The Sussex Border Walk - Part Thirteen: Climping and Atherington

I am continuing my Sussex Border Walk. I have moved west from Littlehampton and have arrived in Climping. I start at the church and work southwards to Atherington to explore the lost village of Cudlow.
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[@traceystickland-mottram8021]

Another lovely walk. Just love all the brick and flint buildings in Sussex. Reminds you just how diverse and beautiful England is.☺

[@RichardVobes]

It truly is, and we are so lucky to have that diversity.

[@katherinekinnaird4408]

The Church and homes and fences are beautiful. All that stone . The coast is strong there. So much to see. Thank you . I appreciate all you do . Good health to you and your family.

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks you for watching, Katherine.

[@johnbyrne2756]

This video (revisited) is such a joy..

[@ramibu239]

Really enjoyable walk Richard! That door on the church was amazing! So many pretty country cottages!!!😍

[@ramibu239]

Btw...I do hope the folks at Bailiff's Court allow you to come back for a full tour! That has to be quite something to see!!!!

[@RichardVobes]

Lots of those country cottages - I would love to own one.

[@ramibu239]

@@RichardVobes me too!!!😍😍😍

[@carolcordell5881]

Have noticed over many months of viewing your videos, that your photography is much professional. There is no wobble at all,, leaving much professionalism. I appreciate that. .. The Climping Church with the door entrance so ornate, different, and Grand. It really stands Out. .. thank you for the explanation of those concrete blocks. NEVER WOULD HAVE GUESSED. This part of the coast really seems to take a pounding from the sea. .. Great film. Am studying a map of worthing to see what's all there, and in your videos I can see the town. Would rather live in England than Eastern Tennessee. Your history is far more interesting.

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks, Carol - we do have a lot of history.

[@nandrews10000]

An interesting fact filled edition, thanks.

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you enjoyed it.

[@juniajosh3858]

A beautiful church..never knew it was there!

[@shirleylynch4420]

So interesting. So much history. The buildings, the land and the awesome sea. Wow what beautiful walk. Thank you.

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you enjoyed it, Shirley.

[@barryrice4957]

Interesting Richard. I can't believe how much of the shore line has disappeared so quickly there. Just three years ago there was a WW2 observation post a little further west. It looked quite safe from the sea as it was some way back. After one particularly bad winter it was gone. It was about a year ago that the sea breached where you were standing and flooded right up to the A259.

[@johnbyrne2756]

Try comparing a South coastal map from 300 years ago with today's. The wreck of ex French warship Le Hazardeaux (seized by the English) is a protected wreck site off Bracklesham Bay, a full half mile off in fact. This ship was wrecked on the then coastline circa 1706....

[@RichardVobes]

Golly - the power of the sea!

[@zoeschofield]

Great video Richard! The history of the church and the beautiful surroundings were amazing. The coast lovely as ever on a December day.

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much, Zoe.

[@whosbear]

You've certainly made me want to go and visit Clymping Village again once I'm on both feet again.

[@RichardVobes]

You must! Good luck.

[@jym225]

As an import to the area, I am finding your Sussex border walks extremely interesting. Thanks.

[@RichardVobes]

Awesome, thank you!

[@kezzaba1]

That Church was stunning. Very different from others we have seen but lovely. Maybe it is the simplicity of it. Interesting to hear about Cudlow too.

[@RichardVobes]

Fascinating bit of the coast that most of us just drive past without thinking.

[@leighlawson4854]

Wow! I didn't know the concrete blocks had been toppled by the sea. When I was a child we used to jump from one to another all along the row. It looks so dramatic now - great shots. The church is beautiful.

[@RichardVobes]

I guess everything is moving there, over time.

[@thyhandrevolve]

The work you're doing is unequivocally invaluable. I personally couldn't be more grateful for these videos. You're helping to heal the world in a unique way. Giving a connection to the past needed personally, very extremely much. Know this. Thank you. 🙏

[@imranzazai7404]

Beautiful.

[@jackielowe7377]

Just about perfect. Great church which looked like a castle keep with those windows and the church added on. The hotel sounds lovely, will be interesting to see, and the sea churning away relentlessly against the coast line, super shots. There is no-one as professional and just so intetesting to listen to as The Bald Explorer.

[@RichardVobes]

You are too kind, Jackie. :)

[@ramibu239]

Agreed Jackie!!!

[@jennyrose1082]

Lovely video with plenty of interesting information. Thank you.

[@RichardVobes]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@denniskavanagh3075]

Thanks Richard for taking us around Climping. In the 1950s my parents would take me there, but we would drive straight down to the beach and sit on those WW2 concrete defenses. So it was interesting to now see the local history that I had not really noticed or appreciated all those years ago.

[@RichardVobes]

That coast line is ever changing now, isn't it?

[@janerobertson8950]

Another great video! I didn’t realise there was so much to Climping having only just walked along the coastline there!

[@RichardVobes]

The places under our noses often have so much to tell.

[@CharlieCooper3101]

Very good Richard loved this episode as ever, lovely church, I love the little windows and the church tower door how lovely. I really do love some of the buildings that are still there after all these years the blacksmiths and stray animals area. Lovely hotel and bit of beach I like the concrete blocks just spread all over a bit like some art work. Cudlow and climping seems lovely.

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks, Charlie. So pleased you enjoyed the episode.

[@ShellBelle_]

Love Clymping, I live in Littlehampton just up the road. Great video, very informative, thank you x

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you enjoyed it, Michelle.

[@MrGreatplum]

Great video, Richard. Climping’s church is stunning. We went down to climping beach in the summer but the weather turned ferocious and the power of the waves was very evident!

[@RichardVobes]

I hadn't realised how ferocious the tide could be at gentle Climping.

[@alan7165]

Thank you for a delightful gentle walking tour of England.

[@RichardVobes]

My pleasure. Glad you are enjoying it.

[@dominicbaylis2538]

Lovely Norman stonework

[@PortsladeBySea]

Fascinating film Richard. I have visited Ford market many times over the years, and Climping Church, but never been down to the Climping coast. It would be great if the owners of the Bailiffcourt Hotel give you a guided tour. I hear it is a lovely hotel.

[@RichardVobes]

I am hoping the owners of Bailiffcourt will give me a tour.

[@ceeceety2320]

The Masonry is incredible! So much history in the UK that I absolutely have to see in this life! Maybe Tammie and I can even stay overnight in one of the chalets? This is so exciting to see! Thank you Richard! I absolutely am late for work now! Haha!

[@RichardVobes]

It's a lovely place. Hoping to have a tour in the new year.

[@ceeceety2320]

@@RichardVobes Looking forward to watching!

[@tittums]

Clymping church has two bells. The lightest being cast in 1636 by Bryan Eldridge and has the inscription ''GLORIA DEO IN EXCELSIS''. The 2nd bell (heavier of the two) was cast in 1654, again by Bryan Eldridge and has no inscription. The previous treble (lightest) bell was inscribed 'BE 1654', was cracked and sold about 1868. There are records of four bells in 1724. The bell frame was made in the 18th century and has space for three bells. These are the notes from a book I have. The church is lovely though. I have read about it many time and have unfortunately never been able to visit. Your video is a great way to get me out of the house and visiting churches again. Cheers Richard!

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks for the extra info on the bells. I assume that is Dove's Guide you are quoting there. I should get a copy myself for additional notes.

[@davidmills636]

What a fantastic vlog. Such wonderful buildings! Spectacular contracts between the gentle village and the dramatic coast - thank you

[@RichardVobes]

The erosion is olden days must have seemed like the Gods were taking the Villages away.

[@Stringtrees]

I've been waiting to crack this one-here goes; My Partner asked me if I liked Climping and I said "I don't know, I've never climped". Having got that out of the way, a wonderful video Richard. The Church was fascinating and I must go and stare for ages at that entrance. I didn't know for sure that the concrete blocks were from WW2 but assumed that to be the case.

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you enjoyed it. And so dramatic at high tide.

[@robbrierley3009]

As we live in Manchester and only visited this area two short times we are really enjoying these walks, Keep up the good work.

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks, will do!

[@marcintime]

Super video, very well researched. Really enjoying this border walk series!

[@RichardVobes]

So pleased you are enjoying it.

[@MrNas42]

That was terrific! Climping beach is a hidden gem. I've always loved the very Saxon sounding name of Atherington. Ford Airfield: When my mum & I used to catch the no.31 bus to Bognor Regis, its route used to run past the end of the runway. During the war, buses were fitted with blinds for blackout during night time journeys. My mum remembers that during daylight hours, the conductor used to order that these be lowered when the bus approached the airfield, in case there were any spies on board!

[@RichardVobes]

Lovely memory from the war time - thanks, Nigel.

[@john07973]

A late friend of mine flew Fleet Air Arm fighter jets from RNAS Ford in the 1950s

[@Mattriver7]

A really good video, fascinating church, what an amazing structure! You've done your homework a bit and it really shows, perhaps you've finally achieved the right balance of exploring and informative snippets.

[@RichardVobes]

Hope so. :)

[@tonykennedy9811]

My dad got married at at Mary’s church Climping ☺️

[@stationmasterschoice-walku1307]

Another great video. So many interesting things to find in Sussex. I often wonder, though, why, even now, so much stuff from WW2 just hasn't been cleared up and disposed off. Not all of it can be classifed as historical artefact. Could a lot be described as governmental flytipping I wonder?

[@RichardVobes]

That is a very good point. Maybe there are so many enthusiasts for it, that they feel it is better to leave it lying where it was.

[@ginaoneil9565]

A lovely walk Richard! Very familiar to me as my dad used to take us to Climping to see the church and the beach. Is Climping church the one that contains the crusaders chest? I mean it was years ago since I went there, probably when I was about 11, many moons ago! I really love all the old flint walls around this area, and I can remember my dad driving us through Ford open prison telling us stories that would scare us as children...he even took us to Broadmoor once! Im used to the sea as up until a few years ago I lived in Dungeness on the beach in one of the old converted railway carriages and the sea could get mighty rough! A nice trip down memory lane, thankyou!

[@RichardVobes]

For all the 'boring shingle' the coast can be dramatic at times. Thanks for the interesting comments, Gina.

[@jeanblemings5352]

Some interesting nuggets of information. Thanks for showing us that amazing church and yew. I wonder what they will do about the England coast path here. When I last walked that stretch of coast well pre covid it was touch and go whether you could make it all the way along the coast from Felpham to Littlehampton due to the coastal erosion. Must be even dodgier now a year or more on.

[@RichardVobes]

Yesterday as I walked along from Elmer to Middleton the tide came in very close to the houses and the path there.

[@johnbyrne2756]

ON THE BORDER (verse 16 of ???) What Pevsner did for Penguin books so Betjeman for Shell Both explored opposing routes the most volumes to sell The strict 'headmaster' Pevsner's quite in keeping with the age While jolly John the dreamer penned a more lighthearted page. JB20

[@RichardVobes]

You really are quite clever, John.

[@johnbyrne2756]

If only Richard, if only!!

[@cogidubnus1953]

A former senior manager always used to be most amused by the name Climping...which he thought ought to be descriptive of some kind of offence...Needless to say roadside destination signs showing Ford Climping used to send him off...Climping had its revenge the day (during Goodwood week) he'd visited and forgotten to book his accommodation in advance - the only room he could find at such short notice was at Baillifscourt - which cost him dear!

[@RichardVobes]

I bet it did cost him dear. :)

[@michaelwhite8031]

The trefoil head of the door probably represents the holy trinity and the door is the entry to God's Kingdom. The windows seem to be in groups of three to.

[@michaelwhite8031]

@@BoninBrighton yes could be Bonita the crusaders brought back many influences.

[@guestandsons]

I had a nice slap up meal there once at baliffscourt. The owners at the time had two other restaurants one at Midhurst another at Cuckfield (which suffered from a leaky roof!)

[@RichardVobes]

I haven't been inside so looking forward to having a look around.

[@MrGrahamwhitt]

I have a few connections with Climping, my nephew is a chef at Ballifscourt, and the first house on the right that you passed with the red car on the drive, is my Son-in - laws grandparents house.

[@RichardVobes]

It is a lovely house for sure.

[@MrGrahamwhitt]

Richard Vobes , it even has an indoor swimming pool!

[@RichardDKneller]

It was never an airport! RAF first then HMS Peregrine, the HM Prison Ford

[@bullettube9863]

Another great walk! Question: Is there any significance to having a covered entrance way? Crimping must have been important in the 13th century to have a church with so much ornamentation. And the windows! The circular window especially, you don't normally see that on village churches. The parsonage looks grand enough for a bishop!

[@RichardVobes]

Do you mean the lych gate? Covered I suppose for the coffin bears to shelter in the rain until they are called.

[@bullettube9863]

@@RichardVobes Oh, well that sounds logical as it does rain a lot in England and some church yards are too small to allow a hearse inside.

[@joannefaben8586]

Climping or Clymping? Signs in the area differ?

[@JuliaHartley]

The spelling has in recent years changed to Climping I'm told

[@daveh3799]

This part of South Sussex is predicted to be totally under sea level by 2050. Up to Chichester. Beware !

[@RichardVobes]

Poppycock! Don't believe all these silly predictions.

[@daveh3799]

@@RichardVobes are you also in climate change denial ?

[@lesleydainton3140]

You're confusing the A27 and the A259. The A27 is further north.

[@RichardVobes]

I do that alot.

[@johnbyrne2756]

ON THE BORDER (verse15 of ???) Quite to and fro soft Clymping dunes that front this ancient spot Corrosive unrelenting seas much more than mere snapshot The curse of coastal places in these planet warming times With mankind showing scant remorse for current climate crimes. JB20

[@aaazzz9477]

Aaa Zzz ‘Club of Rome’ (a think tank for the Vatican) admitted back in 1991, they came up with the idea of Global Warming as a way to unite humanity in a single cause, admitting Global Warming is not real!!! ( do your research peeps....) Reason for change: -Solar Cycles (getting colder not hotter!) -Poles melting as changing direction, they have done this before many times.

[@johnbyrne2756]

You are quite correct. Amongst the 42 lbs of geological samples brought back by Captain Scott's Terra Nova Antarctic expedition of 1911 were some pieces of coal, proving the Poles move. In more modern times, a 1 km length ice core removed from same continent revealed a greatly increased content of CO2 bubbles in the section representing the last 250 years, matching exactly the period since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Where politicians might be sparing with the truth, not so Mr Attenborough....