Kingston by Sea

Last updated

Kingston by Sea
St Julian's Church, Kingston Buci (IoE Code 297311).jpg
St Julian's Church
West Sussex UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Kingston by Sea
Location within West Sussex
OS grid reference TQ 231 054
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Shoreham-by-Sea
Postcode district BN43
Dialling code 01273
Police Sussex
Fire West Sussex
Ambulance South East Coast
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
West Sussex
50°50′07″N0°15′13″W / 50.8353°N 0.2537°W / 50.8353; -0.2537

Kingston by Sea, also known as Kingston Buci, Kingston Bucii or simply Kingston, is a small area in the Adur district of West Sussex, England. Although it is now part of a continuous urban area, its origins lay in an ancient village and parish church between Southwick to the east, Shoreham-by-Sea to the west and the mouth of the River Adur to the south. St Julian's Church survives, and its parish perpetuates the ancient "Kingston Buci" name.

Contents

Name and etymology

When the parish and its accompanying settlement were founded as part of an Anglo-Saxon estate within the Rape of Bramber, it was known as "Kingston". [1] By the 14th century, the names "Kingston by Shoreham" and "South Kingston" had also been recorded, but in 1315 it took the name "Kingston Bouci" [1] (later "Kingston Buci"), [2] derived from the de Bouci or de Boucey surname of the lord of the manor. Later, this surname became anglicised to Bowsey and the village name changed accordingly. In the 18th century this was assumed to mean "by sea", and the name "Kingston by Sea" became established. [1] In the 20th century, the names "Kingston by Sea" and "Kingston Buci" have both been used. [1] [3] Adur District Council refers to "Kingston Bucii". [4]

Nikolaus Pevsner suggested that the second element of the name derived from the French beau site, [3] but other sources disagree with this.

Two other villages in the historic county of Sussex are called Kingston. Kingston by Ferring (historically known as "Kingston by Arundel"), to the west, is also on the English Channel coast; and Kingston near Lewes (also known as West Kingston in medieval times) is to the east. At various times, land in all three manors was held by the Earl of Arundel, and old sources sometimes fail to distinguish between the three settlements. [1]

History

Shoreham Harbour's stone lighthouse Shoreham Lighthouse, a little architectural gem - geograph.org.uk - 1590034.jpg
Shoreham Harbour's stone lighthouse

The area was first settled during the Bronze Age and was also inhabited by Romans. By the medieval period, Kingston was a large village whose nucleus was further south than the ancient settlement, which had been on the lower slopes of the South Downs. [1] Its subsequent population decline, until increasing urbanisation absorbed it from the late 19th century onwards, may have been due to coastal erosion destroying houses and washing away roads. [1]

The manor (originally called "Kingston by Shoreham", later "Kingston Bowsey"), in the Rape of Bramber, was held by the de Buci family at the time of the Domesday survey in 1086, and for several centuries afterwards, before descending through other families until the 20th century, when most of its land was sold for development. The manor house was first described in the 14th century, but it was rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries. [1] The present structure was built in the mid-18th century, but has been significantly altered since. [5] It was sold for use as a school in the 1940s, and now houses Shoreham College, a private school. [1] [5] It is a Grade II listed building. [5]

Between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries, several stages of residential development caused Kingston-by-Sea to merge with Shoreham-by-Sea and Southwick. This was encouraged by the opening of the railway line between Brighton and Shoreham-by-Sea in 1840, and the development of Shoreham Harbour around the mouth of the River Adur. [1] A lighthouse was built on the sea front in 1846, aligned with the harbour entrance. [3] At 43 ft (13 m) high, its light is visible 10 nmi (19 km) out to sea.

The population of the parish rose from 46 in 1841 to 5,322 in 1951, [6] and the area became almost completely urbanised—although areas of open land remain on the edge of the South Downs and around the St Julian's Church and the neighbouring Shoreham College. [1] On 1 April 1974 the parish was abolished [7] and became part of the unparished area of Shoreham by Sea.

Churches

St Julian's Church, a Grade I-listed building with many structural elements from the 11th and 13th centuries, [8] is Kingston by Sea's parish church. (The official name of the parish is "St Julian, Kingston Buci", maintaining the old name.) [9] It existed at the time of the Domesday survey, and received its dedication to Julian of Antioch in the 12th century. [1] Some Norman parts remain, including the nave, but the church was rebuilt in the 13th century. The well-preserved remains of an anchorite's cell, a rare feature, are visible in the chancel wall. [2]

St Giles' Church, formerly the chapel of the local workhouse, is also in the parish. Built to a design by Lacy W. Ridge in 1906, it became a public place of worship in 1934. [1] [10] The former workhouse is now Southlands Hospital. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoreham-by-Sea</span> Town in West Sussex, England

Shoreham-by-Sea is a coastal town and port in West Sussex, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Adur</span> River in Sussex, England

The Adur is a river in Sussex, England; it gives its name to the Adur district of West Sussex. The river, which is 20 miles (32 km) long, was once navigable for large vessels up as far as Steyning, where there was a large Saxon port, but by the 11th century the lower river became silted up and the port moved down to the deeper waters at the mouth of the river in Shoreham-by-Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southwick, West Sussex</span> Human settlement in England

Southwick is a town in the Adur district of West Sussex, England located five miles (8 km) west of Brighton. It covers an area of 863.7 ha. In 2001 it had a population of 13,195.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coombes</span> Human settlement in England

Coombes is a small village and civil parish in the Adur District of West Sussex, England. The village is in the Adur Valley 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Shoreham-by-Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Sompting</span> Church in West Sussex , United Kingdom

The Church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin, also known as St Mary the Virgin Church and St Mary's Church, is the Church of England parish church of Sompting in the Adur district of West Sussex. It stands on a rural lane north of the urban area that now surrounds the village, and retains much 11th- and 12th-century structure. Its most important architectural feature is the Saxon tower topped by a Rhenish helm, a four-sided pyramid-style gabled cap that is uncommon in England. English Heritage lists the church at Grade I for its architecture and history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Julian's Church, Kingston Buci</span> Church in West Sussex , England

St Julian's Church is an Anglican church in Kingston Buci in the district of Adur, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. Kingston Buci was a Saxon-era village near the English Channel coast between Southwick and Shoreham-by-Sea; little remains from that period, and modern residential development has obscured the old boundaries between the settlements, but the church retains its mostly 13th-century appearance and serves a parish which retains the ancient Kingston Buci name. English Heritage has listed it at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Michael and All Angels Church, Southwick</span> Church in West Sussex , England

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. Some Saxon-era structural work is still visible despite rebuilding work in the 12th and 13th centuries and in more recent times; and a church may have existed on the site as early as the 10th century—before the ancient settlement of Southwick even took that name. The church has been damaged by fire and bombing, but is still in active use as the area's parish church. English Heritage has listed it at Grade II* for its architectural and historical importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary de Haura Church, Shoreham-by-Sea</span> Church in West Sussex , England

St Mary de Haura Church is an Anglican church in the ancient "New Shoreham" area of Shoreham-by-Sea in the district of Adur, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. It was founded at the end of the 11th century as a large cruciform church which, due to its original scale, has been described as a collegiate church—a reflection of the port of Shoreham's importance at the time. The former east end of that building survives to form the present church, and much 12th-century work remains. It functions as Shoreham-by-Sea's "town church" for major religious and social events, as well as serving as the town-centre parish. English Heritage has listed it at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Nicolas Church, Shoreham-by-Sea</span> Church in West Sussex , England

St Nicolas Church is an Anglican church in Old Shoreham, an ancient inland settlement that is now part of the town of Shoreham-by-Sea in the district of Adur, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. It was founded on a riverside site by Anglo-Saxons at the start of the 10th century, possibly on the site of a 5th-century predecessor. Some Saxon-era structural elements remain despite 12th-century additions made when Shoreham became prosperous, further extension in the 14th century and a Victorian restoration. The cruciform structure, with its solid central tower, features some unusual Norman-era carving. English Heritage has listed it at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erringham chapel</span> Historic site in West Sussex, United Kingdom

Erringham chapel is a former place of worship in the deserted medieval village of Old Erringham, north of Shoreham-by-Sea in the district of Adur, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. Founded in the 11th century as a chapel of ease to St Nicolas' Church in the Saxon riverside village of Old Shoreham, it was in use for several centuries until depopulation caused Old Erringham to become unviable as a settlement. The chapel fell into ruin, and its remains have been incorporated into a barn on the farm which now occupies the site of the village. English Heritage has listed the remaining structure at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coombes Church</span> Church in West Sussex, England

Coombes Church is a Church of England parish church in the rural hamlet of Coombes in the Adur District of West Sussex, England. It has served the rural parish, northwest of Shoreham-by-Sea and next to the River Adur, since the 11th century. Despite several re-buildings, some structural elements remain from that period. An important series of wall paintings, dating from the 12th to the 18th century, were uncovered in 1949. English Heritage has listed the church at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Peter's Church, Shoreham-by-Sea</span> Historic site in West Sussex , England

The name St Peter's Church has been borne by two Roman Catholic churches in the town of Shoreham-by-Sea in the district of Adur, in the English county of West Sussex. The original church with that dedication was the town's first permanent Roman Catholic place of worship; founded in 1875, it was paid for by Augusta, Duchess of Norfolk, a member of the most important Dukedom in England. After its closure, a new St Peter's Church was built nearby. The old building, which still stands and is in residential use, has been listed by English Heritage at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St James the Less Church, Lancing</span> Church in West Sussex , United Kingdom

St James the Less Church is the Anglican parish church of Lancing, an ancient village which has been absorbed into the modern town of Lancing in the district of Adur, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. It was founded in the 12th century in the most northerly of the three settlements in Lancing parish, which has Saxon origins. The present building is mostly 13th-century in appearance, and structural work has been carried out several times since—particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the church was restored from a ruinous condition. English Heritage has listed the church at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St George's Church, Worthing</span> Church in West Sussex , England

St George's Church is an Anglican church in the East Worthing area of the borough of Worthing, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. Built in 1867–68 to serve new residential development in the southeast of the town, the Decorated Gothic-style structure was extended later in the 19th century, and expanded its reach further by founding three mission halls elsewhere in Worthing. English Heritage has listed it at Grade C for its architectural and historical importance.

The district of Adur, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex, has 119 buildings with listed status. The urbanised southern part of the district forms part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation, and most listed structures are in the three main centres of population: Southwick, Shoreham-by-Sea and Lancing. The towns have grown residentially and industrially in the 20th century, but all three have ancient origins as villages and manors on the banks of the River Adur and the English Channel coast. The rest of Adur district's territory is remote downland countryside with scattered farms and hamlets; some of their buildings also have listed status.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Botolph's Church, Botolphs</span> Church in West Sussex, United Kingdom

The Grade I listed Saxon church of St Botolph's at Botolphs, West Sussex, England, is situated in the valley of the River Adur and is now part of the Church of England parish of Beeding and Bramber with Botolphs. An earlier dedication to St Peter de Vetere Ponte is now lost, like the bridge over the Adur from which it took this ancient name. The church serves the mostly depopulated hamlet of Botolphs in the Horsham district of West Sussex. The church has fragments of medieval wall paintings. Architectural historian Ian Nairn comments that the Jacobean pulpit is "notable in a county which is poor in 17th century fittings".

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Hudson, T. P., ed. (1980). "A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 6 Part 1 – Bramber Rape (Southern Part). Kingston by Sea". Victoria County History of Sussex. British History Online. pp. 132–138. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  2. 1 2 Coppin 2006 , p. 132.
  3. 1 2 3 Nairn & Pevsner 1965 , p. 252.
  4. ↑ "Historic churches to visit in Adur". Adur District Council. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 Historic England (2007). "Shoreham College (formerly listed as Shoreham Grammar School), St Julians Lane (south side), Shoreham by Sea, Adur, West Sussex (1286330)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 17 July 2009.
  6. ↑ "Population statistics Kingston By Sea AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time . Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  7. ↑ "Worthing Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  8. ↑ Historic England (2007). "Church of St Julian, St Julians Lane (south side), Shoreham by Sea, Adur, West Sussex (1027871)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  9. ↑ "Kingston Buci". A Church Near You website. Archbishops' Council. 2009. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
  10. ↑ Elleray 2004 , p. 49.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.