Arundel - Great or Gash for wheelchairs?
If you have never heard of Arundel, then read on and get yourself an education and judge for yourself whether the Medieval town discriminates against wheelchair users.
Here’s the thing, I could just?stolen the content?from the Wikipedia and dressed Arundel up prettier than a little girl going to a birthday party, but that’s not my style. I’m going to tell you it really is in Arundel from a wheelchair perspective.
Firstly, the basics - Arundel has a big castle and a big cathedral, if you like all things Medieval, you’ll love Arundel, it’s got more history than Amy Winehouse’s drugs record and on a fine summers day the place looks idyllic.
Arundel’s Attractions
Arundel Castle
It’s big, it’s beautiful and what’s more it has wheelchair access and a lift! So to all those wheelchair people that have had to take-up archery following paralysis you can test your skills from the top of a turret and unleash hell on a few abled bodied people and potentially land them in the same boat as yourself! Hooray, more cripples!
There are lifts and even a?disabled toilets, it’s like the architects?of Arundel Castle were the Nostradamus’s of their trade and knew that cripples may become more fused with society as the century’s went on. In fact Arundel Castle is?probably better for wheelchairs than many modern buildings. I’m not saying that you can get to all levels of the castle, but if you rely on four wheels for transport than at least you can have a poke around a bit of history, and I don’t mean your Grandmother!
Arundel Cathedral
It would appear the Catholic faith could not give a flying fig about disability, this is clearly evident with Arundel Cathedral. For one it is an absolute disgrace that a wheelchair cannot get to the gift shop! For crying out loud when you go to somewhere like Arundel Cathedral the gift shop is the best thing about it, who really cares about all the religious aspects and the build of the place, that’s all bollocks.
Arundel Cathedral is a behemoth; it dominates the local landscape, when driving into the medieval town you cannot help but be impressed with it’s size and shear scale, it’s a pity it belongs to the corrupt lot that are the Catholics.
Wheelchair users can gain access, but be warned, there is no blue badge parking. It’s as though the Catholics are really trying to discourage cripples from visiting. Perhaps it’s because as there is no god, miracles can never happen, and if you lose that faith, the power of the Catholic Church would dissolve overnight, hooray!
Arundel Town Centre
Ye Olde World is upon you once you venture out into Arundel town centre. If you push a wheelchair manually then take some gloves and eat some spinach! Arundel is very hilly to say the least and if you do not have the strength in your arms you are going to struggle like hell in Arundel. If you have a carer, believe me they will be swearing their heads off as they struggle pushing your fat cripple arse up the steep roads of Arundel.
Access to shops, pubs, bars and restaurants is not the best, in fact in some you will positively need mountaineering equipment, but it is down to an individual cripple as to whether this is a point of concern or whether you still want to sample history.
If you are out for the night and are getting smashed then be warned;?do ensure there are accessible toilets available otherwise your incontinence could become a serious cause of concern for those around you as you lose control of your bowels following excessive drinking.
Accommodation
There are a number of hotels in?Arundel, some accessible and some not so accessible.?I would use?Sussex by the Sea to find?relevant information on the facilities of each individual establishment, although disabledgo.info has some useful independent information for cripples and dribblers.
Overall View
Personally, I think it will be tough for anyone in a wheelchair to really enjoy Arundel for any length of time. There are a few things that a wheelchair user can do during a short trip, but I am not convinced of Arundel being the right place as?a long-term holiday venue for a wheelchair user.
The following links are useful for any wheelchair user thinking of visiting Arundel, West Sussex.
Arundel holiday cottage and self catering accommodation
Arundel, Wikipedia listing
Disabledgo Arun
Sussex by the Sea
#1. April 20th, 2008, at 7:44 PM.
I must say as a member of the choir in arundel catheral i feel that some of your comments are a little discriminate against catholics. “it?s a pity it belongs to the corrupt lot that are the Catholics.” and ” Catholics are really trying to discourage cripples from visiting” and “the power of the Catholic Church would dissolve overnight, hooray!”. I feel that this is inapproriate and that these comments should be removed as we are not corrupt and you must have vistited the cathedral in the 1920’s as i have been at the cathedral for 12 years and we have had many disabled or as you call them “cripples” visitors.
Kind regards