Latest News of Local Interest

Bobservation 28 – The Census

Our knowledgeable and interesting village web site gives details of the census data for Fulking in 2011. I appreciate that this is some 6 years old now but I find some of the information quite fascinating.

Fulking had 137 dwellings of which 130 are considered households. Of these households 10 had one bedroom, 25 had two bedrooms and 45,32, and 18 had three, four and five bedrooms respectively. Five had no central heating and six relied on solid fuel.

Flats numbered 7, terraced households 7, semi-detached 40 and detached were 76. All households had at least 3 rooms and 29 had 9 or more rooms. Vehicles per household were nil in 7 households, one in 36, two in 68, three in 13 and four+ in 6 households. 53 households were owned outright and 51 were subject to a mortgage or loan. 19 rented from private landlords, one was rent free.

The oldest villager was aged 97 and the next oldest was 91 and then there were two aged 90. Ten were aged 47 as were those aged 56, these were the highest for any age group. One was less than 1 year and three were aged one. Of the 303 residents, 272 were born in England, 4 in Germany, 3 in Kenya, 3 in the USA and 3 in Hong Kong.

Christians numbered 184, no religion 90, two were Hindu and one a Buddhist, there were no Jewish or Moslem residents, although 24 residents did not state a religion. No one lived in a Commune or was sleeping rough. 27 residents had a second address and of these 15 were outside the UK. Females numbered 161 and males 142.

This is just a selection from the very extensive web site and I hope is of as much interest to you as it was to me.

Sloe Gin

Poynings Sloe Gin and Homemade Liqueur Competition
Sloe Gin and Homemade Liqueur Competition: Monday 6th February, Royal Oak Poynings (Village Night — table reservations advisable). Entries in by 8:00pm (a jam jar will do), £1.50 per entry (2016/2017 fruit only). Two categories:

(i) Poynings — Sloe Gin Cup and prize for best liqueur (fruit+spirit);
(ii) Foreigners — Fulking, Newtimber, Pyecombe, and Woodmancote.

Two new local history articles


Following an eighteen month furlough, we are pleased to announce the publication of two new local history articles on this website: a guest post by Stewart Angell, author of The Secret Sussex Resistance, on the role that Tottington Manor played as the headquarters of the Sussex Auxiliary Units during WWII; and a new post by Tony Brooks on the rather complex architectural history of the Oldwood site with some extra material on the two major 1930s literary figures who lived, or lodged, there.

On the market

Hillbrook SOLD

Hillbrook

Hillbrook was originally a one acre plot known as ‘Shady Acre’ and was part of Brookside Nurseries in the 1920-1950 period. The nurseries were sold in 1953 and one of the employees purchased Shady Acre. It was then sold to the present owners in 1965. Glasshouses were built in 1970 and the owners then lived on the property in a mobile home for 5 years until they obtained planning permission to build the bungalow that stands on the site today. It was developed and run as a successful plant nursery, until 1998 when the owners retired. Since then the glasshouses have been removed and the site has been re-landscaped to form a large garden.

[Adapted from Anthony R. Brooks (2008) The Changing Times of Fulking & Edburton. Chichester: RPM Print & Design, pages 85-86.]

Dripping tap entails nine week road closure

Dogleg closure
The dog-leg that connects Poynings to the Saddlescombe Road is to be closed from Wednesday 11th January until .. Tuesday 17th March 2017 — according to the obvious nonsense circulated by Matt Davey, Director of Highways and Transport at WSCC.

Update 14th January: as of 5:00pm this afternoon, the road was open. That does not mean it will be open on Monday morning, though. Proceed cautiously.

Update 16th January: the road remains open, all contractor detritus removed.