Felpham

Annually during the summer months I have been able to provide local history talks to SAGA visitors at the Bognor Campus of Chichester University. This year I have included a section on the village of Felpham because of the interest shown by SAGA visitors in previous years – of course the irony is that it was recorded and mentioned long before Bognor but for some people they just drive along the A259, through the village, on their way out of the area.

So this week I thought I would take a look at the village. To be a village there should be a pub, a church, small shops, history and ‘nice cottages.’ So far so good as Felpham has all of these. One of the first problems however is how do you pronounce the name of the village, is it ‘Fel-p-ham or Fel– f –am.’ I am of course aware there is as much discussion today on this subject as there has been for many years. According to the publication of ‘Place names of Sussex’ there were many mentions of the place, which appeared to mean ‘fallow-enclosure,’ One report in 1575 showed a spelling with ‘P,’ however it is shown as ‘Phelpham.’ I am sure that the discussions will continue well into the future.

It appears that in the Domesday Book it is shown as ‘Felcheham’ and was described as a ‘pleasant village and parish in the Western division of the country’. According to the 1882 Sussex Directory it shows that Flansham and Ankton (or Ancton) are hamlets belonging to Felpham. In 1882 the commercial part of the village records a grocer, shoemaker and post office, gardener, farmers, blacksmith, shop keeper, miller, butcher as well as the various licensed premises – Fox, George, Brewer’s Arms. Census returns also provide an interesting view when in 1851 the population of the village was 479, with 92 occupied homes and just one unoccupied building. By the 1990’s the population had risen to approximately 9,000.

The church is still the heart of the village and has been depicted on numerous postcards sent home by happy holidaymakers, including one person in 1907 who wrote on the reverse of her view of the church, ‘this is where Ref. Talbot is now,’ and was sent to Haywards Heath. In the Domesday Survey of 1086 a church was mentioned in the village but this possibly wooden construction has long since been lost in time to be replaced by today’s building. Felpham church commenced around 1100 and has had many extensions and additions throughout the years. Today it is a busy centre of the village and a full written history of the church, it’s constructions etc., is available in the church. One other quite interesting postcard is the one of the blacksmith’s gravestone – I find it quite bizarre to send a gravestone view home to members of your family – what memories of a holiday!

There is of course an incredible amount of history in the village but people also make it notable. The most infamous resident was William Blake who arrived in 1800 when he was commissioned by William Hayley to decorate his library.

The famous case when William Blake was put on trial for high treason took place at Chichester in 1803. Upon his acquittal, Blake moved back to London. Pictures of his cottage – Rose Cottage - in Felpham are shown on web sites in books etc., which adds to the interest visitors have shown in the village. The cottage today is in private ownership and known as Blake’s cottage, but is not open to the public.

Cottages, whilst not quite so evident today after years of new constructions, can still be found, but perhaps they would not quite evoke the message sent to Beckenham on a postcard in 1912 which said ‘this would suit you A1 down here there are such a lot of old thatch cots with grass growing on the roofs.’ If you take the time to look there are many cottages remaining, with names and appearances that continue to reinforce our perspective of a village environment. Some of the cottages had such idyllic names like Pear Tree, Lavenham Cottage, Vine Cottage. Many of these cottages are also listed buildings.

In 1929 there was a report in the local paper which talked about a ‘year of progress.’ It remarks that Felpham was moving from a “sleepy hollow” to an increasingly up-to-date seaside suburb.

Another remark in this article would seem to remain true today, whereby ‘several local organisations were forging ahead ---- and that the ratepayers are starting to take an intelligent

interest in matters that vitally concern them.’ Today this would be the Parish Council, which is concerned with the village and it’s people still.

Village alehouses have changed considerably over the years both in the range of items they sell and their clientele but they still serve visitors and residents alike. The George started out as an alehouse known as the St. George & Dragon in 1705, however this disappeared and eventually The George came into existence around 1832. The Fox, with its unusual Inn sign has a very long history, dating back to the 1790’s. The Thatched House dates from 1842. The Brewers Arms was demolished in 1924 to be replaced by the Southdown Hotel. Eventually the Barn in Felpham opened in 1972 and this was originally an old flint building that had been converted into a private residence in 1920.

There was once an alehouse, named “The Hero of the Nile,” which was situated on the site of the present Post Office.

Visitors have come to the area for a variety of reasons, not least the children who arrived to stay at the “Sunshine Home” situated in the buildings opposite today’s Felpham Bazaar. In 1912 one child wrote on their card sent to Surrey that they had ‘counted 14 windmills on their train journey’ such excitement and to stay near the sea as well!

As I mentioned earlier many things make up a village, and it would appear that Felpham still retains many of these facets of village life. The people who are involved in many of the groups, councils etc. are still all working towards generating the ‘feel of a village.’ Many of the groups in the village are also pressing ahead with conservation and preservation of the village and their work should be applauded. Many of the visitors in the last century recorded on their cards that they would ‘take a walk into Bognor’ or ‘ we are going out for the day to Bognor.’ Visitors still arrive both to see the sea but also to enjoy the village atmosphere of an area mentioned in the Domesday Book, sitting next to the more famous Bognor Regis. Long may it continue.

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