Old Shoreham will be celebrated with heritage festival as new Friends group forms to honour Adur heritage

The recently-formed Friends of Old Shoreham (FOldS) wants to make sure the original village stays clearly on the map, at the crossroads between the Sussex Weald and the sea, connected by the River Adur and coastal roads.

There are routes, networks and connections that can be traced back over 2,000 years and the planned Old Shoreham Heritage Festival in September will help people to follow some of these to find out more.

The FOldS festival will feature nine days of walks, talks, art, music and workshops from September 6 to 15, organised as part of Heritage Open Days.

Running alongside will be Adur Connected, a self-guided trail organised by The Shoreham Society, following the story of the railways that connected Shoreham, Southwick and Lancing to the world.

Tony Hodgson, Shoreham Society trustee, said: "When we think of Shoreham, most of us probably picture the streets and river around St Mary de Haura and along the High Street. It’s not surprising as that is what appears on most maps around the town and online. We are told it’s the historic heart of the town, and it is a charming place, with well-preserved historic buildings, heritage lampposts, sculptures, planters, seats and plaques with eateries, bars, public spaces and services to add to the charm.

"But Shoreham-by-Sea is about so much more than the modern town centre, which occupies less than a tenth of the land area, was only founded 900 years ago and isn’t even where most of us spend our lives. Step outside New Shoreham and you encounter 3,000 years of history, huge stretches of protected riverside and open country, and the places where we live. Yet it’s the town centre that seems to soak up most of the attention and resources.

"We need a fresh perspective. Shoreham is a wonderful place, stretching from the beach along the ever-changing river to the fresh air of the Downs and the bustle of the harbour entrance.

"We want to create a local heritage trail, make sure that residents know about the protected areas, improve the local environment for wildlife and people and start a debate about the place we want to live in."

FOldS has been formed to celebrate the heritage of Old Shoreham, improve the local environment and build a community in the neighbourhood to protect the area through local action.

Old Shoreham is the original village and rural parish of modern Shoreham-by-Sea, spanning from the River Adur to Buckingham Park and reaching into the South Downs National Park across Mill Hill, Slonk Hill and Thunderbarrow.

The new heritage trail is being developed from Shoreham Airport to Mill Hill on the South Downs, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Old Shoreham Conservation Area, which was recently extended to include the 250 year-old wooden Old Toll Bridge. The trail also celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Grade One listing of St Nicolas Church, the ancient building at the heart of Old Shoreham.

Free guided tours along the trail will be held during the festival, starting at St Nicolas Church. Spaces are available on Saturday, September 7 and 14, at 2pm, Sunday, September 8 and 15, at 3pm. Signboards and trail guides will be available for those who want to explore the area independently.

Brian Sayer from FOldS said: "The festival invites everyone in Adur to step outside the town centre and discover where Shoreham began – and ‘where the wild things are’. It isn’t only about the past, it’s about getting a fresh perspective on the social and economic opportunities in our area and the potential for nature recovery.

"The theme is Routes, Networks and Connections, a perfect fit with Old Shoreham’s historic importance as a crossroads between the Sussex Weald and the sea, connected by the river to the coastal roads. For 2,000 years the main east-west route across the River Adur has passed through the centre of the parish."

See the full programme of activities, which include an art exhibition in St Nicolas Church, workshops, poetry and music, at www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/old-shoreham-heritage-festival.html

Brian added: "Three evenings of talks during the festival will include speakers from the National Trust, the South Downs National Park, UNESCO, the Wildlife and River Trusts, community associations and local authorities across Adur.

"They will describe programmes and projects that underline what is special about our local environment. Together we will be able to explore how people in the community can get involved with these programmes, taking action in your home or street to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of this part of the world."

The Adur Connected interactive heritage trail is being organised by Jenny Towler from The Shoreham Society to explore transport links, taking the railway as inspiration and exploring stories of how the railway was used for the transportation of goods, pleasure seekers and the adventurous.

Exhibition panels at Lancing Railway Station, The Red Lion, Coronation Green, The Waterside, The Port Kitchen and Southwick Green will have QR codes linking to local memories of The Steyning Stinker, the drama when the bus fell off the Old Toll Bridge and how the railways connect with houses on Shoreham Beach.