Midhurst is a market community, church [3] and civil church in West Sussex, England. It rests on the River Rother 20 miles (32 kilometres) inland from the English Channel, and 12 miles (19 km) north of the county town of Chichester. The name Midhurst was first recorded in 1186 as Middeherst, suggesting "Middle wooded hillside", or "(place) among the wooded hills". It originates from the Old English words midd (adjective) or mid (preposition), indicating "in the middle", plus hyrst, "a wooded hillside". The Norman St. Ann's Castle dates from about 1120, although the structures are all that can now be seen. The castle, the parish church of St. Mary Magdalene and St. Denis, along with South Pond, the former fish-pond for the castle, are the only three structures left from this very early period. The parish church is the earliest building in Midhurst. Just throughout the River Rother, in the church of Easebourne, is the mess up of the Tudor Cowdray House.