Country Living: Our Man in Arundel

I picked up an old guide book from a charity shop yesterday. It was aimed at people visiting Worthing in the late 1930s, although there are a few pages about Arundel. Fascinating stuff. (Well, to me, anyway). Let me share a few words.

“Except during the holiday season, the current of life in the town flows as placidly as the neighbouring river. The industries, of which the chief are brewing, timber work and printing, cause no stir, and even the bustle and commotion of the market-place are as much things of the past as are the comings and goings of knights and men-at-arms. It is fitting that Arundel should have an appearance of association with the past, for it really is an ancient place”.

Fast-forward 70 years and there’s definitely still a ‘holiday season’ when visitors start to arrive. Alas, brewing has pretty much vanished (although the Arundel Brewery, based on the industrial estate at Ford, is doing a good job to keep the tradition going). Gone also is printing (although there's at least one design agency in town – and the post office will do photocopies!)

As for timber, there’s little evidence – you’ll find 'the old sawmill' as part of an address… and there are plenty of trees on the Duke of Norfolk’s estate… but not much else that I can see.

Alas, the watercress beds have gone as well. They’re now part of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, as far as I can see. Shame – I like a bit of watercress.

PS: There’s a 'literary' section in the guide that describes Arundel as being the scene of Tickner Edwardes’s ‘The Honey Star’ and H.C.Bailey’s ‘The Young Lovers’. Never heard of them, in case you wondered. Time for another visit to the charity shop, I think.