Felpham
Encyclopedia
Felpham is a village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex
, England. Although sometimes considered part of the greater Bognor Regis
habitation it is a village and civil parish
in its own right, having an area of 4.26 km² with a population of 9611 people and still growing (2001 census).
The A259
Coastal Road passes through the Village, this road runs along the south coast from Havant in Hampshire to Folkstone in Kent.
The 12th century Anglican
parish church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. There is also a Methodist church
close to the three-way junction of Felpham Way, Flansham Lane and Middleton Road to the east of the village.
, having been mentioned in the Domesday Book
of the 11th Century.
William Blake
, introduced to the village by his friend William Hayley
, lived in Felpham for three years, writing his epic poem Milton
in Felpham. The poem contains his famous words about "England's green and pleasant land", today known as the anthem "Jerusalem"
, which were inspired by Blake's "evident pleasure" in the Felpham countryside. The cottage where he lived is depicted in the illustrations for the poem. It lies within the original village, close to "The Fox" public house. Of the village he wrote;
The "turrett" in the verse is Hayley's house, east of the church, which he built around 1800. It was in Felpham that Blake had his altercation with the drunken soldier John Scofield, who was trespassing in his garden. This led to Blake's trial for sedition because of Scofield's allegation that he had cursed the king. Blake has a road named after him, Blakes Road, the road on which his former residence is sited, and a memorial window dedicated to him in St Mary's Church.
Blake had been invited to Felpham by local resident William Hayley
, also a noted writer. Hayley was so famous in his day that he was offered the position of poet laureate
in 1790, but turned it down.
The village has both a village hall
, called the Memorial Hall, built in remembrance to the fallen from World War I
and a church community hall called St Mary's Centre.
Great expansion of the village took place between 1930 and 1960 when three (nominally) gated housing estates were developed and again in the 1970s when two (public) housing developments took place on farmland between Felpham and its neighbouring village of Middleton-on-Sea
. In December 2006 planning permission was granted for further development, this time on farmland to the north.
Felpham Community College, the main school in the area, operates its own youth wing. It is situated next door to the Arun Leisure Centre which has extensive playing fields.
Felpham has King George's Field in memorial to King George V
.
Predators Youth and Blue FC. Predators started in 1994 with only a few players and has grown to 14 youth teams a women's team and a successful adults team. Predators is one largest youth and adults football clubs in west sussex and they play and train within the Bognor Regis area.
The Felpham & Middleton Country Dance Club is one of the oldest extant English Country Dance
clubs in England.
Felpham Church hall was also the starting point for the 2008 Scout Overland Hike.
Predators Youth Green FC is a small youth football club whose aim to offer football for everyone, regardless of ability. Based in Felpham, they train at Larks field, the Arun Leisure Centre or Bishop Tufnell school, and play their matches at King Georges or Larksfield.
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. Although sometimes considered part of the greater Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun district of West Sussex, on the south coast of England. It is south-south-west of London, west of Brighton, and south-east of the city of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Littlehampton east-north-east and Selsey to the...
habitation it is a village and civil parish
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 its own right, having an area of 4.26 km² with a population of 9611 people and still growing (2001 census).
The A259
A259 road
The A259 is a busy road on the south coast of England passing through Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and part of Kent. Part of the road was named "the most dangerous road in South East England" in 2008.-Description:...
Coastal Road passes through the Village, this road runs along the south coast from Havant in Hampshire to Folkstone in Kent.
The 12th century Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. There is also a Methodist church
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
close to the three-way junction of Felpham Way, Flansham Lane and Middleton Road to the east of the village.
History
Felpham was in existence long before Bognor RegisBognor Regis
Bognor Regis is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun district of West Sussex, on the south coast of England. It is south-south-west of London, west of Brighton, and south-east of the city of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Littlehampton east-north-east and Selsey to the...
, having been mentioned 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 the 11th Century.
William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
, introduced to the village by his friend William Hayley
William Hayley
William Hayley was an English writer, best known as the friend and biographer of William Cowper.-Biography:...
, lived in Felpham for three years, writing his epic poem Milton
Milton: a Poem
Milton a Poem is an epic poem by William Blake, written and illustrated between 1804 and 1810. Its hero is John Milton, who returns from Heaven and unites with Blake to explore the relationship between living writers and their predecessors, and to undergo a mystical journey to correct his own...
in Felpham. The poem contains his famous words about "England's green and pleasant land", today known as the anthem "Jerusalem"
And did those feet in ancient time
"And did those feet in ancient time" is a short poem by William Blake from the preface to his epic Milton a Poem, one of a collection of writings known as the Prophetic Books. The date on the title page of 1804 for Milton is probably when the plates were begun, but the poem was printed c. 1808...
, which were inspired by Blake's "evident pleasure" in the Felpham countryside. The cottage where he lived is depicted in the illustrations for the poem. It lies within the original village, close to "The Fox" public house. Of the village he wrote;
Away to sweet Felpham for heaven is there:
The Ladder of Angels descends through the air
On the turrett its spiral does softly descend
Through the village it winds, at my cot it does end.
The "turrett" in the verse is Hayley's house, east of the church, which he built around 1800. It was in Felpham that Blake had his altercation with the drunken soldier John Scofield, who was trespassing in his garden. This led to Blake's trial for sedition because of Scofield's allegation that he had cursed the king. Blake has a road named after him, Blakes Road, the road on which his former residence is sited, and a memorial window dedicated to him in St Mary's Church.
Blake had been invited to Felpham by local resident William Hayley
William Hayley
William Hayley was an English writer, best known as the friend and biographer of William Cowper.-Biography:...
, also a noted writer. Hayley was so famous in his day that he was offered the position of poet laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
in 1790, but turned it down.
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
, called the Memorial Hall, built in remembrance to the fallen from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and a church community hall called St Mary's Centre.
Great expansion of the village took place between 1930 and 1960 when three (nominally) gated housing estates were developed and again in the 1970s when two (public) housing developments took place on farmland between Felpham and its neighbouring village of Middleton-on-Sea
Middleton-on-Sea
Middleton-on-Sea is a small village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, and is part of the built-up area of Bognor Regis, lying to the east of the town and neighbouring Felpham...
. In December 2006 planning permission was granted for further development, this time on farmland to the north.
Local facilities
Felpham has three primary schools, Bishop Tufnell CE Infant and Bishop Tufnell CE Junior Schools (both Church of England Aided Schools) and Downview Primary (Infant and Junior) School. A third Infant and Junior school is planned to be added as part of the current housing plans.Felpham Community College, the main school in the area, operates its own youth wing. It is situated next door to the Arun Leisure Centre which has extensive playing fields.
Felpham has King George's Field in memorial to King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
Sport and leisure
Felpham Colts Football Club (including mixed teams, boys teams and girls teams) is the largest youth football club in West Sussex. The club is completely independent and not attached to any of the large local senior football teams. It has 26 teams competing in local football leagues and has been in existence since 1973. The club's teams can be found training at King George V Field on Saturday mornings and playing at Shrubbs Field in nearby Middleton-on-Sea and King George V Field on Sundays.Predators Youth and Blue FC. Predators started in 1994 with only a few players and has grown to 14 youth teams a women's team and a successful adults team. Predators is one largest youth and adults football clubs in west sussex and they play and train within the Bognor Regis area.
The Felpham & Middleton Country Dance Club is one of the oldest extant English Country Dance
English Country Dance
English Country Dance is a form of folk dance. It is a social dance form, which has earliest documented instances in the late 16th century. Queen Elizabeth I of England is noted to have been entertained by "Country Dancing," although the relationship of the dances she saw to the surviving dances of...
clubs in England.
Felpham Church hall was also the starting point for the 2008 Scout Overland Hike.
Predators Youth Green FC is a small youth football club whose aim to offer football for everyone, regardless of ability. Based in Felpham, they train at Larks field, the Arun Leisure Centre or Bishop Tufnell school, and play their matches at King Georges or Larksfield.