Westbourne, West Sussex
Encyclopedia
Westbourne is a village and civil parish
in the Chichester
District of West Sussex
, England
. It is located half a mile (0.8 km) north east of Emsworth
. The parish includes the hamlets of Woodmancote and Aldsworth, and once included the settlements of Southbourne
and Prinsted to the south. The village stands on the River Ems, a small river flowing into Chichester Harbour
at Emsworth
. It is believed that the village takes its name from its position on the river, which traditionally marks the westernmost boundary of Sussex
, bourne being an archaic term for a boundary as well as for a small river or brook.
The parish covers an area of 1,846 acres (747 ha). There are 1,728 on the electoral role and the population of the village is 2,140, 1,064 of whom are economically active, and who live in 894 households.
Westbourne contains 66 listed buildings some dating back to the 16th Century, though written evidence of habitation can be found in the Domesday Book
of 1086. The medieval
church of St John the Baptist is notable for its fine yew avenue, which is apparently the oldest in England, and walled graveyard. Nicholas Levett
, a native of Petworth
and fellow of Balliol College, Oxford
, was longtime minister of St John the Baptist. He was buried in Beckley, Oxfordshire
, in 1687.
Commonside forms the northern edge of the village of Westbourne. The area is centred on the village pub called the Cricketers which is located near the village cricket
pitch. There are a further three public houses, the White Horse and the Stag's Head in the square, and the Good Intent, in North Street.
Westbourne is part of the Chichester
constituency, a safe Conservative
seat since 1924. The current member of parliament is Andrew Tyrie MP
. The County Councillor is Mark Dunn, and the District Councillor, Maureen Elliot.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Chichester
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
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...
. It is located half a mile (0.8 km) north east of Emsworth
Emsworth
Emsworth is a large village the south coast of England, situated on the Hampshire side of the border between Hampshire and West Sussex. The village lies at the north end of an arm of Chichester Harbour, a large but shallow inlet of the English Channel....
. The parish includes the hamlets of Woodmancote and Aldsworth, and once included the settlements of Southbourne
Southbourne, West Sussex
Southbourne is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It lies to the east of Emsworth, the west of Nutbourne and south-east of Westbourne....
and Prinsted to the south. The village stands on the River Ems, a small river flowing into Chichester Harbour
Chichester 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,...
at Emsworth
Emsworth
Emsworth is a large village the south coast of England, situated on the Hampshire side of the border between Hampshire and West Sussex. The village lies at the north end of an arm of Chichester Harbour, a large but shallow inlet of the English Channel....
. It is believed that the village takes its name from its position on the river, which traditionally marks the westernmost boundary of Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, bourne being an archaic term for a boundary as well as for a small river or brook.
The parish covers an area of 1,846 acres (747 ha). There are 1,728 on the electoral role and the population of the village is 2,140, 1,064 of whom are economically active, and who live in 894 households.
Westbourne contains 66 listed buildings some dating back to the 16th Century, though written evidence of habitation can be found in 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...
of 1086. The medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
church of St John the Baptist is notable for its fine yew avenue, which is apparently the oldest in England, and walled graveyard. Nicholas Levett
Levett
Levett is an Anglo-Norman territorial surname deriving from the village of Livet-en-Ouche, now Jonquerets-de-Livet, in Eure, Normandy. Ancestors of the earliest Levett family in England, the de Livets were lords of the village of Livet, and undertenants of the de Ferrers, among the most powerful of...
, a native of Petworth
Petworth
Petworth is a small town and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 east-west road from Heathfield to Winchester and the A283 Milford to Shoreham-by-Sea road. Some twelve miles to the south west of Petworth along the A285 road...
and fellow of Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, was longtime minister of St John the Baptist. He was buried in Beckley, Oxfordshire
Beckley, Oxfordshire
Beckley is a village in the civil parish of Beckley and Stowood, overlooking Otmoor to the north. The village is about northeast of the centre of Oxford. It is noted for its towering TV mast.-Archaeology:...
, in 1687.
Commonside forms the northern edge of the village of Westbourne. The area is centred on the village pub called the Cricketers which is located near the village cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
pitch. There are a further three public houses, the White Horse and the Stag's Head in the square, and the Good Intent, in North Street.
Westbourne is part of the Chichester
Chichester (UK Parliament constituency)
Chichester is a county constituency in West Sussex, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
constituency, a safe Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
seat since 1924. The current member of parliament is Andrew Tyrie MP
Andrew Tyrie
Andrew Guy Tyrie is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is the Member of Parliament for Chichester, and was first elected in the 1997 general election...
. The County Councillor is Mark Dunn, and the District Councillor, Maureen Elliot.