Lancing

Lancing, situated between Worthing and Shoreham-by-Sea and the South Downs and the sea,
has a long history dating back to the Stone Age. It is reportedly the largest village in England with a population of over 19,000.

Lancing College Chapel dominates the landscape to the north of the A27 and is notably famous for being a national monument and a masterpiece of nineteenth century gothic design.

The southern railway works in Lancing were a significant local employer and in 1953 employed 1,750 people. When it was closed in 1964 the site, now known as Lancing Business Park, was bought and the existing buildings were then converted into factory units and new ones built. Shopping facilities continued to expand with the increase in population after World War II.

Today, the main shopping centre is South Lancing, the smaller, older shops being south of the railway, while north of the railway in North Road there are shopping parades offering a selection of independent and national retailers.

There is a shingle beach with good stretches of clean sand at low water. South of the coast road is Widewater, an internationally rare brackish lagoon, and the only known location of the probably extinct Ivell's sea anemone. Immediately north of the developed area is Lancing Ring, a Nature Reserve, part of the former Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the newly established South Downs National Park.

During the Bronze Age (1500 to 500BC) a sacred place was made near Lancing Ring and an incense cup and fragments of pottery from this spot are now in the British Museum.

Lancing Beach Green is a large public space with direct access to the beach. A number of events take place on the Green throughout the year. Lancing is a great place from which to explore the coast or the South Downs.