HEWITT'S HISTORY FILES

A CENTURY in which the outside world began to intrude on rural life, a century that saw the coming of the railway and the impact of two world wars.

By The Newsroom

Published 31st Aug 2007, 11:31 BST

Updated 8th Jun 2018, 03:25 BST

It's all there in a fascinating new volume that chronicles nearly 100 years in the life of a Sussex family living in the Billingshurst parish.

Petworth author Deborah Evershed has captured and researched a wealth of stories handed down in her family.

The result is From Hadfoldshern To Adversane, a book that offers an intimate look at the day-to-day lives of its characters while placing them in the wider context of the local and social history happening around them.

"For those familiar with Adversane today, dissected as it is by the busy A29, it is hard to imagine the peaceful scene of the mid-19th century," says Deborah, who brings to life fairs, fancy dress competitions, dancing shows, bonfire societies and firework displays.

The book begins in 1856 when the name Adversane was beginning to replace its older name of Hadfoldshern.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette September 5