Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, England, is bordered on the north by the South Downs, on the west by the Adur valley and on the south by the River Adur and Shoreham Beach. The town lies in the middle of the ribbon of urban development along the coast between the city of Brighton & Hove and the town of Worthing.

The old town and port of New Shoreham was established by the Norman conquerors towards the end of the 11th Century.

St Mary de Haura church was built in the decade following the Domesday Book of 1086, and around this time the town was laid out on a grid pattern which still essentially survives in the town centre today. The church is only half the size of the original - the former nave has completely fallen down.

The rise of Brighton, Hove and Worthing - and in particular the coming of the railway in 1840 - prepared the way for Shoreham-by-Sea's rise as a Victorian sea port, with several shipyards and an active coasting trade. Shoreham Harbour is still in commercial operation today.

Shoreham Beach, to the south of the town, is a shingle bank thrown up over the centuries by the sea. Once the harbour mouth was stabilised it was defended by Shoreham Fort (http://www.shorehamfort.co.uk). Converted railway carriages became summer homes around the turn of the century, and Bungalow Town, as it was then known, became home for a short time to the early UK film industry. Shoreham Beach was cleared for defence reasons during the Second World War and is now completely developed for modern houses. However the Church of the Good Shepherd, built in 1913, still stands.

Shoreham Airport, to the west of the main town, is jointly managed by Brighton & Hove City Council and Worthing Borough Council and is set to expand in coming years. It is the oldest licensed airport in the UK, and the Art Deco terminal building is listed as of historical interest.

Shoreham-by-Sea is part of the administrative area known as Adur District Council.

External links

• Shoreham-by-Sea Community Website (http://www.shorehambysea.com/)
• Adur District Council (http://www.adurdc.gov.uk/)