Arundel
Encyclopedia
Arundel is a market town
and civil parish in the South Downs
of West Sussex
in the south of England
. It lies 49 miles (79 km) south southwest of London
, 18 miles (29 km) west of Brighton
, and 10 miles (16 km) east of the county town of Chichester
. Other nearby towns include Worthing
east southeast, Littlehampton
to the south and Bognor Regis
to the southwest. The River Arun
runs through the western side of the town.
Arundel was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Reform Act 1835. In 1974
it became part of the Arun
district, and now is a civil parish with a town council.
word Arno, meaning run or go. So Arundel would mean Arno-dell or the dell
of the flowing river. Another theory is that due to the preponderance of hoarhound on the slopes of the Arun near the town, Arundel would mean hoarhound-dell. A third explanation is that the town takes its name from the French word for swallow
, hirondelle, a bird which is on the town's crest. The name was spelled Arundell until 1733, when the final l was dropped. A new theory (Theo Vennemann) relates the 'Arun' part to Basque
aran 'valley' (substratic reduplication or tautology
), like the placename Arendal
in Norway and Sweden. However, it seems rather more likely that the Scandinavian placenames derive from Old Norse
arnardalr 'eagle dell' or arindalr 'dwelling dell'. Similarly, the name of Arundel could just as well derive from Old English earndæl or ærndæl, meaning 'eagle dell' and 'dwelling dell' respectively.
Arundel town is a major bridging point over the River Arun, the lowest road bridge until the opening of the Littlehampton
swing bridge in 1908. Arundel Castle
was built by the Normans
to protect that vulnerable point to the north of the valley through the South Downs. The town later grew up on the slope below the castle to the south. The river was previously called the Tarrant and was renamed after the town by antiquarians in a back-formation
.
Arundel lies to the north of the A27 road
, which narrowly avoids the town centre by a short and congested single carriageway
bypass. Plans for a more extensive, HQDC
bypass have been on and off for the past 30 years, and are currently off, despite the junction built in anticipation for it at Crossbush. Arundel railway station
is on the Arun Valley Line
. The Monarch's Way
long-distance footpath passes through the town and crosses the river here.
, seat of the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton
. The town also has its own cricket ground
at the castle, often cited as being one of the country's most picturesque. It hosts Sussex County Cricket Club
for a number of games each season and is also the venue for the traditional season curtain-raiser between Lavinia Duchess of Norfolk's XI and the champion county. Every summer it hosts the touring country.
On 6 July 2004, Arundel was granted Fairtrade Town
status.
People born in Arundel are known locally as Mullets, due to the presence of Mullet
in the River Arun.
Arundel is home to one of the oldest Scout Groups in the world. 1st Arundel (Earl of Arundel's Own) Scout Group was formed in 1908 only a few weeks after Scouting
began. Based in its current HQ in Green Lane Close, it has active sections of Beaver Scouts
, Cub Scouts and Scouts.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and civil parish in the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
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...
in the south of 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 lies 49 miles (79 km) south southwest of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 18 miles (29 km) west of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, and 10 miles (16 km) east of the county town of Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
. Other nearby towns include Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
east southeast, Littlehampton
Littlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
to the south and 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...
to the southwest. The River Arun
River 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...
runs through the western side of the town.
Arundel was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Reform Act 1835. In 1974
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
it became part of 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, and now is a civil parish with a town council.
Etymology
There are several theories about the meaning of the name 'Arundel'. One is that the upper reaches of the Arun, away from the sea, was once known as the Arnus, from the BrythonicBrythonic languages
The Brythonic or Brittonic languages form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family, the other being Goidelic. The name Brythonic was derived by Welsh Celticist John Rhys from the Welsh word Brython, meaning an indigenous Briton as opposed to an Anglo-Saxon or Gael...
word Arno, meaning run or go. So Arundel would mean Arno-dell or the dell
Dell (landform)
In physical geography, a dell is a small wooded valley. Like "dale", the word "dell" is derived from the Old English word dæl.-See also:* Cirque* Combe * Coulee* Dells of the Wisconsin River...
of the flowing river. Another theory is that due to the preponderance of hoarhound on the slopes of the Arun near the town, Arundel would mean hoarhound-dell. A third explanation is that the town takes its name from the French word for swallow
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
, hirondelle, a bird which is on the town's crest. The name was spelled Arundell until 1733, when the final l was dropped. A new theory (Theo Vennemann) relates the 'Arun' part to Basque
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
aran 'valley' (substratic reduplication or tautology
Tautology (rhetoric)
Tautology is an unnecessary or unessential repetition of meaning, using different and dissimilar words that effectively say the same thing...
), like the placename Arendal
Arendal
is a town and municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. Arendal belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet.The town of Arendal is the administrative center the municipality and also of Aust-Agder county...
in Norway and Sweden. However, it seems rather more likely that the Scandinavian placenames derive from Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
arnardalr 'eagle dell' or arindalr 'dwelling dell'. Similarly, the name of Arundel could just as well derive from Old English earndæl or ærndæl, meaning 'eagle dell' and 'dwelling dell' respectively.
Geography
Arundel civil parish occupies an area of 1227 hectares (3,032 acre) and has a population (2001 census) of 3408 persons.Arundel town is a major bridging point over the River Arun, the lowest road bridge until the opening of the Littlehampton
Littlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
swing bridge in 1908. Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle
Arundel Castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England is a restored medieval castle. It was founded by Roger de Montgomery on Christmas Day 1067. Roger became the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror...
was built 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...
to protect that vulnerable point to the north of the valley through the South Downs. The town later grew up on the slope below the castle to the south. The river was previously called the Tarrant and was renamed after the town by antiquarians in a back-formation
Back-formation
In etymology, back-formation is the process of creating a new lexeme, usually by removing actual or supposed affixes. The resulting neologism is called a back-formation, a term coined by James Murray in 1889...
.
Arundel lies to the north of the A27 road
A27 road
The A27 is a major road in England. It runs from its junction with the A36 at Whiteparish in the county of Wiltshire. It closely parallels the south coast, where it passes through West Sussex and terminates at Pevensey in East Sussex.Between Portsmouth and Lewes, it is one of the busiest trunk...
, which narrowly avoids the town centre by a short and congested single carriageway
Single carriageway
A single carriageway is a road with 1, 2 or more lanes arranged within a single carriageway with no central reservation to separate opposing flows of traffic. Two-lane road or two-lane highway are single carriageway with one lane for each direction...
bypass. Plans for a more extensive, HQDC
High-quality dual carriageway
A High-quality dual carriageway is a category of road in the Republic of Ireland. It is an all-purpose dual carriageway road type built to near motorway standards, but without motorway classification or motorway restrictions. High-quality dual carriageways have full grade-separated access and do...
bypass have been on and off for the past 30 years, and are currently off, despite the junction built in anticipation for it at Crossbush. Arundel railway station
Arundel railway station
Arundel railway station serves the market town of Arundel in West Sussex.The station is on the eastern side of the town, about 500m from the High Street, across the River Arun.-History:...
is on the Arun Valley Line
Arun Valley Line
The Arun Valley Line, also known as the Mid Sussex Line, is part of the Southern-operated railway services. For the initial part of the route trains follow the Brighton Main Line, and at a junction south of Three Bridges the route turns westwards...
. The Monarch's Way
Monarch's Way
The Monarch's Way is a long-distance footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester.Most of the footpath is waymarked...
long-distance footpath passes through the town and crosses the river here.
Society
Arundel is home to Arundel CathedralArundel Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Our Lady and St Philip Howard is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Arundel, West Sussex, England. Dedicated in 1873 as the Catholic parish church of Arundel, it was not designated a cathedral until the foundation of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton in 1965...
, seat of the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton
Bishop of Arundel and Brighton
The Bishop of Arundel and Brighton is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton in the Province of Southwark, England.The bishop's official residence is Bishop's House, The Upper Drive, Hove, East Sussex....
. The town also has its own cricket ground
Arundel Castle Cricket Ground
Arundel Castle CC is a cricket ground in Arundel, England. The ground was first used by the Sussex 1st XI in 1972 for limited-over matches and in 1990 for County Championship matches...
at the castle, often cited as being one of the country's most picturesque. It hosts Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
for a number of games each season and is also the venue for the traditional season curtain-raiser between Lavinia Duchess of Norfolk's XI and the champion county. Every summer it hosts the touring country.
On 6 July 2004, Arundel was granted Fairtrade Town
Fairtrade Town
Fairtrade Town is a status awarded by a recognized Fairtrade certification body describing an area which is committed to the promotion of Fairtrade certified goods...
status.
People born in Arundel are known locally as Mullets, due to the presence of Mullet
Mullet (fish)
The mullets or grey mullets are a family and order of ray-finned fish found worldwide in coastal temperate and tropical waters, and in some species in fresh water. Mullets have served as an important source of food in Mediterranean Europe since Roman times...
in the River Arun.
Arundel is home to one of the oldest Scout Groups in the world. 1st Arundel (Earl of Arundel's Own) Scout Group was formed in 1908 only a few weeks after Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
began. Based in its current HQ in Green Lane Close, it has active sections of Beaver Scouts
Beaver Scouts
Beaver Scouts, often shortened to Beavers, is the youngest section of Scouting operated by The Scout Association in the United Kingdom. The core age range for Beaver Scouts is six to eight years, though exceptions can be granted. Individual sections of Beaver Scouts, known as a Colony, are run by...
, Cub Scouts and Scouts.
Notable people
- Successive Dukes of Norfolk and Earls MarshalEarl MarshalEarl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
of EnglandEnglandEngland 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... - Derek DavisDerek Davis (artist)Derek Maynard Davis was an English artist, working in the media of painting and pottery. He was born in Wandsworth, South London, where he was educated at Emanuel School. He joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1943, to fight in the World War II. After the war he entered the Central School of...
, potterPotteryPottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
and painterPaintingPainting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is... - Judy GeesonJudy GeesonJudith Amanda "Judy" Geeson is an English actor.-Early life:Geeson was born in Arundel, Sussex, England on 10 September 1948. She came from a middle class family; her father edited the National Coal Board magazine. Her sister, Sally Geeson, is also an actress and is known for her roles in British...
, actress - Amelia Frances Howard-GibbonAmelia Frances Howard-GibbonAmelia Frances Howard-Gibbon was a teacher and artist known for her talents during the 1860s in Ontario, Canada. In 1966, her most comprehensive work, An Illustrated Comic Alphabet, was published by librarians and artists who admired her work...
was born in nearby Littlehampton and lived at Arundel as a child. She is buried with her father and former town mayor Edward Howard Howard-Gibbon at Saint Nicholas Churchyard in Arundel - C.E.M. Joad, Philosopher and broadcasterPresenterA presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, wrote many books at South Stoke Farm near Arundel - George MacDonaldGeorge MacDonaldGeorge MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister.Known particularly for his poignant fairy tales and fantasy novels, George MacDonald inspired many authors, such as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle. It was C.S...
, pastor of Trinity Congregational ChurchTrinity Congregational Church, ArundelTrinity Congregational Church, later known as Union Chapel, is a former place of worship for Congregationalists and Independent Christians in Arundel, an ancient town in the Arun district of West Sussex, England. Protestant Nonconformism has always been strong in the town, and the chapel's...
, 1850 - Francis MeynellFrancis MeynellSir Francis Meredith Wilfrid Meynell was a British poet and printer at The Nonesuch Press.He was son of the writer Alice Meynell, a suffragist and prominent Roman Catholic convert. Francis Meynell was brought in by George Lansbury to be business manager of the Daily Herald in 1913. He was...
, publisher - Cara HorganCara HorganCara Horgan is an English actress.She was born in the South East of England. Horgan trained at Drama Centre London and has worked in TV, film and theatre....
, actress
See also
- Amberley Working MuseumAmberley Working MuseumAmberley Museum & Heritage Centre is a museum at Amberley, near Arundel in West Sussex, England.The museum was founded in 1979 by the Southern Industrial History Centre Trust and has previously been known as the Amberley Working Museum, Amberley Chalk Pits Museum or plain Amberley Museum.The museum...
- Arundel MuseumArundel MuseumArundel Museum is a local museum in the town of Arundel, West Sussex, just inland from the south coast of England.This independent museum was originally established in 1964 in the undercroft of Arundel Town Hall. In 1977, it moved to the Grade 2* listed building at 61 High Street, but it...
- Earls of ArundelEarl of ArundelThe title Earl of Arundel is the oldest extant Earldom and perhaps the oldest extant title in the Peerage of England. It is currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and is used by his heir apparent as a courtesy title. It was created in 1138 for the Norman baron Sir William d'Aubigny...
- Fitzalan ChapelFitzalan ChapelThe Fitzalan Chapel is located within the eastern end of the church building constructed on the western grounds of Arundel Castle. This church building is one of the very few church buildings that is currently divided into two worship spaces, one Catholic and one Anglican, with the western side of...
- List of places of worship in Arun
- South Marsh Mill, ArundelSouth Marsh Mill, ArundelSouth Marsh Mill is a grade II listed tower mill at Arundel, Sussex, England which has been converted to residential use.-History:South Marsh Mill was built in 1830. It was working by wind until 1915, when the windshaft snapped, but was worked by engine until 1922. The machinery was removed...