The Arun District has three main towns; Arundel, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton. The old town and former river port of Arundel was established on the south western side of the river valley etched through the South Downs by the forerunner of the River Arun. The Arun is the second fastest flowing river in England (after the River Severn, Bristol) and is tidal beyond Houghton Bridge, Amberley. The Romans named the river ‘Trisantona’ ~ ‘The Great Wanderer’ and the course of the river has been periodically channelled across the coastal plain to enter the English Channel at the working port of Littlehampton. The communities of the Arun District have progressively settled across the coastal plain. Protection from river and coastal flooding are a significant part of the local government’s strategic planning.
Arundel
The first reference to ‘Harundell’ was recorded in AD877 when King Alfred bequeathed the fortified redoubt (built against the invading Danes) to his nephew Aethelm. Roger de Montgomery - elevated to the title of ‘Earl of Chichester and Arundel’ by his cousin William the Conqueror after the Norman victory at the ‘Battle of Hastings’ - founded Arundel Castle on Christmas Day, 1067. The enlarged and present medieval styled Castle was the creation of Henry the 15th Duke of Norfolk and construction was completed in 1903. Arundel Castle with its estate of 40 acres has become the second largest English Castle (Windsor Castle being the largest) and is one of the great baronial ancestral homes of England. On his coming of age on the 7th June 1870 Henry founded a Catholic Church designed and built in the ‘French Gothic’ style. In 1965, it became a Cathedral under the new diocese of ‘Arundel and Brighton’ and was rededicated as the ‘Cathedral Church of Our Lady and St. Philip Howard’. Philip, the 13th Earl of Arundel was canonised in 1970. These two buildings dominate Arundel’s skyline and dictated the town’s growth and configuration. The High Street, said to be the steepest in England, follows the line and direction of the Castle wall.
Bognor Regis
From a small Anglo-Saxon fishing village recorded in AD680 as ‘Bucgan ora’ (Bucgan’s shore) Bognor Regis is now an established seaside resort of some 22,555* residents. Bognor holds England’s record for the most recorded hours of sunshine and has been a popular destination for bathing since Sir Richard Hotham established the first ‘Summer Season’ in 1791. Sir Richard’s ‘Hotham House’ built in 1792 is considered one of the best Georgian houses in the County. Bognor was the setting for Jane Austin’s (unfinished) work ‘Sandition’ published in 1925. The pier and esplanade were constructed in 1865. Bognor was granted ‘Regis’ status by George V in 1929. Bognor Regis was part of the Chichester Parliamentary Seat until 1974 when it was joined with ‘Arundel and Shoreham’. In the 1997 reorganisation a new constituency was created linking Bognor Regis with Littlehampton. Bognor now benefits from a resurgence of interest in holiday taking in British seaside resorts.
Littlehampton
Littlehampton also has Anglo-Saxon origins; ‘Hampton’ was probably a Roman settlement (as ‘ham’ and ‘ton’ denotes) founded on the east bank of the River Arun. With a high tidal range and shifting sand-bars the coast has caused many ships to founder attempting access to the river mooring. The Dukes of Norfolk owned much of Littlehampton from 1610 until the 1930s. In 1672, the port and main quay were extended as a ‘Royal Dockyard’ and as a victualing point for Henry VIII’s warships. Upstream Arundel continued as an active river port until the 1820s and sailing ships were towed up river by a paddle-driven steamer tug – the ‘Jumna’. Littlehampton officially became a town in 1853 (motto: ‘PROGRESS’) and the advent of the railway a decade later opened the town to summer tourism and soon became a popular holiday destination. A cross-channel ferry operated from Littlehampton until 1882 when the ferry service was moved to the deeper draught port of Newhaven. Littlehampton was also a favourite town with artists and writers, such as JMW Turner, PB Shelley, ST Coleridge and Lord Byron – who reputedly swam often in the River Arun. The Parliamentary Boundary Changes of 1997 removed Littlehampton from the ‘Arundel and Shoreham’ constituency and adjoined it instead with Bognor Regis.
The Last National Census (2001) recorded the population of the Arun District as 140,787* composed of 47% male and 53% female gender. The mid-2004 estimate is 144,300* residents. Those ‘economically active’ numbered 61,627 (1999 figures*); 32% of Arun’s ‘economically active’ commute outside the Arun area for employment while 68% live and work within (1991 census*).
The main employment in the Arun District is predominantly linked to tourism, the rural economy (viz: agriculture and horticulture – the District has the largest cultivation under glass in Europe), the public sector, small engineering, distribution trades and business services. The commuters are employed mainly in financial, business and public services. Unemployment levels are 2%*
NB: There is a digest of the District Council’s advice on ‘Coping With Emergencies’
at the foot of this webpage; for full information visit www.arun.gov.uk
West Sussex is the tenth largest local authority in the country, with 105,000 pupils attending 295 schools and four pupil referral units. wsgfl.westsussex.gov.uk
For full information contact : www.arun.gov.uk ‘
Verdant’ is Arun District Council’s Waste Contractor
Refuse
There is a limit on the volume of refuse a household can put out each week. The maximum amount of refuse households can place is up to five standard size black sacks a week; these are the equivalent of 240 litre wheeled bin.
Refuse will be collected each week from the edge of your property nearest the highway and should be put out for collection by 07.00 hrs.
To find your refuse day and recyclables collection week connect to the interactive webpage on http://www.arun.gov.uk
If your refuse or recyclables have not been collected by 17.00 hrs please report it to Arun District Council on 01903 737754.
Green Waste Club (GWC)
Contact Verdant on 01903-734520
For a payment of £84.22 [including VAT and bin hire] a fortnightly garden waste collection service from the front of your property is available to GWC members.
GWC started in 2004 and has 7,000+ members. The scheme is processing 100 tonnes a week into high grade compost certified by the ‘Composting Association’ and approved by ‘Organic Farmers and Growers Association’
GWC members can benefit from 25% discount when purchasing ‘Earth Cycle’ compost from designated retailers within the Arun District.
Recycling
Wheeled recycling bins with a blue top have now been delivered to all suitable properties in Arun District. If you have not received a wheeled recycling bin please contact Arun District Council on 01903-737754www.arun.gov.uk/recycling
Some properties may be unsuitable for wheeled bins and sacks are provided instead.
The following is approved for recycling in the wheeled bin: these can be mixed together loose; not in plastic bags; tops should be removed from plastic bottles & cans and bottles rinsed clean.
Newspaper, magazines, brochures, directories, junk mail.
Cardboard packaging, greeting cards and similar.
Aluminium cans and tins.
Plastic bottles; milk, juice, fizzy drinks, detergents and similar.
If in doubt consult the recycling sticker in each bin
Collected fortnightly on same day as refuse collection from front of your property from 07.00hrs
Glass
Please access www.arun.gov.uk for full details of what can be recycled in Household Waste Recycling Centres.
NB: Glass will not be collected. Please take glass bottles to the Neighbourhood Recycling Centres listed below:
Recycling Points
Aldingbourne
The Prince Public House
Aldwick
Avisford Park
West Meads Precinct Car Park
West Park
Angmering
Downsway Shopping Parade
Arundel
Canada Road
Crown Yard
Mill Road Car Park
Barnham
Parsonage Farm Shop
Bersted
Bersted Tavern, Chichester Road
Family Tree Public House
Royal Oak Public House
Bognor Regis
Hothampton Car Park
London Road Car Park
Regis Centre Car Park
Tescos
Wheatsheaf Public House
Clapham
Village Hall Car Park
East Preston
Lashmar Road
Willowhayne Crescent
Eastergate
Barnham Station car Park
Felpham
Arun Leisure Centre
Grasmere Close Car Park
Ferring
Ferring Street
Littlehampton
Wickbourne Stores, Clun Road
Manor House Car Park
Southfields Road
St. Martin’s Car Park
Swimming Centre Car Park
Tesco’s Supermarket
The Sportsman
Watersmead
Wick Street
Windmill Green
Middleton
Shrubbs Drive Car Park
Pagham
Kings Beach Hotel
Rustington
Broadmark Car Park
Churchill Car Park
Sainsbury’s Supermarket
Slindon
Mill Road
Walberton
London Road, Fontwell
Village Hall Car Park
Yapton
King George V Playing Fields
Household Waste Recycling Centres
Mon-Fri
Sat & Sun
Littlehampton Mill Lane, Wick
08.00 to 19.00
09.00 to 19.00
Bognor Regis, Shripney Road
08.00 to 19.00
09.00 to 19.00
The following can be taken for disposal at Household Waste Recycling Centres