Pagham Timeline
Key events from 16 October 1987 to present
Discover the key moments that shaped Pagham. Explore the events that define our community.
16 October 1987
The Great Storm Hits Pagham
The Great Storm of October 1987 caused significant damage across the south coast, and Pagham was not spared. Hurricane-force winds battered the villag...
c. 680 AD
Saxon Pagham and the Selsey Bishops
Pagham was part of the lands granted to St Wilfrid and the early bishops of Selsey in the late seventh century. The Saxon settlement grew on the low-l...
1086
Pagham in the Domesday Book
The Domesday Book of 1086 recorded Pagham as a substantial manor held by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The entry lists extensive arable land, meadow, ...
c. 1170-1200
Church Dedicated to St Thomas a Becket
Following the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, Pagham's parish church was dedicated to the martyred saint. The conn...
c. 1250
The Archbishop's Palace at Pagham
The Archbishops of Canterbury maintained a manor house or palace at Pagham during the medieval period, used as a country residence and an administrati...
1400-1600
Pagham Harbour as a Working Port
During the medieval and early modern periods, Pagham Harbour functioned as a small working port. The broad tidal inlet provided anchorage for fishing ...
1876
Pagham Harbour Reclaimed for Farmland
In 1876, a sea wall was built across the mouth of Pagham Harbour in an attempt to reclaim the tidal inlet for agricultural use. The scheme was driven ...
1910
The Sea Breaches the Harbour Wall
A severe storm in 1910 breached the sea wall that had enclosed Pagham Harbour since 1876. The sea rushed back into the former harbour, flooding the re...
1920s-1930s
Pagham Beach Developed for Housing
During the 1920s and 1930s, plots along the Pagham shoreline were sold for development, and a scattering of bungalows and holiday homes appeared along...
1940-1944
Wartime Coastal Defences at Pagham
During the Second World War, Pagham's coastline was fortified against the threat of German invasion. Concrete pillboxes, anti-tank obstacles and barbe...
1964
Pagham Harbour Designated a Nature Reserve
In 1964, Pagham Harbour was formally designated as a Local Nature Reserve, recognising the ecological importance of the tidal habitat that had re-esta...
1975
Pagham Harbour Becomes a SSSI
Pagham Harbour was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1975, confirming its status as one of the most important coastal wetlands in so...
1996
RSPB Takes Over Harbour Management
The RSPB became involved in the management of Pagham Harbour nature reserve in the 1990s, bringing professional conservation expertise and national re...
2000s
Coastal Erosion Debate Intensifies
From the early 2000s, the debate over coastal erosion at Pagham Beach intensified as the shoreline continued to retreat. Properties along the seafront...
2013
Medmerry Managed Realignment Nearby
In 2013, the Environment Agency completed the Medmerry managed realignment scheme on the coast between Pagham and Selsey, creating a large area of new...
2015-2025
Housing Development on Pagham's Northern Edge
From 2015 onwards, planning applications for housing development on the northern fringe of Pagham generated significant local opposition. Proposals fo...