Conservation Area
Rustington contains a Conservation Area which extends from the south end of North Lane to The Lamb in The Street. Here, trees are protected, and there are the largest number of pre-1850 listed buildings in the post town, with The Street and surrounding roads containing some of the finest 17th and 18th century Sussex flint cottages in West Sussex, some of which are thatched.
Music, literature and the media
“Rustington” is a well-known hymn tune by Hubert Parry, who lived and died in Rustington. Rustington achieved national fame in 1956 with the launch of Flanders and Swann‘s show At the Drop of a Hat, in which “The Gnu Song” contains the lines: “I had taken furnished lodgings down at Rustington-on-Sea, Whence I travelled on to Ashton-Under-Lyne…”
Freedom of the Parish
Graham Tyler received the first Freedom of the Parish of Rustington – 5 October 2024.
Twin town
Künzell is a charming town located in the Hesse region of Germany. Known for its picturesque landscapes and rich cultural history, it offers a unique blend of traditional German architecture and modern amenities. The town is nestled in the heart of Germany, offering a serene and peaceful environment for its residents and visitors alike. Its location in the Hesse region makes it a significant part of Germany’s cultural and historical landscape.
Notable People
The following people were born, or lived, or worked or retired in Rustington:
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- Lindsay Anderson, Indian-born English film, theatre and documentary director, film critic, leading light of Free Cinema movement and British New Wave.
- J M Barrie, Scottish author and dramatist; friend of the Llewellyn Davies family who lived in Rustington and were the inspiration of his book Peter Pan.
- Eddie Blair, Scottish jazz trumpeter, died in Rustington.
- Delirious?, English Christian rock and worship band members lived in the village.
- Huw Edwards-Jones, cabinetmaker and five-time Guild Mark recipient, was born in Rustington.
- Agnes Garrett (with her cousin Rhoda Garrett opened the first interior design company in Britain to be run by women) had a house in Rustington. Agnes’s sister Millicent Garrett Fawcett (suffragist leader) also stayed there. Another sister, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (first woman to qualify as a doctor), also visited.
- Mary Christian Dundas Hamilton, poet, known for writing A Hymn for Aviators (1915). The music was composed by Sir Hubert Parry.
- Nigel Hitchcock, saxophonist
- Stanley Holloway, English actor, comedian, singer and monologist who lived next to the sea at East Preston.
- Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, landscape architect, garden designer, architect and author, raised in Rustington.
- Norman Newell, record producer and lyricist.
- Sir Hubert Parry, composer of hymn melodies, some becoming templates, including ‘”Rustington”. He lived in Sea Lane (from 1880-d.1918).
- Andrew Pearson, cricketer who played for Bedfordshire.
- Ed Petrie, British comedian, actor and television presenter. He was born and raised in the village.
- George Posford, English composer, most notably famed for “Good Night Vienna”
- Graham Sutherland, English artist
- Mitchell Symons, journalist and bestselling author. He has lived just outside the village since 1995.
- Ben Thatcher, drummer of the popular British rock duo Royal Blood.
- Brian White, cartoonist. He spent much of his later life in the village.
- Leslie Arthur Wilcox, marine artist. He lived in Cove Road from 1963 to 1982.
(source – Rustington – Wikipedia)