Lurgashall

Lurgashall
Lurgashall Village Green
Lurgashall Lurgashall shown within West Sussex
Area	20.97 km² (8.10 sq mi) ^[1]
Population	609 2011 Census^[2]
– density	28/km² (73/sq mi)
OS grid reference	SU936271
– London	40 miles (64 km) NE
Civil parish	Lurgashall
District	Chichester
Shire county	West Sussex
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	PETWORTH
Postcode district	GU28 9
Dialling code	01428
Police	Sussex
Fire	West Sussex
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Chichester
Website	http://www.lurgashall.org/
List of places UK England West Sussex

Coordinates: 51°02′10″N 0°39′59″W / 51.03616°N 0.66633°W / 51.03616; -0.66633

Lurgashall is a village and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It is 6.5 km (4 ml) north west of Petworth and just inside the new South Downs National Park. The church of St Laurence, The Noah's Ark pub, the old school and several old houses are built around a picturesque village green which contains the village cricket pitch. In the 2001 census the parish covered 21 km² and had 220 households with a total population of 581. 271 residents were economically active. The population at the 2011 Census was 609.^[2]

History

Although there was, almost certainly, an inhabited settlement in the village of Lurgashall in Roman times, the name is Saxon. It means aula or Hall of Leotegar who, in about 495 AD, found a convenient, and probably inhabited, clearing in the Wealden forest in which he decided to settle.

In due course of time, Leotegar's descendants were converted to Christianity by the followers of St Wilfred and built the first St Laurence's Church. Although the Church has had many additions over the years, it still retains some evidence of the original Saxon structure.

The village had become almost extinct in 1100, and finds no mention in the Domesday Book of 1086. After the Norman Conquest the King gave the Lurgashall area to a Norman family called Alta Rippa who built a Manor House there in about 1100. The Manor House itself has not survived but the area that the estate occupied is now Park Farm, which gets its name from the Deer Park which the Alta Rippa family established in about 1200. The coming of the Manor revived the village's fortunes and it grew in importance throughout the feudal period.

An account of what it was like to live in the village in the early part of the 20th century is given in the book A view of Edwardian Lurgashall by H.S.Roots. It was re-published in 2000^[3] and is based on the memories of a child called Harold who came to the village aged four in 1899. His father was the headmaster of the village school for 10yrs and the book is an account of Harold's time growing up in the village and giving accounts of rural life as it was then in what was a fairly isolated village on the northern outskirts of Petworth.

Noah's Ark

In 1557 a village inn was built at the side of the Green, probably with funds provided by the Manor. At first it had no name at all, since it was not necessary to distinguish it from any other, but ever since records began in about 1700, it has been known as 'The Noah's Ark'. It is said that it acquired this somewhat unusual name because a pond was once outside the door, which patrons had to cross to refresh themselves, giving the impression of animals crossing into the Ark before the deluge.

With the inn was built a brew house, which continued for over 350 years to brew its own beer, which was delivered to other Inns in the district. As well as brewing beer, 'The Noah's Ark' baked bread for the village, giving rise to the old jingle:' For well-baked bread and home-brewed ale, you must come to Lurgashale'.

Noah's Ark became the centre of village life - local meetings were held there, it provided refreshments for the Midsummer Fair held each year on 'Tally Nob', it was the local headquarters of the Swing Riots of 1830 and it has refreshed many cricket and football teams after their exertions over the years.

In 1871, 'The Noah's Ark' was sold to an Arundel Brewery and, from that date, brewing on the premises ceased. In 1906 it was sold again, this time to the Eagle Brewery for the very low price of £1,250.00. Fifteen years later it was again sold, this time to Friary, Holroyde and Healy who owned it until 1990 when the present brewers, Greene King, took over.

For over thirty years, 'The Noah's Ark' has played host to a summer theatrical production. Started hesitantly in 1967, the venture received an enormous boost when the late Tad Swannell took over the Inn in 1970. Happily, his enthusiasm for the project, and his efficiency in organizing ticket sales, which resulted in an extension of the run from the original one night to the present three, has been continued by his successors.

The Rev AA Evans wrote in 'A Countryman's Diary':"This was Lurgashall. have been to it several times since and with heightened appreciation ... its beauty increases with familiarity, it endures, while the merely catchy and trivial wear away".

Sports and leisure

Lurgashall cricket club plays on the village green, and is often the guest team at the Ebernoe Horn Fair. Some of the sheep's horn trophies won by highest scoring batsmen^[4] used to be displayed in the Noahs Ark pub. There is a village hall for indoor activities (such as bingo), parties and receptions.^[5] There is a football pitch to the south east of the green.

Lurgashall CC v Harting CC April 2014

References

↑ "2001 Census: West Sussex – Population by Parish" (PDF). West Sussex County Council. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
1 2 "Civil parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
↑ A view of Edwardian Lurgashall, H S Roots, Window Press, Petworth. 2000
↑ Lurgashall winning teams with the Ebernoe horns
↑ Village Hall website
↑ Mystery of name on Lurgashall war memorial is finally solved

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lurgashall.

Settlements in Chichester District

Cities	Chichester

Towns	Midhurst Petworth Selsey

Villages and hamlets	Apuldram Barlavington Bepton Bignor Birdham Bosham Boxgrove Bracklesham Bury Byworth Charlton Chidham Chithurst Coates Cocking Colworth Compton Coultershaw Bridge Didling Donnington Dumpford Duncton Earnley Eartham Easebourne East Ashling East Dean East Harting East Lavant East Lavington East Marden East Wittering Ebernoe Egdean Elsted Fernhurst Fishbourne Fittleworth Funtington Graffham Halnaker Heyshott Hunston Hurst Ifold Iping Kirdford Linch Linchmere Lodsworth Loxwood Lurgashall Merston Mid Lavant Milland North Marden North Mundham Northchapel Nutbourne Nyewood Oving Plaistow Racton Rogate Rotherbridge Runcton Selham Sidlesham Singleton South Ambersham South Harting South Mundham Southbourne Stedham Stopham Stoughton Sutton Tangmere Tillington Treyford Trotton Up Marden Upperton Upwaltham Walderton West Ashling West Burton West Dean West Harting West Itchenor West Lavington West Marden West Stoke West Thorney West Wittering Westbourne Westhampnett Wisborough Green Woodmancote Woolbeding

Civil parishes	List of civil parishes in Chichester

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