Two miles West along the A259 from Worthing stands the remains of a lone conical hill known as Highdown, 266ft high above sea level, and once the site of an Iron Age camp and a Saxon burial ground.
Heading back East to Worthing into West Tarring village, one of many villages that makes up the Borough of Worthing, is The Old Palace which was founded in 1250 and formerly the Archbishops Palace.
THE OLD BISHOPS PALACE
Not far from The Old Palace is a 16th century half timbered house, now a restaurant, called The Parsonage in West Tarring High Street.
If you cross the road and walk down into South Street, on your left from The Old Palace is the remains of The Ancient Fig Gardens dating back to 1745 or earlier.
According to tradition the trees were planted by Thomas a' Becket.
However, in spite of the fact that Tarring was part of the archbishop's estate there is no evidence that he ever went there. Some of the trees were grown from cuttings taken from the parsonage garden in 1745.
Until the Second World War a Miss Humphries ran a tea garden in the orchard.
THE PARSONAGE
A ROYAL VISIT
Worthing started life as a fishing hamlet until Princess Amelia, youngest daughter of George III, visited it in 1798.
During the next 14 years, Worthing started to develop into the mammoth seaside resort that us Worthing folk love and hate today.
Travel into the village of High Salvington and on the corner of Bost Hill and Mill Lane is a black post windmill built between 1700 and 1720.
The mill had ceased working in 1897 and restoration to full working order commenced in 1976, it is now at an advanced stage with most of the machinery installed and milling stone ground flour.
The mill can be visited on the first and third Sunday of each month from April to September, 2.30 PM - 5.00 PM .
HIGH SALVINGTON POST MILL
In Parklands Avenue, around 1820, a Mr.William Olliver, local Commissioner and banker, built a small original Regency style house which was occupied by the family until 1899. In 1901 the house was let to Paul Schweder who purchased it in 1903, completely remodelling it using material salvaged from Lebanon House, Twickenham, the Dower House of Syon House and the Ritz Hotel, Paris. The result was a large, richly appointed mansion, including an elegant hall and the Rococo style "Gold Room".
After Paul Schweder's death in 1936 the house was sold, parts of the grounds developed and a hotel conversion proposed, but the Second World War intervened resulting in military use.
In 1945 Courtlands was purchased by Worthing Hospital for a recovery unit (1950-1973) and then as a Local Authority Health Centre and HQ until sold in 1996 to Bond International Software (UK) Ltd.
COURTLANDS
In Castle Road, Tarring, you will find what is know as Chippers Castle. A cobble flint cottage built in 1820 and formerly the home of Thomas and Mary Chipper,
CHIPPERS CASTLE
Along Durrington Lane is St. Marys Farmhouse built in 1820. Part timber framed, but was damaged by fire in 1978. In the same year it was saved from demolition on appeal and restored.
St.MARYS FARMHOUSE
TARRING FOLLY
At the back of 100 South Street, Tarring, there is a flint and brick castellated tower built in 1896 by a solicitor W. Osborne Boyes.
It was built by him as a garden retreat. You can see the top of the tower looking across South Street, Tarring from the corner of Ethelred Road or on the north side of Westland Avenue.
In Heene Road, at the sea-front end, is the MGM Assurance building. This site was originally the West Worthing Assembly Rooms. A gothic style complex which included water works, baths and roller skating rink. It later became Heene Baths until it was demolished in 1975 and the present MGM was built.
MGM offices Heene Road
A lifeboat house was opened in 1874 at 107 Marine Parade and here you see it in 2004. A private residence known as Coastguard House. Attempts to make the building into a lifeboat museum in 1988 failed. The lifeboat service was withdrawn in October 1930 following the re-opening of Shoreham lifeboat house in 1929.
The last worthing boat, the Harry Coleman, remained on view till it was sent to the National Maritime Museum in 1950. It suffered a sorry end when it was exhibited in Margate and was burnt by vandals. Currently, Worthing is served by an inshore resue service with a boathouse east of the Lido.
The Coastguard House
In 1926 a Band Enclosure was designed to replace the original "birdcage" bandstand which, even in those days, was not as well used as in other towns such as Eastbourne. In 1950 the enclosure was converted into the Lido pool and the bandstand rarely used. In 1988 Smart's took over the Lido and it became a childrens amusement park and gift shops. Some features of the bandstand are shown below as photographed in 2004.
The Lido in 2004
The Lido in 2004
The Bandstand detail in 2004
Bandstand detail in 2004
Heene Terrace in 2004 which has altered little over the years. Although looking a little tired. The Mayfair Hotel is situated about halfway along.
