Ford, West Sussex
Encyclopedia
Ford is a village and civil parish
in the Arun
District of West Sussex
, England
. It is located 3 km (two miles) to the south-west of Arundel
. The civil parish, roughly triangular in shape, covers an area of 414.69 hectares (1,024.7 acre) and has a population of 1358 according to the 2001 census.
The parish is also the location of HM Prison Ford, otherwise known as Ford Open Prison, and situated on the site of the former RAF Ford Battle of Britain
airfield and Royal Naval Air Station (HMS Peregrine).
Ford railway station
is on the West Coastway Line
.
, surrounded by a walled churchyard entered through a wrought iron gate. The Saxon
church was built c.1040, and substantially rebuilt by the Normans
with a surviving early twelfth century Norman chancel
arch with carved decoration. There are Saxon and Norman lancet windows in the north wall of the nave
, which survives from the original building. Over a north door in this wall, which leads to a vestry, there are fragments of Anglo-Saxon interlaced
carving. The east window is in the Decorated style c.1320 and the west window is in Perpendicular style from c.1420. There is a Dutch style porch of c.1640. The wooden belltower, painted white as a navigational landmark for ships, contains two bells, the smaller of which was made by Robert Rider between 1351 and 1386. The font, carved from a square limestone block, may be Saxon or Norman and is mounted on a modern Bath stone plinth.
" plan. The Ford site is identified as the general location for a new settlement in the sub-regional county plan as well as the draft South East England
Regional Spatial Strategy
. In a public consultation to Arun District Council's core strategy issues and options, as part of the new local development framework, Ford is the preferred location for a new settlement from respondents. Arun District Council is currently holding an inquiry into the suitability of the location as part of its response to the Government consultation documents.
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 the Arun
Arun
Arun is a local government district in West Sussex, England. It contains the towns of Arundel, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, and takes its name from the River Arun, which runs through the centre of the district.-History:...
District of West Sussex
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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located 3 km (two miles) to the south-west of Arundel
Arundel
Arundel is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Worthing east southeast, Littlehampton to the south and Bognor Regis to...
. The civil parish, roughly triangular in shape, covers an area of 414.69 hectares (1,024.7 acre) and has a population of 1358 according to the 2001 census.
The parish is also the location of HM Prison Ford, otherwise known as Ford Open Prison, and situated on the site of the former RAF Ford Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
airfield and Royal Naval Air Station (HMS Peregrine).
Ford railway station
Ford railway station
Ford railway station is a railway station in Ford, West Sussex.It is located on the West Coastway Line which runs between Brighton and Southampton. The station and the trains serving it are operated by Southern....
is on the West Coastway Line
West Coastway Line
The West Coastway Line is a railway line in England, along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire, between Brighton and Southampton, plus the short branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis....
.
The parish church
The Anglican church of Saint Andrew-by-the-Ford is near the River ArunRiver Arun
The Arun is a river in the English county of West Sussex. Its source is a series of small streams in the St Leonard's Forest area, to the east of Horsham...
, surrounded by a walled churchyard entered through a wrought iron gate. The Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
church was built c.1040, and substantially rebuilt by the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
with a surviving early twelfth century Norman chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
arch with carved decoration. There are Saxon and Norman lancet windows in the north wall of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, which survives from the original building. Over a north door in this wall, which leads to a vestry, there are fragments of Anglo-Saxon interlaced
Interlace (visual arts)
In the visual arts, interlace is a decorative element found in medieval art. In interlace, bands or portions of other motifs are looped, braided, and knotted in complex geometric patterns, often to fill a space. Islamic interlace patterns and Celtic knotwork share similar patterns, suggesting a...
carving. The east window is in the Decorated style c.1320 and the west window is in Perpendicular style from c.1420. There is a Dutch style porch of c.1640. The wooden belltower, painted white as a navigational landmark for ships, contains two bells, the smaller of which was made by Robert Rider between 1351 and 1386. The font, carved from a square limestone block, may be Saxon or Norman and is mounted on a modern Bath stone plinth.
"Eco-town" proposal
In 2008 Ford was shortlisted on the government's "Eco TownEco-towns (UK)
Eco-towns are a government-sponsored programme of new towns to be built in England, which are intended to achieve exemplary standards of sustainability.In 2007, the...
" plan. The Ford site is identified as the general location for a new settlement in the sub-regional county plan as well as the draft South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
Regional Spatial Strategy
Regional Spatial Strategy
Regional spatial strategies provided regional level planning frameworks for the regions of England outside London. They were introduced in 2004...
. In a public consultation to Arun District Council's core strategy issues and options, as part of the new local development framework, Ford is the preferred location for a new settlement from respondents. Arun District Council is currently holding an inquiry into the suitability of the location as part of its response to the Government consultation documents.