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Aldingbourne
Elda, a Saxon Chieftain, at least had the benefit of
cold running water; Aldingbourne means 'Elda's home
by the stream'. The parish church is believed to be
built on the site of a 7th century monastery. Medieval
wall paintings date from about 1080. |
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Angmering
Known as 'Angmare' in the Domesday Survey. Flint was mined
here during the Stone Age and there is evidence of a bronze
age settlement and the earth ramparts of an Iron Age fortified
enclosure. To the east is Highdown, the site of the earliest
known Saxon burial grounds in this part of Sussex. The
earliest building in Angmering dates from the 14th century,
and other interesting examples from the 16th, 17th, and
18th centuries. House names such as 'Weavers Cottage'
and 'Saddlers' offer some clues to the occupations of
the original residents. |
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 Burpham
The tiny village of Burpham near Arundel
is rich in history. The Church of St Mary, dates back
to the 12th and 13th centuries. Buried in the churchyard
is the former vicar of Burpham, the Reverend Edward Tickner
Edwards, who wrote a number of books on natural history
and local folklore. One of his novels was made into a
silent film in the 1920s, with Burpham providing the location.
His best known book is 'The Lore of the Honeybee' - bees
being one of his great obsessions. Also buried here is
Mervyn Peake, poet, author and painter. The picturesque
cricket ground is a focal point at weekends in the summer,
and has heard the sound of willow on leather for over
120 years. |
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Clapham
and Patching
These twin villages stand amid field and woodland at the
foot of the Downs. In the early 19th century Patching
Woods were thought to be the best spot in the south of
England for truffles. Neolithic flint mines have been
found near Patching - and folklore has it that here the
English fairies finally hung up their wands. |
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 Climping
(also spelt Clymping)
Most visitors know Clymping for its beach, stretching
for two miles alongside unspoiled farmland. A must for
visitors is St Mary's Church. Architectural guides give
it a five-star rating amongst village churches. The tower
is Norman, built as a watch tower offering commanding
views over the sea and river up to Arundel
Castle. The church itself was built about 1230 and
its flowing lines make it a building of outstanding beauty.
At Climping Street, the Black Horse, an 18th century smugglers'
inn, marks the boundary of Isleham, a separate manor in
medieval times. The hamlet of Atherington, now largely
disappeared through the ravages of the sea, was a Saxon
settlement. After the Norman conquest, the manor was given
to the Abbey of Seez in Normandy. The abbey sent over
a monk to act as bailiff, hence the name Bailiffscourt.
The 12th century chapel of the bailiff still stands. |
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Eastergate
A settlement has existed here for more than a millennium.
The 12th century church of St Georges has a Saxon window,
600 year old armorial glass and traces of Roman bricks
among the flintwork. On the outside wall, Roman bricks
can be seen herringboned among the flints. |
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East
Preston and Kingston
East Preston is recorded in the Doomsday Survey, whilst
neighbouring Kingston can be reached by an ancient footpath,
the Priest's Route. A manor house and some medieval farmhouses
have since been joined by coastguard cottages in response
to thriving smuggling activities prevalent at the time.
Kingston is almost unique in that the fields here reach
almost to the sea. Much of the village, including its
chapel, disappeared under the sea in the 17th century.
Local legend has it that rocks, visible at low tide, are
the remains of the chapel. |
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Felpham
Felpham was first referred to in ancient charters in the
9th century and was then the property of Alfred the Great.
At this time it was known as Felhamme. In the 10th century
it passed from the Crown to the Abbess and nuns of Shaftesbury
Abbey, founded by Alfred in AD888. When William the Conqueror
initiated the Domesday Survey, Felpham was included. It
contained 15 ½ hides (about 1600 acres) and referred to
67 male villeins or cottars working the estate. The church,
too, was mentioned, as was a wood for 30 swine. Altogether
it was worth £20! By 1914, the village had grown southwards
with streets named after politicians and soldiers of the
Indian Mutiny. William Blake, lived in Felpham, where
he wrote the words that were later used for the hymn "Jerusalem".
His house (although now in private hands) is situated
on Blakes Road leading to the beach. |
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 Ferring
From the Celts of the 3rd century BC to the days when
smuggling was the villagers' accepted way of life, there
is much evidence today of Ferring's past. The ancient
Parish Church of St Andrew dates back to Norman times
- but it is believed that it stands on the site of an
even earlier church, built between 765 and 791. Clustered
around the church are the cottages and houses of the old
village. They include Maytree Cottage, built in the 16th
century and thought to be the oldest cottage in the village;
and buildings like Smugglers Cottage and Smugglers Annexe,
whose names indicate that, in days gone by, smuggling
was a fact of village life along the Sussex coast. |
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Findon
Findon is an ideal setting for those who love the South
Downs, which is in easy reach. The main activity is
the training of racehorses, and the Findon stables have
produced four Grand National winners in recent years.
The village lanes reveal a wealth of interesting and attractive
old buildings, adding to the villages old-world charm.
The Manor Hotel was formally known as The Rectory and
built in the 16th century. One of the most unusual listed
buildings is the Wattle House at Nepcote Green, Findon.
It was built between 1792 and 1803 to store wattles for
the Annual Findon Sheep Fair, which still takes place
today. |
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Ford
To the east of the River Arun lay the original village
of Ford. At its heart stood the Saxon church of St Andrews
with its medieval paintings. The church has recently been
carefully restored. The former aerodrome has been in existence
since the Great War and was a Royal Naval station during
the Second World War. |
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Lyminster
This small village has wonderful views of Arundel.
It appears in Alfred the Great's will in the 10th century
as Lullyngminster. A Benedictine convent was established
here, probably as much as 100 years before the Norman
Conquest. The church of St Mary Magdalene dates back to
the 11th century. By the font of the 11th century church
of St Mary Magdelene is the ancient tombstone of a local
hero, said to have slain a dragon who lived in a nearby
bottomless pond called Knucker Hole. |
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 Houghton
Houghton has proved irresistible to many visiting artists,
including John Constable and Arthur Rackham, with Houghton
Bridge as a favourite subject for painters through the
ages. King Charles II is said to have stopped for refreshment
at the George and Dragon on his flight through the country
in the 17th century.
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Madehurst
Arguably the most remote of Sussex villages
and proud of its peaceful setting. There are wonderful
walks to be enjoyed in heavily wooded countryside. |
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 Pagham
The area surrounding Pagham formed part of the kingdom
of the South Saxons. In the Middle Ages, Pagham was an
important and prosperous port. In parts 1200 years old
Barton Manor at 1,200 is reputedly the oldest continuously
occupied manor house in England. At full tide today the
harbour and adjoining fields are covered by water, forming
a nature reserve which attracts a variety of birds, including
some very rare species. |
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Poling
Poling is a small village with its own share of characters
and legends. In the 12th century the Knights Hospitallers
of St John of Jerusalem founded a commandery in Poling
- part of this building is now incorporated in Fairplace
Farm, also known as St John's Priory. |
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 Slindon
Much of the land and woodland around this picturesque
village is owned by the National Trust. Around Hallowe'en,
fantastic pumpkins of all shapes and sizes can be seen
outside one of the houses. The 12th century parish church
contains a memorial to Stephen Langton, Archbishop of
Canterbury at the time of the Magna Carta, who died in
Slindon in 1228. Another memorial in the church is to
Richard Newland, 'father of modern cricket', a reminder
of the village's long cricketing tradition. Among the
many distinguished people who lived in Slindon was Hilaire
Belloc. He came as a child in 1878 and was brought up
in the Dower House and later The Grange. |
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South
Bersted
The 600 hundred-year-old Church of St Mary Magdelene has
a slightly wonky spire. Made of oak, it has warped over
the centuries. The Parish Chest, found inside the church,
originates from 1200. The church registers which have
been kept since 1538 used to be stored inside. Sir Richard
Hotham, the founder of modern Bognor
and Mary Wheatland one of the South Coast's most famous
lifeguards are buried in the graveyard. |
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South
Stoke
In the heart of the Downs, South Stokes's Church of St
Leonard dates back to the 11th century and is the focal
point of a small and peaceful village. |
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Walberton
Walberton is a pleasant mixture of old and new streets
and houses, many of which retain the names of their origins
- Mill Lane, Blacksmith Corner, Dairy Lane and houses
recalling the bakery, brewery and malthouse. The oldest
farm is Pigeon House Farm which still has its pigeonhouse.
St Mary's Church dates back to 1068 and still has a Saxon
font and west wall. At the western end of the village,
is the green with its pond which is popular with visitors
who stop to feed the resident ducks. |
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Warningcamp
The delightful village of Warningcamp is often missed
in the hurry to reach Burpham! The name originates from
a Saxon chief, 'Waerner', whose camp was on the edge of
Batworth park. Warningcamp was once a major river crossing
point, with a ford for travellers from Arundel.
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