Pictures of Sompting

About Sompting

Sompting has one of the oldest churches in the country. The parish church of St. Mary is mainly Norman, but has much visible Anglo-Saxon work, especially the tower which is believed to date from the 11th century and is thought to be the only one of its kind in England. The tower is quite striking, it rises to 100 feet and can be spotted from all around. Not only is the church lovely to look at, but it has a fascinating history associated with the Knights Templer who rebuilt the nave and chancel, and added the north and south transepts in about 1180.

Despite the fact that urban development has linked Sompting to Lancing, it still has its interesting places - one is the home of Edward Trelawny, friend of Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Visitors will find a couple of attractive, friendly pubs, all the usual shops and, in 2005 there were reports of a sighting of crop circles close to the busy A27.

The sprawl of Sompting extends across Broadwater to the sandy beaches of West Worthing, a favoured place for summer holidays where there is a museum recalling the history and heritage of the area. Closeby is the sailing resort of Shoreham-by-the-Sea.