Bosham is a gem on Chichester harbour and reputedly the oldest Christian site in Sussex. The Venerable Bede mentions that “an Irish (ie Celtic) monk named Dicul had a very small monastery in the place which is called Bosanham”, sometime in the 7th century. Bosham was probably settled long before that – the Romans were
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This is a place for garden-lovers. Wealthy German stockbroker Ludwig Messel purchased the 600-acre Nymans estate in 1890 and began the creation of what is now one of England’s most inspirational gardens, with fabulous views across the Sussex countryside and the Weald. The house was badly damaged in a disastrous fire in 1947 and never
All Souls College Oxford was founded By Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Henry VI in 1438. It has no undergraduate students. Its purpose is to allow graduate fellows to undertake further studies and pray for the souls of all the faithful departed. The entrance exam is said to be one of the hardest in
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Broadhalfpenny Down (brawdhaypenny) was home to Hambledon Cricket Club between c1750-87, which drew up the modern rules of cricket in the pub opposite, the Bat and Ball (then called ‘The Hutt’). Among other things, they determined the size of the bat and introduced the third stump. The captain of HCC was one Richard Nyren (1734-97),
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The ruins of Bayham Old Abbey are relatively remote – and would have been even more so when it was founded in 1208 by Robert de Thurnham, for the Premonstratensian order of ‘white canons’. It existed for 300 years until being dissolved by Cardinal Wolsey in 1525. Wolsey wanted to use its endowments for other
Deal Castle was built between 1539 and 1540, part of a massive construction programme of forts, blockhouses and other defences ordered by Henry VIII to protect England against possible French invasion. Unlike many castles of the past, these defences were not built for the benefit of an individual, but for the whole realm. Some 20
Richborough, which the Romans called Rutupiae, is a fascinating, multi-layered, site. Now 2 miles inland, 2,000 years ago it was on the coast where Emperor Claudius’s invading army landed in 43AD. They built a defensive barrier on the site, which then became a supply base, developing into a significant port, town and major point of
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Windsor Castle was built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror and is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. It has been used by the British monarchy for almost 1,000 years and is an official residence of the Monarch, whose standard flies from the Round Tower when s/he is at home.
Idsworth Chapel, the little church of St Hubert, patron saint of hunters, stands alone in the fields of Old Idsworth. Some know it as the little church in the field. It is said to date from 1053 and to have been built by Earl Godwin, father of King Harold who was beaten by William at
Bletchley Park was the home of the top-secret code breakers of World War Two, whose work had a profound impact on the war. It has been claimed that their success in intercepting enemy signals and breaking codes shortened the war by two years. For years, very few people knew about their work, most famously centred
The spot where King John and his barons agreed Magna Carta (the Great Charter) on 15 June 1215 is marked by a memorial commissioned by the American Bar Association , built in 1957. It is in the custody of the Magna Carta Trust under the chairmanship of the Master of the Rolls, the head of
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The Battle of Hastings took place on 14 October 1066. It is probably the most famous battle in British history, when the invading Normans under William the Conqueror beat the English (Saxons) led by King Harold. The consequences changed England – and Britain – forever. The battle actually took place several miles north of Hastings
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