Bosham
Encyclopedia
Bosham is a small coastal village and civil parish in the Chichester
District of West Sussex
, England, about 3 miles (4.8 km)) west of Chichester on an inlet of Chichester Harbour.
The parish has an area of 3400 acres (1,375.9 ha). In the 2001 census 2,847 people lived in 1,313 households, of whom 1.358 were economically active.
Bosham is colloquially divided into two halves: Old Bosham and New Bosham. New Bosham constitutes the more developed northern half of the village, situated around the A259 road
and the railway line. The village is served by Bosham railway station
. It is sometimes referred to by its increasingly obsolete original name, Broadbridge. Old Bosham includes the remaining geographical protrusion to the south. This includes the site of the original village around Bosham Harbour, as well as the tracts of farmland and private property of Bosham Hoe
. At high tide the sea comes right into the old village, flooding the lower road and several car parking spaces.
Forming a part of Chichester Harbour, Bosham is renowned for its sailing with Bosham Sailing Club being formed in 1907.
times, and is close to the famous villa at Fishbourne
. The Romans were responsible for the village's Mill Stream as there was no fresh water, and built a basilica
there.
mentions Bosham in his book The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, speaking of St Wilfred's visit here in 681 when he encountered a Celtic monk, Dicul, and five disciples in a small monastery.
In 850, the original village church was built on the site of the Roman basilica, and in the tenth century was replaced with Holy Trinity Church, situated beside Bosham Quay, that still serves as the local place of worship. There is a tradition that a daughter of Canute the Great
drowned in a near-by brook and was buried here, although there seems to be little evidence for this. The tradition was originally linked to a fourteenth- or fifteenth-century effigy. In 1865 a coffin containing a child's skeleton was discovered and this was thought to be Canute's daughter.
Canute had a palace in the village, probably where the Manor House now stands or possibly at the harbour's edge. Legend has it that Bosham was the site at which he commanded the waves to "go back", so as to demonstrate to his overly deferential courtiers the limits of a King's powers. The village is one of only five places that appear on the map attached to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
of around this time.
Harold Godwinson
Bosham is mentioned by name in the Bayeux Tapestry
, referring to the 1064 meeting of Harold and Edward the Confessor
on the way to meet William of Normandy to discuss who would succeed Edward to the throne:
Harold's strong association with Bosham and the recent discovery of a Saxon
grave in the church has led some historians to speculate that King Harold was buried here following his death at the Battle of Hastings
, rather than Waltham Abbey
as is often reported. A request to exhume a grave in Bosham church was refused by the Diocese of Chichester
in December 2004, the Chancellor ruling that the chances of establishing the identity of the body as that of Harold II were too slim to justify disturbing a burial place.
Domesday Book
The Domesday Book
(1086) lists Bosham as one of the wealthiest manors in England. It included the nearby village of Chidham
.
, a Site of Special Scientific Interest
is partly within the parish. This is a wetland of international importance, a Special Protection Area for wild birds and a Special Area of Conservation. The harbour is of particular importance for wintering wildfowl and waders of which five species reach numbers which are internationally important.
was founded in 1901. They were one of the founding members of the Sussex County League
Division Three in 1983. Bosham have won the Division Three title on three occasions - and finished runner-up once - earning promotion to Division Two, but each spell has eventually resulted in relegation back to Division Three, where they remain as of the 2011-12 season . Also known as 'The Robins', the team play their home fixtures at Bosham's local recreation ground on Walton Lane. The club has a youth team, Bosham Cygnets, composed of local youngsters.
Chichester (district)
Chichester is a largely rural local government district in West Sussex, England. Its council is based in the city of Chichester.-History:The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the municipal borough of Chichester and the Rural Districts of...
District of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, England, about 3 miles (4.8 km)) west of Chichester on an inlet of Chichester Harbour.
The parish has an area of 3400 acres (1,375.9 ha). In the 2001 census 2,847 people lived in 1,313 households, of whom 1.358 were economically active.
Bosham is colloquially divided into two halves: Old Bosham and New Bosham. New Bosham constitutes the more developed northern half of the village, situated around the A259 road
A259 road
The A259 is a busy road on the south coast of England passing through Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and part of Kent. Part of the road was named "the most dangerous road in South East England" in 2008.-Description:...
and the railway line. The village is served by Bosham railway station
Bosham railway station
Bosham railway station serves the small village of Bosham in West Sussex, England. It is located on the West Coastway Line that runs between Brighton and Southampton.- Services :...
. It is sometimes referred to by its increasingly obsolete original name, Broadbridge. Old Bosham includes the remaining geographical protrusion to the south. This includes the site of the original village around Bosham Harbour, as well as the tracts of farmland and private property of Bosham Hoe
Bosham Hoe
Bosham Hoe is a hamlet and estate on the shore of Chichester Harbour in the English county of West Sussex. It is some two kilometres south of the village of Bosham.- External links :...
. At high tide the sea comes right into the old village, flooding the lower road and several car parking spaces.
Forming a part of Chichester Harbour, Bosham is renowned for its sailing with Bosham Sailing Club being formed in 1907.
Roman
The site has been inhabited since RomanRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times, and is close to the famous villa at Fishbourne
Fishbourne, West Sussex
Fishbourne is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England and is situated two miles west of Chichester. The name derives from fissaburna/fiseborne/fysshburn, all meaning "stream with fish"...
. The Romans were responsible for the village's Mill Stream as there was no fresh water, and built a basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
there.
Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods
BedeBede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
mentions Bosham in his book The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, speaking of St Wilfred's visit here in 681 when he encountered a Celtic monk, Dicul, and five disciples in a small monastery.
Canute the Great
Cnut the Great , also known as Canute, was a king of Denmark, England, Norway and parts of Sweden. Though after the death of his heirs within a decade of his own and the Norman conquest of England in 1066, his legacy was largely lost to history, historian Norman F...
drowned in a near-by brook and was buried here, although there seems to be little evidence for this. The tradition was originally linked to a fourteenth- or fifteenth-century effigy. In 1865 a coffin containing a child's skeleton was discovered and this was thought to be Canute's daughter.
Canute had a palace in the village, probably where the Manor House now stands or possibly at the harbour's edge. Legend has it that Bosham was the site at which he commanded the waves to "go back", so as to demonstrate to his overly deferential courtiers the limits of a King's powers. The village is one of only five places that appear on the map attached to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the Chronicle was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great...
of around this time.
Harold Godwinson
Bosham is mentioned by name in the Bayeux Tapestry
Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth—not an actual tapestry—nearly long, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings...
, referring to the 1064 meeting of Harold and Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
on the way to meet William of Normandy to discuss who would succeed Edward to the throne:
- "Ubi Harold Dux Anglorum et sui milites equitant ad Bosham"
Harold's strong association with Bosham and the recent discovery of a Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
grave in the church has led some historians to speculate that King Harold was buried here following his death at the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
, rather than Waltham Abbey
Waltham Abbey, Essex
Waltham Abbey is a market town of about 20,400 people in the south west of the county of Essex, in the East of England region. It is about 24 km north of London on the Greenwich Meridian and lies between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east. It takes its name from The Abbey...
as is often reported. A request to exhume a grave in Bosham church was refused by the Diocese of Chichester
Diocese of Chichester
The Diocese of Chichester is a Church of England diocese based in Chichester, covering Sussex. It was created in 1075 to replace the old Diocese of Selsey, which was based at Selsey Abbey from 681. The cathedral is Chichester Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Chichester...
in December 2004, the Chancellor ruling that the chances of establishing the identity of the body as that of Harold II were too slim to justify disturbing a burial place.
Domesday Book
The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
(1086) lists Bosham as one of the wealthiest manors in England. It included the nearby village of Chidham
Chidham
Chidham is a civil parish in the District of Chichester in West Sussex, England located seven kilometres west of Chichester, south of the A27 road, near Bosham.-Prehistory:...
.
Landmarks
Chichester HarbourChichester Harbour
Chichester Harbour is a large natural harbour to the south west of the city of Chichester on the Solent. It straddles the boundary of West Sussex and Hampshire. Geographically it is a ria. It is one of four natural harbours in that area of the coastline, the others being Portsmouth Harbour,...
, a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
is partly within the parish. This is a wetland of international importance, a Special Protection Area for wild birds and a Special Area of Conservation. The harbour is of particular importance for wintering wildfowl and waders of which five species reach numbers which are internationally important.
Bosham F.C.
Bosham Football ClubBosham F.C.
Bosham F.C. are a football club based in Bosham, near Chichester, West Sussex, England. They were formed in 1901 and after a long spell in local football, joined the Sussex County Football League as founder members of Division Three in 1983....
was founded in 1901. They were one of the founding members of the Sussex County League
Sussex County Football League
The Sussex County Football League is a football league broadly covering the counties of East Sussex, West Sussex and southeastern Surrey, England.Formed in 1920, the league now has six divisions - three for first teams and three for reserve sides...
Division Three in 1983. Bosham have won the Division Three title on three occasions - and finished runner-up once - earning promotion to Division Two, but each spell has eventually resulted in relegation back to Division Three, where they remain as of the 2011-12 season . Also known as 'The Robins', the team play their home fixtures at Bosham's local recreation ground on Walton Lane. The club has a youth team, Bosham Cygnets, composed of local youngsters.