Ford can be understood through its architectural and local history as well as through the landscape surrounding the village. St Andrew-by-the-Ford is a small church with Saxon origins; historic houses and the memory of the airfield add later periods to this early connection. At the same time, the parish of Ford borders the Arun on its eastern side, while the fields around the village are home to numerous animal species. Cultural history and landscape thus offer two distinct perspectives for planning your trip.

Church and Historic Architecture

St Andrew-by-the-Ford is a small church with Saxon origins. Ford Place offers a different architectural feature: it is a large, L-shaped, subdivided house. The L-shape describes the floor plan; the subdivision adds an internal arrangement to the overall form of the house. The interior may contain elements from the 17th century, while the exterior dates from the 18th century. The two dates refer to different parts: possibly older fabric inside and the later exterior form.

The Arundel Arms has red brick walls and plastered window surrounds. A gable with curved bargeboards is located on the northwest wing. The former Arundel Arms Public House at Ford railway station is an L-shaped building from the mid-19th century. At Ford Place, the floor plan and possible building phases are the focus; at the Arundel Arms, the materials and a specific façade detail are prominent.

Airfield History and Remembrance

The Ford Memorial Garden shifts the focus from architectural history to remembrance of the airfield. It commemorates the people who flew from this airfield over the course of its 80-year history. A remembrance service is held in the garden every Remembrance Sunday. The remembrance of those who flew spans the history of the airfield; the service, by contrast, recurs on an annual occasion. The airfield closed in January 1920 and reopened for civil aviation ten years later. This closure and civilian reopening form a distinct historical connection alongside the remembrance of the people. If you would like to plan your trip around the day of remembrance, check the date of the relevant Remembrance Sunday.

Landscape and Wildlife

The natural setting can be considered on two scales: on its eastern side, the parish of Ford borders the River Arun; the fields around the village are home to numerous species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and insects. The Arun thus marks a boundary at parish level, while the biodiversity is specifically associated with the fields surrounding the village. For travelers wishing to combine nature with local history, the wildlife in the fields offers a different perspective on Ford alongside its historic buildings. The river boundary and the wildlife around the village provide two distinct points of interest for planning a trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Bognor Regis, Southwick, Ansty, Kirdford, West Chiltington, Petworth, Partridge Green, Rusper

For the broader travel overview: West Sussex.