Shoreham by Sea
The town of Shoreham by Sea, which is now known to most as simply, Shoreham, is a small town that has a port, and resort for those who want to spend some time by the seaside. It is located in the Adur District, making it one of the largest settlements in the area, which is a part of West Sussex.
Outside of having a large port, Shoreham by Sea also has a railway station, which is part of the West Coastway Line, located just about a mile away from the town centre, as well as access to London Gatwick Airport, which is a 23 mile drive, or just under thirty minutes. Near Shoreham, is the Shoreham Airport, which is actually found in the neighbouring parish of Lancing, but the airport is only open to private planes, although it is the oldest airport in the UK still in use.
The last census showed that the historical Sussex town has a population of about 17,500. Its Northern border is the South Downs, and is bordered on the South by Shoreham Beach, which lines the English Channel and by the River Adur.
Due to its location between Worthing and Brighton & Hove, the town is part of an urban development area, and has a civil parish, which is almost as large as the actual town, with a population in the Parish of about 19,000 people during the 2001 census.
The most historical part of Shoreham, aptly titled Old Shoreham, has origins that date back to pre-Roman times. One of the most historical locations in the town s the St. Nicholas Church, which is found near the River Adur and dates back to Anglo-Saxon times.
The town was established as a port town back in the end of the 11th century by Norman conquerors. While passing through town the Adur River is referred to as the Shoreham River, although it was originally named the Sore River, which is a name that is from medieval times.
Another historical building in Shoreham by Sea is the St Mary de Haura Church, which was built over ten years from 1103, during a time period in which the city was built around a grid pattern, which can still be seen in the structure of the town centre. Only half of the church is still standing today after damage was done during the Civil war.
The most damage to the town was sustained in the 14th and 15th centuries when the part of the town that laid up on the Southern Coast, and to the South of High Street, was swept away into the English Channel. This caused the harbour to actually move eastward over time to its current location.
The seaside resort area is found along the Shoreham Beach, which is found to the south of Shoreham by Sea. Although most of the historical housing areas were destroyed during World War II, there are modern homes standing in their place today.
