Aldingbourne, (West Sussex)

OPC for Aldingbourne is : Gill Shaw

Email: Gill Shaw.

Web site: None known, please let us know if you have any information.

Parish picture

Although Aldingbourne is a small village, the parish is large being about 6 miles long and 2 miles wide. It contains Norton, Nyton, part of Fontwell, Westergate, Woodgate, Lidsey and Aldingbourne. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book and takes its name from 'Elda' a Saxon Chieftain, and means Elda's home by the stream; it is probable that the Rife which runs up to the back of the Church was originally navigable for Saxon boats. The Bishop's Palace stood in a large park roughly bounded by Nyton Road and Westergate Street, and included Mill Pond, which was kept well stocked with fish for the clergy!

The Palace was destroyed by Parliamentary Forces in 1642, but the remaining mound is still visible. There is evidence that there were once several houses in the vicinity of the Church, but after the Black Death in 1359 the people moved away to the next stream, the Rife, which now acts as the boundary between Eastergate and Westergate.

St Mary's Church is a Grade I listed building, over 900 years old with an early English chancel; the aisle was rebuilt in 1868 when the chancel was restored. The Church has two fonts; the oldest is late Norman, being circular in shape and resting on a large central pillar. The nave is separated from the south aisle by an arcade consisting of four Early English arches. There is a side altar on the south side, St.George's Chapel, with a commemorative Roll of Honour. The window in the south wall of the Church by Christopher Webb is in memory of Admiral Sir Reginald Skelton, who accompanied Scott on his first voyage to the Antarctic.

The church has recently been the subject of a survey by NADFAS (The National and Decorative Fine Arts Society), and a copy of the document is held at the Church. The tower houses five bells.

The Battle of Britain wartime airfield, Tangmere is on the edge of the village.

Places of worship:

Church details, together with baptism, marriage, monumental inscription & burial records can be accessed by clicking on the church name.

Lidsey Chapel

Methodist Church, Westergate

St Mary the Virgin

Wesleyan Chapel, Westergate

Census returns:

The OPC Database has no census returns for people residing in this parish yet.

People born in this parish but residing elsewhere:

5 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1851 census.

1 individual in the OPC Database for the 1861 census.

2 individuals in the OPC Database for the 1891 census.

Maps:

Grid reference: 492500, 105500 ~ View on: Google Maps, Open Street Map, Streetmap, National Library of Scotland Map or Oldmaps.

Militia records etc:

Roll of Honour have details of people recorded on the memorials either side of the altar in St Mary's church and two burials in the churchyard

The OPC has a complete history of every person killed in conflict from 1914 to date, including where they were born, died, where they lived and worked.

Poll Registers:

The OPC database contains 36 poll register entries for people entitled to vote in this parish.

1641 Protestation Returns:

There are 109 protestation returns for this parish in the OPC database.

Gazettes:

The OPC database contains 29 entries for people associated with this parish mentioned in Gazettes.

Photographs:

There are 18 images depicting this parish in the OPC database.

Postal directories:

The OPC database contains no postal directory entries for this parish.

1909 Kelly's Directory for Aldingbourne

1911 Kelly's Directory for Aldingbourne

1851 Post Office Directory for Aldingbourne

Publications:

There are 2 books about this parish in the Sussex OPC Bibliography.

There are 6 articles about this parish in the OPC Sussex Archeaological Collections Index.

There are 3 people from this parish in the OPC Sussex Archeaological Society Members Index.

Wills:

The OPC database contains no wills of people who lived in this parish.

The OPC database contains 1 will which mention this parish.

Interest in this parish:

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