What's in a Name? Book reveals the meaning behind street names in Worthing

What's in a Name – the Streets of Worthing Villages (Part One) covers the villages surrounding the town centre, initially to the west, namely Salvington, Durrington, Goring, Tarring and West Worthing.

Its publication follows the success of What's In a Name? The Streets of Worthing, written by Worthing author Wendy Greene, who did all the research with her daughter Chrissie Greene.

Wendy said: "We had a very successful book launch at The Ardington Hotel and took £143 in sales of the two books. Susan Belton was also there and was able to tell the audience about the Worthing Society, which led to several new members joining. The money we have donated so far has gone towards a microphone headset and a new banner.

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"This new book is priced at £7. The third book, Villages Part Two, covering the east side from Findon Valley to East Worthing, is well under way and will be published later in the year.

"We have really enjoyed delving into the history and sometimes mystery behind the names. It’s particularly rewarding knowing all profits will go to the Worthing Society to help preserve the heritage of our town."

It was the success of the first book which encouraged Wendy and Chrissie to research the streets beyond central Worthing. Apart from finding the origins of street names, they hope the books will encourage readers to look further into the stories behind the people who inspired them.

Wendy added: "Where we could find no definite link, we have tried to include interesting facts which may or may not have inspired the name. We didn't want to leave it out altogether.

"In earlier times, roads were frequently named after politicians, saints and people who were notable for one reason or another. In some cases we have a definite link to this area but without spending more hours than we can spare to the project and delaying publication, we decided to add potential reasons and fascinating facts."

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The cover of the new book features a linoprint of St Mary's Church in Goring which Chrissie made at college at the age of 19, as well as High Salvington Windmill, The Parsonage in Tarring and the Waterwise Garden on the seafront.

There are 33 roads in High Salvington and Wendy gives insight into some of their previous names. Bost Hill, for example, was previously known as Paygate Lane after the old tollhouse that lay at the junction with Findon Road.

Chute Avenue and Chute Way refer to the Chute family from The Vyne in Hampshire, now owned by the National Trust, and the family connection continues in Ellis Avenue, where The Vyne was built for Lieutenant-Colonel William Ellis Chute Ellis in the 1920s and named after the ancestral home.

Significant structures are referenced like Mill Lane being named after High Salvington Windmill and Swandean Close being names after the house that is now part of the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust hospital site.

Because it was difficult to ascertain where Salvington ends and Durrington begins, Wendy used main roads as boundaries. She found a whole group of roads in Lower Salvington that are named after hills, some with tree names and some with Sussex place names.

The Glen, The Plantation and Vineries Close give a nod to Worthing's world-famous market gardening past over around 250 years. Large quantities of grapes, tomatoes and cucumbers were grown here. Famous people referenced include John Selden with Seldens Way and Sir James Lowther, who incurred a large debt to the father of William Wordsworth, with Lowther Road.

West Durrington, being relatively modern, has followed the trend to name groups of roads after a single subject, so here there are Canadian place names honouring the soldiers who camped in the area during the Second World War, Australian place names, rivers, names of golf courses, and roads named after trees, shrubs, plants and flowers.

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One section pays tribute to the brave airmen who died on December 17, 1944, when their plane packed with explosives was deliberately crashed on to Worthing beach to avoid civilian casualties as it ran into trouble.

Tarring was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. Several roads have eccliastical connections and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas A Becket, is honoured as he was Lord of the Manor of Tarring until 1170. Another Archbishop is remembered in the naming of Lanfranc Road.

Goring has been split for the book, with Goring North covering the area beyond the railway line, including the Maybridge estate and Field Place. Goring South looks at the roads towards the sea, including many with Sussex place names.

In the West Worthing section, Wendy notes that some of the roads are named after places in Kent and on the Sussex border, like Rye, Winchelsea, Sandwich and Dover. There are also two named after places in Surrey – Reigate Road and Ripley Road.

The first book in the three-part series, What's In a Name? The Streets of Worthing, priced £6, covers mainly central Worthing, coast to railway and Heene Road to Brougham Road.

To order the books, email [email protected] or find Wendy at The Ardington Hotel on Fridays between 10.30am and 12pm.