Poling

The small turning off the A27 between Worthing and Arundel leads immediately into a village of one road that goes nowhere and passes no pubs or village greens which probably accounts for the fact that most passing motorists know nothing of its existence. Those that do venture off the dual carriageway will find a lovely haven of peacefulness totally oblivious to the passing vehicles, and hiding a fascinating history.

Just after turning towards the village along Poling street a modern stone block appears on the right that deserves to be viewed. It is a Millennium stone carved on all sides depicting the parish church, an oak tree, and a poem. The poem “Paling – Not Poling” was written by local poet J.M.Inglis recording the original name.The front face is carved with the figure 2000 intersected with the village name Poling and under it a short description of how money was raised for its erection by the local residents.

The other two faces both have fascinating carvings. On one is an Oak tree proclaiming that two trees were planted to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee and under it a verse by Rudyard Kipling about Sussex Oak trees. On the final face is a carving of the village church of St. Nicholas that was copied from a watercolour by resident artist Valerie Shepherd, and also depicts scenes associated with the Saint. Phil Read the local stone mason undertook all carving on the monument, and designed the latter scenes.

The block is a superb dual memorial extremely well thought out, designed,  carved and financed totally by the village residents. How the whole concept originated is a fascinating story that began when a group of four ladies had a coffee together and discussed how the village might celebrate the millennium.

Nearby Arundel, was creating a village Millennium map and a lady friend of the "group"  suggested they should approach Kim Leslie of the West Sussex Records Office. He came to speak to them and the idea of a Poling Map was established.

The group of four set about writing to all the village residents asking for any information and historical artefacts that could be incorporated into the map design. Old pictures and photographs, written memories of family forebears etc. began to flow. Village historical records then had to be researched and verified while another of the residents chartered a small plane for aerial photos. An intense period of planning, writing, painting and map drawing encompassing two thousand years of village history was to follow, after which money needed to be raised. As if this wasn’t enough, a suggestion was made that a more permanent feature could be made to jointly commemorate the Queens Jubilee and the millennium.

Lorraine Read one of the four ladies, agreed to approach her husband Phil with the idea that he might be prepared to give his time free of charge and carve the memorial provided the group could raise the funds to pay for the stone. To this end an old established charter authorising an annual Fair to be held in the village, that had been disbanded in WW2, was revived to raise money. It created such fun and enthusiasm "The Poling Fair" continues to the present day. The map was duly finished and the memorial stone was officially unveiled in 2005. The top was left deliberately clear, ready for an additional memorial when the occasion demands.

I fully recommend anyone wishing to know more about the map, to read Kim Leslie’s book “A Sense of Pride” that is available in many bookshops and can be seen in the West Worthing Reference library. It describes not only the Poling map but also a total of 75 other West Sussex villages that all produced Millennium Maps and tells their story.

A little further along on the same side of the road is, a Grade 1 listed building of interest. The Priory dates back to the 13th century and an era when the village was an important preceptor of the Knights Hospitallers at the time of the Crusades. It was here that the monks prayed and chanted (some say the chants can still be heard) and the Knights would assemble in the chapel.

 In 1906 Sir Harry Hamilton Johnston came to the village, bought the Priory,converting and extending it into a home where he lived until his death in 1927. Despite many considerable achievements Sir Harry Johnston is not a name that will mean a great deal to many people unless they are enthusiasts of 19th century Africa, for it was there that he was most active in using his varied talents. His knowledge of the country, people and languages, of which he spoke a great number fluently, led to two of his discoveries being named after him; The Johnston Falls and the Okapi (Okapia Johnstoni), a distant relation to the Giraffe. Sir Harry discovered this unusual animal it when he asked some pygmies (whom he had previously helped), about a strangely striped creature that was often spoken of but was thought to be mythological because so few people had actually seen one. The grateful pygmies led him deep into the rain forest where he he was astounded to find they hunted the animal for food.

As an artistic but adventurous young man he studied at the Royal Academy for four years, moved on to naturalistic science, biology and botany then joined an expedition to Angola before setting out alone as an explorer in Africa. He met and became friends with such luminaries as  Henry Stanley in the Congo and Cecil Rhodes of Rhodesia .The Royal Geographical Society were impressed with him and asked that he lead a scientific exhibition to Mount Kilimanjaro.

His exceptional ability and knowledge of Africa was such that it was not long before the British Government called upon his services,approaching him to undertake a number of administrative duties. His appointments included British Commissioner of Nyasaland, British Consul in Tunis, British Commissioner for  South Central Africa and special commissioner for Uganda. During this time he wrote 40 books on Africa and received many accolades including a Knighthood.

Having led the life of mountaineer, explorer, linguist,scientific botanist, collector of fauna, Colonial Administrator designing and implementing all manner of important treaties, he finally came back, quite badly ravaged by disease, to settle in a, quiet little known Sussex village - Poling.

One would have thought he might welcome a less active retirement but he soon started to use his influence in the conservation of wild flowers, writing more novels while organising painting exhibitions and more. His gravestone in the churchyard is partially written in the Ugandan language in recognition of his services to that country.

Continue along the street until “Peckhams Farm on your left; a 13th century manor thought to be where the Knight' 'horses were stabled; go past until reaching the telephone and letter box at a sharp right hand bend, then look for the sign to the church along a small lane on the left.

St Nicholas lies south of the street and can only be approached by walking along this pathway following it round to the left and passing  some beautiful gardens, mansions  and meadowlands until reaching the churchyard. 

Cricket fans will be amazed to see the name on the first and most prominent gravestone. It seems the father of the man buried there had been a huge cricket fan and enthusiastic supporter of the MCC. He always wanted his son to be a member and great cricketer; his passion was such that the christian names he chose for his son resuted in the initials MCC. His wish came true, as his son did indeed become a member then chairman of that organisation and not only that, he also captained the English Test Team no less than 27 times - his name was Michael Colin Cowdray. He didn’t actually live in the village but it was his wish to be buried here. 

Not only is the church in serene surroundings it has many interesting facets and a story to tell. Poling was not mentioned in the Domesday Book but Paling was, and there is no doubt the church existed in Saxon times well before the Conquest, albeit much of what you see today is Norman.

As you enter look at the iron “Poore Box” on your right. Apart from the misspelling of “Remeber the Poore” there are also some initials on the top; Rt.de H IC of A. 1285. It is generally accepted that these initials refer to Robert de Hastings and Countess Issabella of Arundel. When her husband John Fitzalan died in 1272 she married again but when he died, in 1284 she made a big mistake when marrying her third husband, Robert de Hastings in Poling church 1285. She had committed the offence of not asking the king (Edward 1) for his royal assent and was fined £1000. I wonder what that would be in today's values? 

You will see statuettes in the North aisle recording the association with the Crusader Knights however in the south there is an RAF flag. At the outbreak of World War in 1939 the first in a chain of early warning radar stations built along the south coast, was sited in the village. A complement of 200 personnel were stationed here,where some were billeted at the Priory and a gun emplacement sited on the front lawn. The radar station was such an effective  front-runner in the chain that it was targeted by enemy aircraft and subjected to a huge bombing raid.

A wall notice and some photographs under the flag give more detail about the raid and consequences.

 Before leaving the church you might like to see the millennium map hanging to   the right right of the door. 

 Decoy cottage which is some way across fields from the village centre, is where a man and his son lived for a while. The boy according to local tradition, loved to play with a swan whose name was hoop; however the boy reversed it to “pooh”. He became internationally famous when his father A.A Milne wrote about his son Christopher Robin.

There are no pubs in the village for lunch but see the pub list for Hammerpot.