in semi-rural villages like Southbourne, Westbourne, and Nutbourne along the A259 to Chichester. Or look at Rowlands Castle to the North.

Prices of Houses for sale in Emsworth

According to Zoopla, the average price paid for 105 houses for sale in 2020 was £393,920.

The current average value in December 2020 is £435,246, representing a value change of £14,058 and a rise of 3.34% since December 2019. The average price of flats for sale in Emsworth was an average of £218,553, and the average price of terraced houses for sale was £342,724.

Buy, Sell, Let and Rent Property in Emsworth with Hancock and Partners

Hancock and Partners is a leading independent estate agent for West Sussex and Hampshire, and we have sold, let and managed properties in the area since 1991. If you would like to buy, sell or let a property in Emsworth, get in touch with your local Emsworth estate agents on 01243 531111 and let Hancock and Partners help you find your perfect home.