Pagham village '“ so much to see from the quirky to the historical

The wealth of the area diminished in the 14th century when the harbour silted up.

Let us first go down to the beach '“ here it is possible to see one of the Mulberry harbours which were constructed as part of the war effort in 1944.

On the beach, there is a large rock, which has a plaque providing information and as a memorial to mark the 55th anniversary of the D-Day landings in 1999.

These 6,000-ton structures were used during the liberation of Europe and, by June 5, 1944, 50 had been assembled and sunk between Pagham Beach and Selsey. This was done '˜to hide them from enemy view'.

During the summer of 1944, they were used along the Normandy coast allowing thousands of men and tons of equipment to disembark as part of the invasion of Europe.

The Pagham beach area has had much exposure in historical reviews, articles and in magazines for the interesting homes which were created with the arrival of the railway carriages.

These were originally holiday homes, but over the years, the climate and location made them ideal permanent residences, and now these carriages have been converted and swallowed up into modern homes.

It is still possible to see the outline in gardens of some of the carriages being used as sheds, or as part of club houses.

Sometimes when homes are sold today, they include the phrase '˜complete with interesting features'.

This can mean original windows, frames or other memorabilia from the carriages.

The railway carriages have featured on numerous postcards.

One such set had a notation on the reverse stating they were obtainable from G Morris, Adames Lane, Tel Pagham 16.

Mr Morris was the local stationer and newsagent, who took photographs of various railway carriages and put them up for sale in his shop. Adames Lane today is known as Sea Lane.

Church Farm holiday complex dominates many aerial views of the district.

The complex was used during the second world war as a firing range. One area in the complex is known as ballast hole!

Still staying in this vicinity we have the church of St Thomas a' Becket. The Saxons built the first church in the 7th century AD, on land given by Caedulla, King of Wessex to St Wilfrid, in gratitude for having saved the people of the area from starvation.

Now with that amount of history it certainly is somewhere to visit.

One feature of great interest is the rose window, presented by St Arthur du Cros in memory of the convalescence of King George V.

There are so many interesting facts connected with this church I suggest you pay a visit.

Over the years, visitors to any area would have looked for a welcoming hostelry and they would have been well catered for at The Lion and The Lamb.

Each of these premises has its own tale to tell, such as The Lion, which is thought to have been built in the 15th century, and, according to some tales, smugglers used it. It is thought to contain a priest hole and a secret panel.

The Lamb is reputed to have been built in about 1702-06 and was an early ale house.

The Bear has been on two sites. Today it is well known for the start of the annual Pagham Pram Race on Boxing Day.

The Inglenook hotel was developed from the conversion of two cottages about 400 to 500 years ago.

More recently, the Kings Beach was opened during the expansion of the area in the 1930s.

Its name derives from the fact that King George V stayed at Craigweil near the beach.

Walking around the village there are so many hidden aspects of history, such as the windmill which is now owned by a retirement housing association, and one of the '˜oldest houses in the land', which is a convalescent home situated in a cul-de-sac.

Originally it had been a house along a typical farm track of the time. There are also quite a number of thatched cottages some on the main roads, others hidden behind modern constructions.

The 1807 Guide to Bognor or Hothamton provides only a brief description of the area, but states that it is '˜at least four miles distant from Bognor, and though not much frequented by company, its proximity to the sea, its harbour, and situation at the base of a peninsula, claim our notice, or, at least, amply repay the trouble of a visit.'

In 1964 much of the area around the sea was declared a nature reserve and this now includes more than 700 acres of salt marsh and nearly 400 acres of farmland. The area is frequented not only by wintering wildfowl and migrating waders but also by us, the public, who come to enjoy the peace and solitude of the area.

Please take an opportunity to have a look at the features of this area while enjoying the surroundings.

If it is a nice day, take a look at the beach and try to find some of the railway carriages '“ but remember parking is sometimes difficult, so take care.