BOSHAM

Bosham is a picturesque village surrounded by creeks with a marina and sailing club. There is plenty of interest here for lovers of waterborne pursuits and wildlife, but the village’s most notable feature is its Saxon Holy Trinity Church. King Harold, England’s last Saxon King, who is thought to hail from Bosham, set out from the village in 1064 on his way to Normandy, a trip which proved to be the prelude to the Norman conquest of England two years later. Before leaving the village, he stopped at the church to pray, and as if to serve as a reminder of this, the church now contains a copy of a panel of the famous Bayeux Tapestry which depicts a feast in the local manor house attended by Harold, followed by a blessing service in the church, following which he set off in his boat for Normandy. It was in Bosham that Harold kept his fleet, and the vessels were probably also built there. Another regal character associated with Bosham is King Canute; it was allegedly here that he commanded the waves to go back.

Map of the area.

Bosham Harbour. Photo by Charlesdrakew, via Wikimedia Commons.