Godfrey

About the area : Located in West Sussex we are located approximately 30 minutes the M25 and 20 minutes from Gatwick airport. The blue flag beach at West Wittering is one of the best beaches in the UK and is less than an hour away with multiple campsites. Not far from Wittering is Chichester Harbour, Chichester Cathedral and Goodwood racecourse home of the Festival of Speed. We are centrally located between the South Downs National Park and Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty. The South Downs and Surrey Hills both offer superb scenery, fantastic walking routes and village pubs a plenty. In the Surrey Hills, Boxhill and Leith Hill are both National Trust sites and offer spectacular walks and views. In the South Downs Arundel Castle is a fantastic day out and the South Downs Way offers over 100 miles of stunning scenery. If you want a traditional British seaside resort, the City of Brighton is only 30 minutes away offering its pier, beach, marina, shopping and nightlife. Godfrey is parked on our driveway in Southwater which has pubs, restaurants, shops, a Country Park and several campsites nearby. The address is situated on a bus route and 5 miles from Horsham railway station which has links to nearby Gatwick Airport, Central London and the Coast. Description of Beds: Godfrey can sleep 2 adults in comfort in a large double bed. A small infant could also fit in the bed but it would be cosy. The bed is made up from the U shaped lounge cushions using the table as an insert and and can be assembled in 2 minutes. Once set up the dimensions are 185cm x 143 cm. The bed is extremely comfortable. There is a small tent available as an extra which would be great for a child or teenager. Description of Seating: There are three belted seats with headrests in the front of the van including the drivers seat. The spacious U-shaped lounge can seat 4 or 5 people in comfort socially with a swivel table that can be left in place for a board game or a game of cards or removed completely and stored out the way in the boot area or in the cab. Description of Electrical Setup: Godfrey is fully off grid with 350 watts of solar on the roof a 230ah lithium battery and a 2000 watt inverter. The inverter powers two 240v sockets suitable for the electric kettle and air fryer that are supplied, These will also charge devices that require household 240v sockets. There are also two double usb sockets for charging phones and other devices. The leisure battery is charging from the engine when you are driving and from the solar panels when you are stationary. There is also electric hook-up available which is particularly handy should you want to pitch up in the shade and not move the van for a week! The battery and inverter powers the 10 litre water heater providing you with hot water for washing hands, washing up and showers. Lighting is provided by LED spotlights. Parking: There is plenty of free parking at the pick up point either on the street or on the driveway There is a bus stop outside the address with regular buses to Horsham Railway Station. Cooking Equipment: Godfrey comes with everything you need to cook most meals. The diesel hob is similar to an induction hob and surprisingly effective and simple to use with 2 burners. The fuel from this is taken from the vehicle fuel tank, there is no gas in the vehicle. When not in use for cooking this hob becomes a heater in the van should you require it. In addition to the hob there is a small air fryer that can be used off grid using the inverter. An electric kettle is provided which works off grid so you can have a cup of tea anywhere in minutes without needing to fire up the hob. Water and Sanitation: There is a 60 litre fresh water tank inside the van which makes the Godfrey suitable for winter use. This is filled from outside using either a hosepipe or portable water container, both supplied. There is a pop up inside shower by the sliding door. This is where the portable toilet is kept which is lifted out of the way to reveal a shower tray with drain to the waste tank under the vehicle. To use the shower indoors you will need to put up the shower curtain which is straightforward. Or you can stand outside by the door and shower outside. The outside shower is handy to hose down sandy feet or muddy dogs. The water is heated by a 10 litre electric water heater that automatically heats water when you are driving, or if stationary during the day when there is enough solar power. The water heater can be turned on manually and it will heat up with the inverter in less than 30 minutes proving enough for two basic showers. There is a large sink with drainer in the kitchen for washing up with hot and cold water. You can drink this water directly from the tap or you can fill up the supplied portable water container from a tap at a campsite. There is a portable chemical toilet under the seat by the sliding door which is accessed by lifting the cushion. The toilet can be lifted out at night and left in the living area, which allows quick toileting at night and leaves you with a large bed. Audio Equipment: There is a radio in the front cab. Should you want to listen to music when not on the move I would recommend bringing your own portable equipment, there are ample charging points for devices in the van. Type of Heating: Godfrey has a diesel heater/hob. When not cooking the hinged lid on the hob is kept in the closed position and when the heater is on this excels hot air with an electric fan into the living area provided instant warmth which can be controlled with a simple dial. There is a Maxxair fan in the ceiling that can be operated with a remote control from the bed. This can be used either as an extractor fan when cooking or a normal fan to cool the van down. Pet Information: We are happy for a small or medium dog to be on board however there is limited space to transport them safely. This van is not suitable for large dogs, there is nowhere for them to be transported safely. Our small terrier sits on the middle seat up front when driving and there is a space under the main bed at night for a small dog bed to go and space in the boot to store it during the day. We supply a throw to place on the sofa when dogs are on it. Extra Information: Godfrey is the perfect van for couples having a comfortable living space and everything you need for adventures. It has loads of storage space and even has a wardrobe to hang your smart clothes. Being a medium wheelbase it is not intimidating to drive and has parking sensors and a reversing camera. Godfrey will fit in one supermarket parking space whereas larger vans need two! The living area is separated from the cab and has a log cabin/beach hut theme. With a diesel cooker and solar power you don't need to worry about running out of gas or being on a campsite for electric giving you a fully off grid experience. Being fully insulated and heated Godfrey is suitable for use all year round. Conversion Story: Godfrey was converted by the owners Jason and Kay in the first 6 months of 2024 and was a fencers van in his previous life. Godfrey has been converted especially for the rental market as we have another van that we converted 7 years ago and use for our own holidays. The kitchen units and the cupboard doors are made from a fallen birch tree from my friends nearby woodland. This took hours of work to turn thick rough timber into a bespoke kitchen. The ceiling is made from redwood and all the timber has been treated with clear wax which produces a fantastic finish. The walls, floor and ceiling are fully insulated and the upholstery was completed by Kay. When completed Godfrey was taken for a test holiday to Somerset for several days to iron out any niggles. The entire build was recorded and is on you tube which can be seen here : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtyALe4ELfG4_hQrZ7K8uyR6dakhjbo_X&si=3ElnXsSke87BOlY1 About the Owner: Jason and Kay both enjoy going away on adventures in their own campervan "Lance". Jason is semi-retired and enjoys a project whether it be building a teardrop caravan, restoring a motorbike or converting an ambulance to a campervan. This is hopefully the first build of many more to follow for either rent or sale.