Southwick, West Sussex
Encyclopedia
Southwick is a small town and civil parish in the Adur District of West Sussex
, England
located three miles (5 km) west of Brighton
and a suburb of the East Sussex
resort City of Brighton & Hove
. The civil parish covers an area of 863.7 hectares and has a population of 13,195 persons (2001 census).
The town is loosely divided into three sections: south of Brighton Road is the harbour with its associated industries and businesses; north of Brighton Road up to Old Shoreham Road is mainly residential properties dating from the middle of the nineteenth century to the 1950s; and the area between Old Shoreham Road and South Downs
being the most recent to be developed, although still largely residential.
The main road which passes through the town is the A259 coast road
. The A27 road
bypasses the town to its north.
(1085): Nigel holds Esmerwick of William. Azor held it of King Edward. Then, and now, it vouched for one hide and a half. There is land for 4 ploughs. In demesne are 2 ploughs, and 4 villeins and 6 bordars with 2 ploughs. In the time of King Edward it was worth 40 shillings, and afterwards 30 shillings. Now 4 pounds. In that excerpt, the village is referred to by its Saxon name, Esmerewick, meaning East pool hamlet
. The village was first recorded as Suthewicke in 1309.
The town grew as the coast became a popular holiday destination, many of the properties being tourist accommodation. The railway
arrived in the town on 12 May 1840, being the original terminus of the line at that time.
The town also has Roman history. The Methodist church on Manor Hall Road is built on top of a Roman villa. There are also corresponding road names in the area, such as Roman Road, and Roman Crescent.
The Manor Cottage and what used to be the doctor's surgery are also of historic interest. One of the town's schools, Eastbrook; was formerly known as Manor Hall Middle School; suggesting that there may have been a larger manor linked with the cottage.
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There are several churches in Southwick: St Michael and All Angels
in Church Lane, St Theresa of Lisieux (RC) in Downland Avenue, Southwick Methodist
Church in Manor Hall Road, All Souls Centre in Downsway and, Southwick Christian
Community Church
in Roman Crescent. The town's open-air shopping centre, Southwick Square, is home to many traditional and local businesses as well as some larger chains, and was central to the old village prior to its expansion north of the Old Shoreham Road in the middle of the twentieth century. Adjacent to 'the Square', as it is known locally, is the Southwick Community Centre, and Southwick Library
, which was rebuilt for 2007.
Famous tourist attractions include Orchard Close during the Christmas season in which every house in the street is decorated in lavish Christmas lights, with all money raised from the collection box going to various charities.
The main secondary schools for this catchment area are in Shoreham-By-Sea: King's Manor Community College (comprehensive), now rebranded the Shoreham Academy and Shoreham College (public). Some children may go further afield and attend Portslade Community College, St Andrew's CE High School for Boys or Davisons School for Girls in Worthing
, Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Hove, or Steyning Grammar School
.
, who will play the 2009-10 season in the Sussex County League
Division Two. Southwick Rangers Youth Football Club, Adur Athletic Football Club and Southwick Hockey Club are also based in the town.
The Green, once common land central to the old village, consists of two separate fields divided by a short road of the same name. The smaller southern field, also home to the town's war memorial located in the south-eastern corner, is often used for local cricket matches. The larger northern field contains a small children's playground and is most often used for general recreation and is also the location where travelling fairgrounds and local fairs will set-up during the summer and autumn months. There is also some parkland off Cross Road, just south of the Old Shoreham Road. North of the Old Shoreham Road, there is Quayside, once home to the Quayside Youth Centre which burned down in May 2005, and more open land off Downsway.
Unusually for a town of its size, Southwick has a vibrant theatrical scene thanks to the Barn Theatre, an 18th century barn building converted into a theatre in 1951 and thoroughly revamped in 1998.
There are also several pubs in Southwick:
(The large Windmill Inn, on Old Shoreham Road closed in May 2010 and was demolished in September of the same year)
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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
located three miles (5 km) west of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and a suburb of the East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
resort City of Brighton & Hove
Brighton & Hove
Brighton and Hove is a unitary authority area and city on the south coast of England. It is England's most populous seaside resort.In 1997 Brighton and Hove were joined to form the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove, which was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II as part of the millennium...
. The civil parish covers an area of 863.7 hectares and has a population of 13,195 persons (2001 census).
The town is loosely divided into three sections: south of Brighton Road is the harbour with its associated industries and businesses; north of Brighton Road up to Old Shoreham Road is mainly residential properties dating from the middle of the nineteenth century to the 1950s; and the area between Old Shoreham Road and South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
being the most recent to be developed, although still largely residential.
The main road which passes through the town is the A259 coast 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:...
. The A27 road
A27 road
The A27 is a major road in England. It runs from its junction with the A36 at Whiteparish in the county of Wiltshire. It closely parallels the south coast, where it passes through West Sussex and terminates at Pevensey in East Sussex.Between Portsmouth and Lewes, it is one of the busiest trunk...
bypasses the town to its north.
History
Southwick was recorded in the Domesday bookDomesday 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...
(1085): Nigel holds Esmerwick of William. Azor held it of King Edward. Then, and now, it vouched for one hide and a half. There is land for 4 ploughs. In demesne are 2 ploughs, and 4 villeins and 6 bordars with 2 ploughs. In the time of King Edward it was worth 40 shillings, and afterwards 30 shillings. Now 4 pounds. In that excerpt, the village is referred to by its Saxon name, Esmerewick, meaning East pool hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
. The village was first recorded as Suthewicke in 1309.
The town grew as the coast became a popular holiday destination, many of the properties being tourist accommodation. The railway
Southwick railway station
Southwick railway station is a railway station serving the village of Southwick in West Sussex, England. It is located on the West Coastway Line 7 km west of Brighton towards Southampton.-Services:Typical off-peak service is:...
arrived in the town on 12 May 1840, being the original terminus of the line at that time.
The town also has Roman history. The Methodist church on Manor Hall Road is built on top of a Roman villa. There are also corresponding road names in the area, such as Roman Road, and Roman Crescent.
The Manor Cottage and what used to be the doctor's surgery are also of historic interest. One of the town's schools, Eastbrook; was formerly known as Manor Hall Middle School; suggesting that there may have been a larger manor linked with the cottage.
Historical residents
- DameDame (title)The title of Dame is the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood in the British honours system . It is also the equivalent form address to 'Sir' for a knight...
Clara ButtClara ButtDame Clara Ellen Butt DBE , sometimes called Clara Butt-Rumford after her marriage, was an English contralto with a remarkably imposing voice and a surprisingly agile singing technique. Her main career was as a recitalist and concert singer.-Early life and career:Clara Butt was born in Southwick,...
, celebrated contraltoContraltoContralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
, was born at 27 Adur Terrace. - Attila the StockbrokerAttila the StockbrokerAttila the Stockbroker is a punk poet, and a folk punk musician and songwriter. He performs solo and as the leader of the band Barnstormer...
, punk poet, was born in Southwick. - David BabouleneDavid BabouleneDavid "Windy" Baboulene, is an English author of humorous travel books, as well as Children's Illustrated stories and an academic work on story principles. He has had three film production deals, two in Hollywood and one in the UK, and he lectures on story theory. He grew up near London, England,...
, humorous travel writer, lives on Church Lane. - George Albert Smith (inventor)George Albert Smith (inventor)George Albert Smith was a stage hypnotist, psychic, magic lantern lecturer, astronomer, inventor, and one of the pioneers of British cinema, who is best known for his controversial work with Edmund Gurney at the Society for Psychical Research, his short-films from 1897-1903 which pioneered film...
, pioneer film-maker, lived in Roman Crescent. - Benjamin Jumeaux, surgeon and early colour film experimenter, lived at 4 Colebrook Road.
- Wing Commander Ken WallisKen WallisWing Commander Kenneth Horatio Wallis MBE, DEng , CEng, FRAeS, FSETP, PhD , RAF , is one of the leading exponents of autogyros. He has held 34 records relating to them.-Early life:...
,leading exponents of autogyros, lived in Church Lane. - Roger FerrisRoger FerrisRoger Ferris is a British pop music composer, who wrote a Top 30 UK chart hit single in 1975 for the band Arrows, entitled "My Last Night With You." The song was produced by Mickie Most on his RAK label....
, British pop composer. Sound engineer on recordings by The Beatles lives on Manor Hall Road. - Douglas Herbert Lott Opera singer. Lived at Bendemere village green. Died 1914.
- Ralf Rangnick, German football player and manager
Community
St Michael and All Angels Church, Southwick
St Michael and All Angels Church is an Anglican church in the town of Southwick in the district of Adur, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex...
in Church Lane, St Theresa of Lisieux (RC) in Downland Avenue, Southwick Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
Church in Manor Hall Road, All Souls Centre in Downsway and, Southwick Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Community Church
House church
House church, or "home church", is used to describe an independent assembly of Christians who gather in a home. Sometimes this occurs because the group is small, and a home is the most appropriate place to gather, as in the beginning phase of the British New Church Movement...
in Roman Crescent. The town's open-air shopping centre, Southwick Square, is home to many traditional and local businesses as well as some larger chains, and was central to the old village prior to its expansion north of the Old Shoreham Road in the middle of the twentieth century. Adjacent to 'the Square', as it is known locally, is the Southwick Community Centre, and Southwick Library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, which was rebuilt for 2007.
Famous tourist attractions include Orchard Close during the Christmas season in which every house in the street is decorated in lavish Christmas lights, with all money raised from the collection box going to various charities.
Education
Primary/Middle schools are Manor Hall First School and Manor Hall Middle School on Manor Hall Road, Holmbush First School and Herons Dale School, a community special school, both in Hawkins Crescent (just on the Shoreham side of the Shoreham/Southwick border), and Glebe Middle School in Church Lane. The Manor Hall schools will combine with the nearby Fishersgate First School to form Eastbrook School, from September 2008.The main secondary schools for this catchment area are in Shoreham-By-Sea: King's Manor Community College (comprehensive), now rebranded the Shoreham Academy and Shoreham College (public). Some children may go further afield and attend Portslade Community College, St Andrew's CE High School for Boys or Davisons School for Girls in Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Hove, or Steyning Grammar School
Steyning Grammar School
Steyning Grammar School is a state comprehensive school in Steyning, West Sussex, England. It is the only state school in West Sussex which caters for boarders...
.
Recreation
There is a leisure centre and recreation ground in Old Barn Way, which is also home to Southwick Football ClubSouthwick F.C.
Southwick F.C. is a football club based in Southwick, West Sussex, England. It was founded in 1882 and was among the founding members of the Sussex County League. It has won the Sussex County League title six times in its history....
, who will play the 2009-10 season in 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 Two. Southwick Rangers Youth Football Club, Adur Athletic Football Club and Southwick Hockey Club are also based in the town.
The Green, once common land central to the old village, consists of two separate fields divided by a short road of the same name. The smaller southern field, also home to the town's war memorial located in the south-eastern corner, is often used for local cricket matches. The larger northern field contains a small children's playground and is most often used for general recreation and is also the location where travelling fairgrounds and local fairs will set-up during the summer and autumn months. There is also some parkland off Cross Road, just south of the Old Shoreham Road. North of the Old Shoreham Road, there is Quayside, once home to the Quayside Youth Centre which burned down in May 2005, and more open land off Downsway.
Unusually for a town of its size, Southwick has a vibrant theatrical scene thanks to the Barn Theatre, an 18th century barn building converted into a theatre in 1951 and thoroughly revamped in 1998.
There are also several pubs in Southwick:
- The Romans, on Manor Hall Road.
- The Cricketers, on The Green.
- The Ship Inn, on Southwick Street.(It is to be noted that there are always boxer shorts in the window.)
- The Pilot, on Station Road. (This closed in January 2010)
- The Schooner Inn, on Albion Street.
(The large Windmill Inn, on Old Shoreham Road closed in May 2010 and was demolished in September of the same year)
Churches
- St Michael and All Angels Church
- Southwick Methodist Church
- Southwick Christian Community Church