Funtington Explained

Official Name:Funtington
Country:England
Civil Parish:Funtington
Region:South East England
Static Image:Funtington Church.JPG
Static Image Width:200px
Static Image Caption:Funtington Church
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:20.02
Population:1,549.
Population Ref:2011 Census[2]
Population Density:72/km2
Os Grid Reference:SU800083
Coordinates:50.8691°N -0.8634°W
Post Town:CHICHESTER
Postcode Area:PO
Postcode District:PO18
Dial Code:01243
Constituency Westminster:Chichester
London Distance: NE
Shire District:Chichester
Shire County:West Sussex
Website:Parish Council

Funtington is a village and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England.[3] It lies on the B2146 Road 4.5 miles (7.2 km) west of Chichester. The parish also contains the villages of East and West Ashling, West Stoke and the Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve lies at its northern tip. There is a farm produce shop and a pub at the centre of the village. Funtington Primary School is in the village of West Ashling.

Governance

See main article: Funtington (UK electoral ward). An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward stretches north to Compton with a total population taken at the 2011 census of 2,671.[4]

Religious sites

St. Mary's Anglican church, dating from the 12th Century, is the principal church in the parish of Funtington.[5]

St. Andrew's church at West Stoke is of Saxon origin. The chapel of St. Mary's at Sennicotts lies about two miles (3 km) to the east, off the Chichester road.

The Old Congregational Chapel

The old Congregational Chapel, is a Grade II listed building, situated on the road between East Ashling and Funtington, opposite the turning to West Ashling. The foundation stone of the chapel was laid on Friday, 18 September 1863. Most of the building material used was various stones, recovered from the fallen tower, of Chichester Cathedral.[6] The tower having fallen down during a storm in 1861.[7] The Chapel closed, as place of worship, between 1934 and 1938. It became a scout headquarters for a while and then a clock museum run by the Clock trust.[8]

Landmarks

Kingley Vale lies on the border of the parish which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a national nature reserve. It is noted for its Yew woodlands.[9] The site is also known for its archaeological interest including Bronze Age and Roman earthworks, cross dykes, a camp and a field system.

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford (1893–1971), lived at West Ashling and is buried in Funtington churchyard.[10]

Pat Porteous (1918-2000), a Victoria Cross recipient who took part in the raid on Dieppe in August 1942 is buried in St Mary's churchyard.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2001 Census: West Sussex – Population by Parish . West Sussex County Council . 4 May 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110608075926/http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/communityandliving/census2001/pop_parish_summary.pdf . 8 June 2011 .
  2. Web site: Civil parish population 2011. 15 October 2015.
  3. OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009.
  4. Web site: Ward population 2011. 15 October 2015.
  5. Web site: Funtington Parish. 11 April 2017.
  6. Church, Chapel and . The Building News and Engineering Journal. 10. 785. Builders News. London. 1863.
  7. Urban. Sylvanus. 1861. The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Review. 210. Fall of Chichester Spire. 526–529. John Henry and James Parker. London.
  8. Web site: Congregational Chapel. Funtington Archive. 12 April 2017. 7 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150107232127/https://sites.google.com/site/funtingtonarchive/west-ashling/congregational-chapel. deviated.
  9. Web site: SSSI Citation - Kingley Vale . Natural England . 4 April 2009.
  10. Web site: Charles, Viscount Portal .
  11. Web site: SUSSEX . www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20041028141812/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/sussex.htm . 28 October 2004 . dead .