insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 06 - August 2015 | Page 70

TOWNSPOTLIGHT

S P O T L I G H T

O N

ARUNDEL

BY LISAMARIE LAMB

Arundel has it all – the history, the heritage, the culture, the
scenery, the traditions… but it also has a certain modern flair as well,
an ability to combine the past and the present into one iconic and
lovely town. Here you can find cobbled streets and ancient castles
co-existing wonderfully with glorious contemporary art galleries
and independent shops
History in Brief
By the time the Domesday Book was created in 1086, Arundel was
already a thriving market town and port. Its population at the time was
around 400, which made it large in terms of numbers and importance.
Arundel was known as Arundell until around 1733, when the modern
spelling was introduced. The name has experts arguing over the meaning,
but some posit the theory that it literally means ‘dell of the Arun’ (the Arun
being the river that runs through the town). Another idea is that it means
‘swallow’ in old Norman – there is a swallow on the town’s crest, and the
Norman name for the bird was ‘aronde’ (in modern day French this is
‘hirondelle’ which still has a familiar ring to it); and yet another supposes

that the name actually comes from the Old English word ‘aerndael’,
which means ‘dwelling dell’. With so many theories about where the
name Arundel comes from, it’s no wonder that the town itself has a mixed
heritage and a fascinating past.
By 1285, the thriving market in Arundel had become an annual fair, and
people travelled from miles around to visit, to buy, and to sell. More
buildings began to be erected, including Arundel’s first religious building
which was later destroyed and the church of St Nicholas built in its place
100 years later.

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