Fishbourne

Village west of Chichester renowned for its Roman Palace, with a mix of period cottages and modern housing, close to Chichester Harbour and the A259 coast road.

Fishbourne is a village immediately to the west of Chichester, separated from the city by the A27 bypass but functionally closely connected to it. The village is best known for Fishbourne Roman Palace, one of the most significant Roman buildings discovered in Britain. The palace was built around 75 AD, probably for the client king Tiberius Claudius Togidubnus, and its mosaic floors, formal gardens and sheer scale make it a major archaeological attraction. The palace site is managed by the Sussex Archaeological Society, and the museum and remains draw visitors from across the country. Beyond the Roman Palace, Fishbourne is a village of mixed character. The older core around the church of St Peter and St Mary includes period houses and cottages. The A259 (Fishbourne Road) runs through the village, connecting Chichester to Bosham, Emsworth and the western harbour villages. There has been considerable modern residential development, with estates built from the 1960s onwards expanding the village significantly. Fishbourne has its own primary school, a village hall, and a pub, the Bull's Head. The railway line runs through the village, and Fishbourne has a level crossing that causes delays on the road during peak periods. Chichester Harbour lies to the south, accessible via footpaths from the village. The harbour's mudflats and saltmarshes, designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, provide important bird habitat and striking landscape. Fishbourne Channel, the main navigable route into the harbour, runs past the southern edge of the parish. The village functions partly as a satellite of Chichester and partly as a community in its own right. Many residents commute into the city or to the railway station, but the village retains a sense of local identity supported by the school, church and community activities.