Apuldram

The rural parish on Fishbourne's southern boundary

Apuldram is a tiny rural parish lying between Fishbourne and the harbour shore, one of the quietest and least populated areas in the Chichester district. The parish consists of scattered farms, a few houses, and the medieval church of St Mary the Virgin, which stands alone in the fields and is one of the most atmospheric small churches in Sussex.

Apuldram Lane, running south from the A259 near Fishbourne, is the main access route and leads to the church, to Dell Quay, and to the harbour shore. The lane passes through flat, open farmland where the soil is rich and the views are long, with the cathedral spire visible to the east and the harbour opening up to the south.

The Apuldram Centre, on the edge of the parish, is a charity that provides supported employment and horticultural training for adults with learning disabilities. The centre operates a plant nursery and a shop that is popular with local gardeners.

Historically, Apuldram was a separate manor recorded in the Domesday Book, and the church has served the small community since at least the twelfth century. The font is Norman, and the building retains a simplicity that reflects the unchanged character of the parish. Services are held periodically, and the church is generally open to visitors.

For Fishbourne residents, Apuldram provides some of the best local walking, with footpaths crossing the farmland and following the harbour edge. The area feels genuinely rural despite being barely a mile from the A259 and two miles from Chichester city centre.