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Yapton and Ford
The rural village of Yapton lies south of the A27 along the
B2233 road from Barnham to Clymping. There is a mixture of
housing within the village ranging from older Victorian
cottages to newer homes. A larger estate was built in the
80’s on The Peregrines at Ford with starter flats, family
houses and smaller bungalows. Yapton has two Conservation
Areas and is surrounded by agricultural land and many parts
of the village enjoy views to the South Downs only a few miles to
the north. Less than five miles to the south are the beaches
at Clymping and Middleton on Sea.
The older part of Yapton originally built up around the area
of St Mary’s Church along Church Road and Church Lane and
there are several listed properties in this area
interspersed with a few groups of newer houses and
bungalows.
It was in 1825 when a Norfolk man, John Sparks came to the
area and created new employment and changes to the village.
He had a successful business building steam driven machinery
and the site of the Co-op was originally the repair shop and
servicing area. Over time he built several workshops, a
foundry (hence the name Foundry Road), a forge. carpenters
shop and sail makers for the canvas awnings. The workers
were housed in the cottages at Victoria Villas, Holkham
Cottages and Medway Cottages. Discovering brick clay in the
area Sparks set about producing bricks, land was acquired
and more houses built.
In 1823 the Arundel to Portsmouth Canal passed through the
village but after just 39 years this was derelict but signs
still remain along Canal Road and The Pines. It is reported
that the cottage now occupied by Hobdens was once the lock
keepers home and the keeper provided board and lodging to
the boatmen to save them from drowning when returning late
at night drunk to their boats from The Shoulder of Mutton
and Cucumbers.
Yapton boasts a comprehensive range of shops from a good
sized Co-op and Post Office, butchers, hairdressers, fish
and chip shop at Sparks Corner by the mini roundabout. Along
the Bilsham Road is another grocers and nursery. There are a
few light engineering works producing double glazed windows,
printing and an Aladdin’s cave of a second hand and new tool
shop. Yapton also has taxi companies, a flooring shop,
health centre and several pubs. A mobile Library van stops
on a regular basis at the Village Hall.
Yapton CE Primary School was
founded in 1864 and has recently received the Bishop’s Award
of Excellence, the DFEE School Achievement Award.
A key recreational feature of Yapton is the King George V
Playing Field and the Village Hall where several clubs and
meetings take place including W.I., stoolball club,
football, short mat bowls, Weight Watchers, aerobics,
badminton, history club, cottage gardeners society and many
more.
More detailed descriptions of the other three key parts of
the area in which Hobdens operates can be viewed by clicking
any of the following:
Aldingbourne, Barnham,
Eastergate.
For a more general overview click
The area in which Hobdens operates |
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