The town centre is dominated by the historic church of St Mary de Haura, which was built around 1106 and is renowned for its Norman and Transitional architecture, while the Marlipins Museum is one of the oldest secular buildings in the country.
Shoreham is a largely residential area but has a small shopping area at its heart, intermingled with the town’s wide selection of pubs, bars and restaurants.
Shoreham was first developed as a port by the Norman Conquerors and was a centre for shipbuilding and coastal trade during the Victorian age. Maritime life still plays an important role in the town, which is a popular sailing centre and home to the Sussex Yacht Club, one of the oldest in the UK.
Other watersports, as well as climbing, mountain-biking and orienteering, are provided at the Adur Outdoor Activities Centre, which contains a 10m high indoor climbing wall.
Conservation
Shoreham Beach, on the southern bank of the River Adur, is a very popular venue for windsurfing and kite-surfing, and has hosted national and international competitions.
The beach is also a designated Site of Nature Conservation Interest thanks to the internationally rare habitat of its vegetated shingle. The Adur estuary itself is a notified Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Shoreham has good transport links to Worthing, Brighton and London, as well as its own airport. With its Grade 2 Listed art deco terminal building, Shoreham Airport is the oldest licensed airfield in the UK. It is a growing centre for private aviation but also offers scheduled flights to the Channel Islands and northern France.
Access the Adur District Council website