Littlehampton Timeline
Key events from 1086 to present
Discover the key moments that shaped Littlehampton. Explore the events that define our community.
1086
Domesday Book records the Arun mouth settlement
The Domesday Book of 1086 recorded the lands around the mouth of the River Arun as part of the wider manor system in Sussex. The settlement that would...
c. 1200
Littlehampton established as a medieval port
By the thirteenth century, Littlehampton was functioning as a port for the export of wool, fish and agricultural produce, and the import of goods from...
1580
Norfolk Estate influence formalised
The Dukes of Norfolk, based at Arundel Castle, had long held influence over the Littlehampton area, and by the late sixteenth century the Norfolk Esta...
1735
First major harbour improvements
The first significant programme of harbour improvement at Littlehampton was undertaken in the early eighteenth century, with the construction of train...
c. 1800
Shipbuilding industry at its peak
The shipbuilding industry on the River Arun reached its greatest extent around the beginning of the nineteenth century, with multiple yards producing ...
1863
Railway reaches Littlehampton
The opening of the railway branch line to Littlehampton in 1863 transformed the town from a small port and fishing community into an accessible seasid...
1870s
Seafront promenade constructed
The construction of the seafront promenade in the 1870s provided the infrastructure for seaside leisure that the new railway visitors demanded. The pr...
1890s
Victorian resort reaches its height
By the 1890s, Littlehampton was a well-established seaside resort, with hotels, boarding houses, bathing facilities, a promenade, seafront gardens and...
1914-1918
First World War impact
The First World War disrupted the resort trade and took many of Littlehampton's young men to the battlefields of France and Belgium. The town contribu...
1939-1945
Second World War and coastal defence
Littlehampton's position on the south coast placed it in the front line during the Second World War. The beach was fortified with barbed wire, anti-ta...
1950s
Post-war holiday boom
The 1950s brought a surge of visitors to Littlehampton as the English seaside holiday experienced its post-war peak. Families from London and the Home...
1976
Anita Roddick opens The Body Shop
Anita Roddick, born in Littlehampton in 1942, opened the first Body Shop store in Brighton in 1976, beginning a business that would grow into a global...
2000s
Harbour regeneration programme launched
The regeneration of the harbour area began in the early 2000s, with public investment in the waterfront, new paving, seating, planting and the infrast...
2007
East Beach Cafe opens
The opening of the East Beach Cafe, designed by Thomas Heatherwick, brought national attention to Littlehampton's seafront. The sculptural building, w...
2007
Death of Dame Anita Roddick
Dame Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop and Littlehampton's most famous daughter, died in September 2007 at the age of 64. Her death was widely m...
2010
The Longest Bench installed on the seafront
A 324-metre bench, claimed as the longest in Britain, was installed along the seafront as part of the continuing improvement of the public realm. Desi...
2016
North Littlehampton development allocated
The Arun Local Plan allocated land to the north of Littlehampton for a major new housing development, committing to the construction of hundreds of ne...
2020
Covid-19 pandemic impacts the town
The Covid-19 pandemic brought unprecedented disruption to Littlehampton, closing the beach during the initial lockdown, shutting the shops, restaurant...