Ford: History, Architecture and Nature

Ford brings together themes of architectural history, aviation and nature. These include St Andrew-by-the-Ford, a small church with Saxon origins, historic architecture, the Ford Memorial Garden and the fields around the village. During your stay, you can explore these aspects as different ways of experiencing the area: from individual architectural features and their place in time to aviation history and the landscape.

Church and Historic Architecture

St Andrew-by-the-Ford is a small church with Saxon origins. Its origins provide an early point of reference in Ford’s architectural history. Ford Place, the large house, has different features: it is L-shaped and subdivided; its interior may contain elements dating from the 17th century, while its exterior dates from the 18th century. The L-shape describes the building’s form, while the subdivisions describe its layout. This distinction also matters when dating the building: the possible earlier date applies to elements inside, while the later date applies to the exterior of the house. In comparison, St Andrew-by-the-Ford is distinguished by its Saxon origins, whereas Ford Place is notable for the distinction between its form and its differently dated building elements.

The Arundel Arms building has red brick walls and plastered window surrounds. A gable with curved bargeboards is located on the northwest wing. Several different design elements can be seen side by side: the material of the walls, the finish of the window surrounds and a distinctive detail on the gable of a particular wing. This level of precision is useful when considering the architecture, as it avoids treating the entire façade as though it were a single architectural element.

Airfield History and Remembrance

The airfield’s history also has a clearly defined timeline. It closed in January 1920 and reopened for civilian aviation ten years later. The Ford Memorial Garden commemorates the people who flew from there during the airfield’s 80-year history. This brings two questions together: when civilian operations changed and who is commemorated in the garden. The garden is not only connected to aviation history, but is also the venue for the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony. If you would like to plan a trip around this ceremony, check the date of that year’s Remembrance Sunday in advance.

River and Countryside

The River Arun borders the eastern side of the parish of Ford. The fields around the village are home to many species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and insects. These two details describe different spatial scales: the Arun marks the parish boundary, while the animal groups are associated with the fields around the village. This distinction makes the landscape a more concrete topic: it encompasses both a geographical boundary and the diversity of a habitat. If you would rather focus on nature than architectural history during your trip, these two perspectives can serve as a guide.

Discover more destinations: Lurgashall, Amberley, Burgess Hill, Lindfield, Westbourne, Petworth, Angmering, Rudgwick

For the regional travel overview: West Sussex.