The nearest railway station is 3.3 miles (5.3 km) south east of the village, at Amberley. The area of the parish is 471 hectares (1,160 acres). According to the 2001 census Bignor had a population of 103 people living in 43 households.
The village is next to the line of Stane Street, an important Roman road, where it ascends the escarpment of the South Downs. The modern track from the village to the hill top climbs steeply up to and then roughly follows the Roman route, but before the car park at the top Stane Street can be seen as a wide flat terraceway below the modern track.
The Anglican parish church of the Holy Cross is a largely 13th century structure, but it is mentioned in the domesday book with the chancel arch and font surviving from the 11th century. It is one of a benefice of five downland churches (Barlavington, Bignor, Burton, Coates and Sutton).[2]
Historic houses in the village include the Yeoman's House, a ca. 15th century oak-framed hall house of the "wealden" type. Formerly known as the Old Shop the house has a recessed centre section with curved brackets supporting the eaves, while the first floor of the wings projects. There is some brick infill in the centre section with the rest of the walls having a mix of plaster and flint infill.[3]
Within the parish are the excavations of a large Roman villa which has been open to the public since 1814. The villa contains some of the finest and best preserved Roman mosaics in England.
Bignor Manor HouseEdit
The Manor House
During World War II, Bignor Manor House was the rented family home of Major Anthony Bertram who was working for military intelligence with French resistance agents. He volunteered to use the manor house as a secret forward base for members of the resistance who were waiting to be flown by light aircraft to France on moonlit nights from RAF Tangmere air base.
His wife Barbara looked after the agents and carried out final checks on clothing and equipment to ensure that everything they had was consistent with being French. Agents returning from France would also be taken there for food, rest and initial debriefing.[4]
ReferencesEdit
^ ab(PDF). West Sussex County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
^Description by the Open Churches Trust 2008-06-18 at the Wayback Machine
^Barbara Bertram, French Resistance in Sussex 1988, Barnworks Publishing ISBN1-899174-01-X
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bignor, West Sussex.
Official Website for Bignor Roman Villa (Under construction - 15/03/07)
Manor house Bertram oral history
August 29, 2023
bignor, village, civil, parish, chichester, district, english, county, west, sussex, about, miles, north, arundel, civil, parish, pulborough, yeoman, houselocation, within, west, sussexarea4, population103, 2001, census, density22, grid, referencesu984146, lon. Bignor is a village and civil parish in the Chichester district of the English county of West Sussex about six miles 9 7 km north of Arundel It is in the civil parish of Pulborough BignorThe Yeoman s HouseBignorLocation within West SussexArea4 71 km2 1 82 sq mi 1 Population103 1 2001 Census Density22 km2 57 sq mi OS grid referenceSU984146 London43 miles 69 km NNECivil parishBignorDistrictChichesterShire countyWest SussexRegionSouth EastCountryEnglandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townPULBOROUGHPostcode districtRH20Dialling code01798PoliceSussexFireWest SussexAmbulanceSouth East CoastUK ParliamentArundel and South DownsList of places UK England West Sussex 50 55 23 N 0 36 05 W 50 92293 N 0 6013 W 50 92293 0 6013The nearest railway station is 3 3 miles 5 3 km south east of the village at Amberley The area of the parish is 471 hectares 1 160 acres According to the 2001 census Bignor had a population of 103 people living in 43 households The village is next to the line of Stane Street an important Roman road where it ascends the escarpment of the South Downs The modern track from the village to the hill top climbs steeply up to and then roughly follows the Roman route but before the car park at the top Stane Street can be seen as a wide flat terraceway below the modern track Contents 1 Landmarks 1 1 Roman villa 1 2 Bignor Manor House 2 References 3 External linksLandmarks Edit Church of the Holy CrossThe Anglican parish church of the Holy Cross is a largely 13th century structure but it is mentioned in the domesday book with the chancel arch and font surviving from the 11th century It is one of a benefice of five downland churches Barlavington Bignor Burton Coates and Sutton 2 Historic houses in the village include the Yeoman s House a ca 15th century oak framed hall house of the wealden type Formerly known as the Old Shop the house has a recessed centre section with curved brackets supporting the eaves while the first floor of the wings projects There is some brick infill in the centre section with the rest of the walls having a mix of plaster and flint infill 3 Roman villa Edit Main article Bignor Roman Villa Within the parish are the excavations of a large Roman villa which has been open to the public since 1814 The villa contains some of the finest and best preserved Roman mosaics in England Bignor Manor House Edit The Manor HouseDuring World War II Bignor Manor House was the rented family home of Major Anthony Bertram who was working for military intelligence with French resistance agents He volunteered to use the manor house as a secret forward base for members of the resistance who were waiting to be flown by light aircraft to France on moonlit nights from RAF Tangmere air base His wife Barbara looked after the agents and carried out final checks on clothing and equipment to ensure that everything they had was consistent with being French Agents returning from France would also be taken there for food rest and initial debriefing 4 References Edit a b 2001 Census West Sussex Population by Parish PDF West Sussex County Council Archived from the original PDF on 8 June 2011 Retrieved 12 April 2009 Description by the Open Churches Trust Archived 2008 06 18 at the Wayback Machine English Heritage national monuments record Barbara Bertram French Resistance in Sussex 1988 Barnworks Publishing ISBN 1 899174 01 XExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bignor West Sussex Official Website for Bignor Roman Villa Under construction 15 03 07 Holy Cross Church Manor house Bertram oral history Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bignor amp oldid 1153950444, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
