CAMPING IN SOMPTING, 1947

I was in Worthing this past weekend to see friends who had recently moved there. Whilst there I attempted to locate a field where as a young boy of six I had camped with my mother and father in 1947. I have one photograph of family and tent. In 1951 we stopped at a guest house in Shoreham and revisited our camp site for which I have a further photograph on the reverse of which reads 'Our camp site at Wadmans or Wadhams Farm'.

I can recall:-
Tall trees, probably elms and gone
A view up to the Downs, and my father saying Cissbury or Chantonbury rings.
High flintstone walls to the edge of the field.
Getting to the access road through the farmer's house which had a drive in drive out type driveway
A village green where the Maypole was danced and down the side of which I think were terraced farmers cottages.
Adjacent farm buildings with dairy herd.
Clearly the A27 was not there and I have the feeling that new houses have been built on what was the field behind the farm owners house.
I am wondering if we were in Malthouse Meadow from looking at your site and maps.
If you can shed any light it would be appreciated.

Our campsite	My mother	My mother's finger!
Me and mum by one of the trees		Grave photoed in 1951

Best regards,
Peter R Arnold
August 2002

If anyone can shed any light on this, then please email memories@bn15.co.uk

A Colin Godwin has replied:

I think the village green that you referred to was Sompting Recreation Ground (also known as Sompting Rec). Down one side of the green was a row of farm cottages known as Orchard Cottages, they have been demolished long ago, and more modern houses were built in their place. I think they are called The Lawns, Loose Lane. At the far end of the cottages was Sompting Primary School, a part wood and flint building. (I was a pupil there back in 1956) and yes we used to dance round the Maypole on the village green. At the other end of the cottages in West Street was the Village Hall, which I think is still there.

The campsite photo, does look like the field off Dankton Lane, Sompting. If you look carefully in the centre of the photo, you can see an electricity pylon. That is the pylon on the village green, next to the public toilets.

Hope this information helps with your memories.

Colin Godwin

From Tim Clarke, Webmaster:

I believe Colin Godwin is correct about the location of the campsite - it does indeed look like the field off Dankton Lane. I have taken the photograph below, which I think is roughly the same view today. The buildings have changes, but the pylons are a good clue, as is the tree line, which looks remarkably similar even after so many years.

View of the campsite location in 2006

Bill Sheridan has also commented, and has some memories of his own - Click here