Rustington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rustington |
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 View of the main highstreet |
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 Rustington
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| Area | 3.72 km2 (1.44 sq mi) |
| Population | 13,883 (Civil Parish.2011) |
| • Density | 3,732/km2 (9,670/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TQ054022 |
| • London | 51 miles (82 km) NNE |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LITTLEHAMPTON |
| Postcode district | BN16 |
| Dialling code | 01903 |
| Police | Sussex |
| Fire | West Sussex |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | Rustington Parish Council |
Rustington is a lovely village and civil parish located in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It sits right in the middle of the West Sussex coast. You can find it about halfway between the cities of Chichester and Brighton. The main road, the A259, runs along the north side of Rustington. This road connects the village to other towns like Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, and Worthing.
Contents
A Look Back: Rustington's History
World War I Airfield
During World War I, Rustington was planned to be home to an American airfield. This airfield was going to be built east of the High Street. The idea was to use it to launch bombing missions. However, the war ended before the airfield was finished.
Exploring Rustington's Special Areas
Conservation Area and Old Buildings
Rustington has a special "conservation area." This means it's a place where the local council protects the historic look and feel. This area stretches from the south end of North Lane to a place called The Lamb. Here, many trees are protected, and you can see lots of old buildings. These buildings were built before 1850. The Street and nearby roads have some beautiful cottages. Many of these are made from flint, a type of stone, and some even have traditional thatched roofs.
Village Information Centre and Museum
You can find a helpful village information centre at the Broadmark Lane car park. It's in a building that used to belong to the WRVS. This centre also has the Rustington Museum. The museum lets you explore the village's long history. It shows how Rustington has changed from the Stone Age all the way to today. You can see many interesting old items from different times.
Rustington's Location and Green Spaces
Rustington is right next to the English Channel, which is part of the sea. The village is about 7 meters (23 feet) above sea level. It has three main areas for recreation and playing. You won't find large forests or open fields directly within the village itself.
Rustington in Culture
Music and Literature Connections
The name "Rustington" is famous in music because of a well-known hymn tune. This tune was composed by Hubert Parry, who lived and passed away in the village.
Rustington also became nationally known in 1956. This happened when the comedy show At the Drop of a Hat by Flanders and Swann was launched. Their popular song "The Gnu Song" mentions Rustington with these lines:
I had taken furnished lodgings down at Rustington-on-Sea
Whence I travelled on to Ashton-Under-Lyne...
Getting Around Rustington
Train and Bus Services
Rustington shares a train station with the nearby villages of Angmering and East Preston. It's called Angmering railway station. From here, you can catch trains to Brighton and Portsmouth/Southampton. There are also regular trains that go to London.
If you prefer buses, the Coastliner 700 service runs through the village. It has many stops within Rustington itself and can take you to Brighton and Portsmouth.
Rustington in the News
The World's Biggest Hot Cross Bun
In 2002, a baker named Paul Pegrum from Pegrum's bakery (now Forfar's) made something amazing. He created the world's biggest hot cross bun! He did this to help make Rustington famous during Easter. After four hours of cooking, the bun broke two world records. An inspector confirmed it weighed a massive 42.8 kilograms (94.4 pounds). This broke the old weight record of 38 kilograms. It was also the widest, measuring 4 feet 4 inches (132 centimeters) across!
Air Speed Records Over Rustington
Rustington's seafront has been the site of two world air speed records!
- On September 7, 1946, Group Captain Teddy Donaldson set a record. He flew a Gloster Meteor Star plane. He also became the first person to fly faster than 1,000 kilometers per hour (621 miles per hour).
- On September 7, 1953, Squadron Leader Neville Duke set another record. He flew a Hawker Hunter WB188 plane at an incredible speed of 1170.9 kilometers per hour (727.6 miles per hour).
To celebrate these amazing achievements, Neville Duke came back to Rustington on September 7, 1996. He unveiled a special plaque to mark the events. A Gloster Meteor and a Hawker Hunter plane even flew over the seafront that day!
Rustington's Twin Towns
Rustington has special friendships with two towns in other countries. These are called "twin towns."
- Los Altos, United States
- Künzell, Germany
Famous People Connected to Rustington
Many interesting and talented people have lived in or had connections to Rustington:
- Lindsay Anderson: A film director who wrote his famous movie If.... while living in Rustington.
- J M Barrie: The Scottish author who wrote Peter Pan. He was friends with a family in Rustington who inspired his book.
- Delirious?: Members of this English Christian rock band lived in the village.
- Huw Edwards-Jones: A very skilled cabinetmaker, born in Rustington.
- Agnes Garrett: She opened the first interior design company in Britain run by women. Her sister, Millicent Garrett Fawcett (a leader for women's voting rights), also lived here.
- Mary Christian Dundas Hamilton: A poet known for "A Hymn for Aviators."
- Nigel Hitchcock: A talented saxophonist.
- Stanley Holloway: A famous English actor and comedian.
- Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe: A well-known landscape architect, who grew up in Rustington.
- Sir Hubert Parry: The famous composer of hymn tunes, including "Rustington." He lived in Sea Lane for many years.
- Andrew Pearson: A cricketer who played for Bedfordshire.
- Ed Petrie: A British comedian and TV presenter, born and raised in the village.
- George Posford: An English composer, famous for "Good Night Vienna."
- Graham Sutherland: A notable English artist.
- Mitchell Symons: A journalist and bestselling author who has lived near the village since 1995.
- Ben Thatcher: The drummer for the popular British rock band Royal Blood.
- Brian White: A cartoonist who spent much of his later life in Rustington.
- Leslie Arthur Wilcox: A marine artist who lived in Cove Road.
Freedom of the Parish
The "Freedom of the Parish" is a special honor given to people or groups who have done great things for Rustington.
Individuals
- Graham Tyler: Received this honor on October 5, 2024.
Images for kids
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View of the main highstreet
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Lych Gate, Rustington Church, John White postcard, sent 1905
