By the river, Littlehampton
Photos around the River Arun
(Photos/words © urban75, June 2007)

Littlehampton lies on the east bank of the mouth of the River Arun, with the town dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.

Originally known as Hampton, the town was renamed Little Hampton in the fourteenth century by sailors to avoid confusion with the bigger port of Southampton further down the coast.

Once a royal dockyard of Henry VIII, the port saw a quay being added in the 1670s, with the arrival of the railway in 1863 feeding a cross channel ferry which ran until 1882.

The port declined during the 20th century, with small industry and tourism becoming the major backbone of the local economy.


New residential development along the east bank of the River Arun.


Looking south.


Activity on the river.


Curiously, seafood cooking recipes were presented along the riverside walk. A nice touch.




The last time we were in Littlehampton we had a meal that looked (and tasted) like it had come out of the 1950s, accompanied by wafer thin, margarine-smeared white bread and the weakest coffee this side of Mellow Birds.

Happily, this time around the Lemon Tree served us up a delicious cream tea.


Look and Sea visitor centre.



The River Of Living Water, a 'Christian outreach centre'.




Brightly coloured frontage of the Littlehampton Dutch Bike Co.


River view.


Model boat in old shop window.


Sorting out the cone dip coating at a riverside ice cream parlour.



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