Shoreham-by-Sea

Shoreham-by-Sea sits in a spectacular position on the Sussex Coast, at the mouth of the River Adur and with the beautiful South Downs as a backdrop.

Shoreham Harbour

Shoreham is dominated by its modern port facilities. The huge chimney of Shoreham Power Station at Shoreham Harbour can be seen from all along the Sussex coast and for miles out sea in the English Channel.

The port is hard working and the area around it is densely packed warehousing and industrial property. Much of this area isn't pretty, but the port of Shoreham has played an important part in the history of Sussex. And a away from the industrial sections of the port Shoreham has an attractive feel about it.

Shoreham history in 30 seconds

Shoreham's importance is down to the role of the River Adur, which has been a key strategic place in Sussex for thousands of years.

The Normans in particular recognised the strategic significance of the Adur after the Battle of Hastings, although they would have known the river by a different name then.

Having established a major port upstream at Bramber, the Normans established New Shoreham in the 11th century to work alongside Bramber as satellite port nearer the English Channel. Unusually New Shoreham was laid out in a grid pattern.

Changes in the path taken by the Adur have necessitated changes in the harbour arrangements at Shoreham over the centuries. At various times in the Middle ages parts of Shoreham were either flooded by the sea or washed away completely. The modern harbour is completely protected from the English Channel by huge sea walls and concrete wharves.

The Harbour has meant that Shoreham has often interested potential invaders.

In 1628 a small flotilla of marauding French ships sailed into Shoreham Harbour caused a general nuisance.

In Victorian times the need for a garrison in the town was recognised by the building of a permanent fort - Shoreham Redoubt - to guard the harbour.

Old Shoreham

Old Shoreham is the site of the pre-Norman settlement at Shoreham. Old Shoreham is clustered around the Church of St Nicholas, part of which may date back to the ninth century, although most of the building dates from the 11th and 12th centuries.

The ancient bridge across the Adur is an iconic feature of Old Shoreham. The bridge was built in 1781 and carried the bulk of the traffic passing along the coast for two centuries before being allowed a more graceful retirement.

New Shoreham

New Shoreham has two real treasures in Marlipins Museum and the church of St Mary de Haura.

Marlipins Museum, with its unusual checkered flint facing, is the oldest non-religious building in Sussex and probably in the whole of Britain. It isn't completely clear what the original purpose of the building was, but it was in use as an Oat Market in 1347. But Marlipins was certainly built to a high standard and its appearance is striking, even today. The Sussex Archaeological Trust established a museum in the Marlipins building in 1928.

The incredible church of St Mary de Haura was built by the Normans at the very end of the eleventh century. The de Braose family, who were lords of the Rape of Bramber, built the church for the monastery of St Florent in France. The church is a huge and is completely uncharacteristic of other Norman churches in this regard.

Shoreham Airport

Shoreham is also known for its Art Deco airport and the annual Shoreham Air Show. Flying started at Shoreham in 1911 - just 9 years after the Wright Brothers' maiden flight. The iconic terminal building for which Shoreham Airport is best known was opened in 1936. Today the airport is extremely busy with private and commercial flying alike.

Shoreham Beach

Shoreham Beach is a huge shingle bank which reaches across the mouth of the Adur from Lancing, forcing the river to travel parallel to the coast for the last mile or so of its journey to the sea. The bank has been built up by the action of longshore drift along the Sussex coast, sweeping sand and shingle from west to east over many years.

Before the second world war a Bungalow Town sprung up on Shoreham Beach, with many theatre and film folk being among the prime movers and shakers in this upmarket coastal shanty town. Security fears during the war led to the clearance of many of the cabins on Shoreham Beach. The rebuilding of the area after the war was done on a more permanent and substantial scale.

Shoreham Redoubt

The entrance to Shoreham Harbour is guarded by Shoreham Redoubt - a fort, sometimes called Kingston Redoubt built in 1857 as part of a chain of defences against potential invasion by the French. If you want to learn more about the history of Shoreham Fort, then you can find full details about it here.

What's on in Shoreham

Find out what's on in and around Shoreham and the rest of West Sussex.

Comedy, contemporary music, classical music, dance, sculpture and art and the theatre.

As well as the Shoreham Air Show, highlights of the Shoreham calendar include the Shoreham Bath Tub Race, The Adur Festival and the The Adur Real Ale Festival.

Things to do in Shoreham

See our listings of things to do and clubs to join in Shoreham.

Shoreham sports clubs

Details of all the sports clubs in Shoreham.

Where to stay in Shoreham-by-Sea

If you're need somewhere to stay in Shoreham, why not check out our guide to the best Shoreham hotels and bed and breakfasts.

Interesting places to visit near Shoreham-by-Sea

As well as the attractions of Shoreham's coastal neighbours of Worthing , Littlehampton and Portslade, the area immediately inland from Shoreham is very attractive and interesting.

Lancing College Chapel sits in a commanding position overseeing comings and goings in the Adur Valley and the sleepy villages of Coombes and Botolphs, with it ancient church, are on the west bank of the Adur just a short distance inland.

A path runs from Shoreham along the river bank to Botolphs, where it joins up with three important Long Distance Trails - the South Downs Way , the Monarch's Way and the Downs Link Path. This makes Shoreham, with its well connected railway station, a good base for cross country cycling.

Mill Hill is an attractive haven for butterflies and endangered chalkland flowers on the northern fringes of Shoreham, although the noise from the busy A27 is not to everyone's liking.

Further north the South Downs soon rise to around 200 metres with a peak at Truleigh Hill, giving outstanding views, great countryside and fine walking.

A little further up the Adur Valley, the historic towns of Steyning and Bramber are very interesting and enjoyable places to visit. Although Bramber is really no more than a village now, the ruins of Bramber Castle are a reminder of its importance eight hundred years.

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