Page content section :
History : History of Adur
- Shoreham
- Southwick
- Sompting
- Lancing
- Coombes
- Port of Shoreham
- See also
- Archaeology
- Borough Seal, Council Coat of Arms and Civic Regalia
- History - with links to old
photos of West Sussex on-line and research websites
- Historic churches to visit in Adur
- See map of places of interest in Adur
Shoreham
Shoreham enjoys a unique location, bordered on the north by the South Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, on the west by the open valley of the river Adur and on the south by the river and Shoreham Beach. Such close proximity to the Downs, river and coast make Shoreham-by-Sea a very desirable place to live.
The
town and port of New Shoreham was established by the Norman Conquerors towards
the end of the 11th century. Shoreham’s strategic location and proximity
to Normandy made it a logical place to improve facilities for travel and
trade. The magnificent church of St
Mary de Haura was built in the decade following the Doomsday Survey of
1086 and the town laid out on a grid pattern. The 12th century building in
Shoreham High Street, the Marlipins Museum, is one of the oldest surviving
secular buildings in the UK and dates from this time.
The rise of Brighton and Worthing and the coming of the railway in 1840 prepared the way for Shoreham’s rise as a rapidly growing Victorian sea port with several shipyards and an active coasting trade.
Shoreham Beach to the south of the town, is the shingle bank thrown up over the centuries by the sea. Converted railway carriages became summer homes around the turn of the century, and Bungalow Town, as it was then known, became home for a short time to a flourishing film industry. It was cleared for defence reasons during the second World War and is now completely developed for modern houses. However the Church of the Good Shepherd, built in 1913, still stands.
Southwick
Evidence shows that Southwick has been continually occupied since 2000 BC. The Green was once common land used for grazing but is now a focal point for much activity in Southwick from summer cricket to autumn fairs.
The Manor Cottage is a listed building dating from the 14th century. There is a community centre, together with the Barn Hall and Theatre (which has been awarded lottery funding to develop its facilities).
Beyond Southwick and to the south-east is Fishersgate, a mix of residential and light industrial and commercial activity.
See also : Southwick Community Centre website (www.southwickcommunitycentre.org.uk)
Sompting
The western end and northern parts of the parish remain predominantly rural with an abundance of flint walls, older houses and cottages. It is now a conservation area within the district and has its own parish council.
Lancing
Lancing has a long history dating back to the Stone Age.
During the Bronze Age (1500 to 500 BC) a sacred place was made near Lancing clump and an incense cup and fragments of pottery from this spot are now in the British Museum.
In Roman times, when Chichester became an important city, a road was constructed along the coastal plain through Lancing and Sompting. Part of it can still be traced at North Lancing by the name ‘The Street’.
The area has had its own parish council since 1894.
See also : Lancing Parish Council's website
Coombes
Today the hamlet of Coombes has a population of just less than 50 people - roughly the same number registered in the Doomsday Book! It is in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is close to Lancing College. Coombes Church is Saxon and early Norman and has a fine selection of murals considered to be among the best in the country.
Port of Shoreham
The Port of Shoreham is the closest Channel port to London and lies within 15 miles of the principal sea shipping lanes along the English Channel.
Shoreham is a Trust Port, first established in 1760, and the Port Authority is charged with the statutory duty to ‘improve, maintain and develop the port for the benefit of the Kingdom’. In practice most of the Port’s activities service south east England, although some commodities such as timber, are distributed further afield.
In 1995 over 2 million tonnes of cargo was handled through the Port, the principle commodities being sea dredged sand and shingle, quarried stone, oil, bitumen and timber. Other commodities handled included general cargo, cocoa, peat and fertiliser, steel, scrap metal and paper.
There are also many small business units in the Port. The Port Authority invested in the construction on the Hove Enterprise Centre, which was completed in 1995, and further units are planned.
For more information contact the Shoreham Port Authority - for contact details see their website :
- Shoreham Port Authority website (www.shoreham-port.co.uk/Home).
See also :
