| West Itchenor | |
|---|---|
 The foreshore leading to thesailing club | |
  West Itchenor Location withinWest Sussex | |
| Area | 4.13 km2 (1.59 sq mi) |
| Population | 289 (2011 Census)[1] |
| • Density | 109/km2 (280/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU799012 |
| • London | 58 miles (93 km)N |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CHICHESTER |
| Postcode district | PO20 |
| Dialling code | 01243 |
| Police | Sussex |
| Fire | West Sussex |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
West Itchenor is a village andcivil parish, on theManhood Peninsula, in theChichesterDistrict ofWest Sussex, England. It lies north of the B2179Chichester toWest Wittering road 4.5 miles (7.3 km) southwest ofChichester. The village lies on the shores ofChichester Harbour.
The parish covers an area of 413 hectares (1020 acres). According to theOffice for National Statistics, based on the2011 Census estimates, 289 people lived in 140 households, of whom 122 were economically active. 99.7% of residents wereWhite and 76.5% identified asChristian.[1] Since the desertion ofEast Itchenor in the 15th century, the village has been simply referred to asItchenor.[2][3]
West Itchenor was an ancient parish of the county of Sussex. Until 1894 it formed part ofManhood Hundred, an ancient division of ChichesterRape. From 1894 to 1933 it was part of Westhampnett Rural District. From 1933 to 1974 it was part of Chichester Rural District, and since 1974 it has been a part ofChichester District.
A settlement is thought to have been established during theRoman conquest of Britain in AD 43, however the area was one of the first to be resettled by the South Saxons when theycolonialised the south coast. West Itchenor takes its name from the chieftain Icca, who laid claim to its shoreline, and was originally known asIccanore ('Icca's shore'). TheDomesday Book of 1086 names the village asIcenore,[4] with six households,[5] and notes that the land was held byWarin, a vassal of "Earl Roger" whoinvaded England withWilliam the Conqueror.[6] In 1187 it was calledIchenore,[7] and by 1243Westichenor.[8] Themanor later became aparcel of theEarl of Arundel.[9]
In 1175 theLord of the Manor Hugh Esturmy built a chapel in West Itchenor, adjacent to the River Haven; prior to the construction of a sea wall andsluice in 1931, a springtide would cause the river to rise and surround the building. Between 1180 and 1197 the chapel became aparish church dedicated toSt Nicholas, thepatron saint of seafarers.
The population of West Itchenor diminished during theBlack Death which swept England from 1348, yet the village survived.East Itchenor was part of the contiguous parish of Birdham but was never more than a mansion with around 100 acres of farmland although it did have its own chapel. The latter's subsequent decline in the following century culminated in its unification withBirdham in 1440.
Towards the end of the 19th century, West Itchenor became a popular destination forLondoners who could afford asecond home in the countryside and the cost of travelling there. These people, known locally as 'DFLs' (Down from London),[10] have caused the rapid growth of the village since that time. However, despite the increased number of households, the number of full-time and economically active residents has fallen, as house prices have increased with the demand for second homes. This in turn caused the closure of thegeneral store andpost office in 1974 and of the local villageschool.[11] The Itchenor Society estimated in 2012 that over 40% of all households were second homes.[3]
During theSecond World War, Itchenor Shipyard served as a base for theAdmiralty's manufacturing ofFairmile B motor launches andItchenor Sailing Club wasrequisitioned by theBritish Army, which mounted ananti-aircraft gun at the club to attack approachingLuftwaffe planes. This wartime activity made West Itchenor arestricted area and required residents to produceidentification papers as they entered the village.[3]
Since the 1700sshipbuilding has provided the main source of employment in the village – West Itchenor was the site of a prominent shipyard during theNapoleonic Wars in which a number of warships were launched, such asHMS Pelorus in 1808 andHMS Curacao in 1809.[12] In 1800 theTransit, a 101 ft long, four-mastedbarquentine weighing 200 tons, was built at the yard and is said to have been revolutionary in the design of its hull and rig. During the 19th century construction began to decline, as the development ofrailways provided a more accessible mode of transport. Shipbuilding in West Itchenor made a modern revival with the opening of Haines Boatyard in 1912. In 1936 a new yard, called the 'Itchenor Shipyard' was built on the site that had seen production during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Northshore Yachts Ltd now occupies the site of the Itchenor Shipyard and has overseen the complete manufacturing ofFisher and Southerly yachts, since the mid-1970s.[13] In April 2013 it was reported that Northshore was experiencing financial difficulties and that the future of the boatbuilding company and its estimated 160 employees is in doubt.[14]
West Itchenor Parish Council sits seven elected members, with elections taking place every four years. In representing the people of the parish, the councillors meet monthly to discuss matters includingplanning, community engagement and finance. West Itchenor falls underThe Witterings electoral division which returns one member to sit onWest Sussex County Council. The village also falls underWest Wittering electoral ward which returns two members to sit onChichester District Council. It is a part of theChichester constituency, which has been a safeConservative seat since 1924. This was the case until 2024 whenJess Brown-Fuller of theLiberal Democrats won the seat.
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