Bosham, West Sussex: King Canute, King Harold & Things to Do

Bosham is a small village on a creek of Chichester Harbour, a few miles west of Chichester. Flint cottages, a Saxon church and a little quay sit at the water's edge, and at high tide the sea laps right up to the houses.

Why Bosham Is Special

Bosham is one of the most picturesque harbour villages on the south coast, a place of sailing boats, wading birds and wide reflections, especially at high tide on a calm day.

It is also a village steeped in history, with a church that appears in the Bayeux Tapestry and a legend that links it to King Canute.

The History of Bosham

A church was built here in 850, possibly on the site of a Roman building, and in the 10th century it was replaced by Holy Trinity Church, beside Bosham Quay, which still serves the village today.

Bosham was a manor of the Godwin family, and it was from here that Harold Godwinson, later King Harold II, set sail for Normandy in 1064. The Bayeux Tapestry shows him riding to Bosham and praying at its church before the voyage that led, in the end, to the Norman Conquest.

Bosham is also linked by tradition to King Canute. A daughter of Canute is said to have drowned in a nearby brook and been buried in the church; in 1865 a child's coffin was found in the nave, though there is little evidence that it was hers. Local legend also places here the famous story of Canute commanding the tide to turn back.

Things to Do in Bosham

Visit Holy Trinity church to see the chancel arch and the memorial to Canute's daughter, then walk along the quay and the shore road. Watch the tide come in, and do not leave your car on the shore road at high water: spring tides flood it.

Walk the shoreline paths around the harbour towards Bosham Hoe, or take the little foot ferry across the channel to Itchenor in season.

Gardens, Countryside & Antiques near Bosham

Chichester is a few miles east; see our guide to Chichester, and for the harbour itself, our guide to Chichester Harbour. West Dean Gardens and Kingley Vale are a short drive north.

For interiors, Neptune Chichester and Closs & Hamblin are in the city, and the South Downs National Park rises just inland.

Bosham Through the Seasons

Spring brings migrating birds and blossom to the cottage gardens. Summer is sailing season, with boats crowding the creek. In autumn and winter, flocks of brent geese and waders feed on the mudflats at low tide.

Getting to Bosham

The nearest railway station is Bosham, about a mile north of the village, on the line between Chichester and Portsmouth. There is a car park in the village.

Bosham: Questions & Answers

Does the road at Bosham flood?

Yes. At spring tides the sea floods the shore road and some parking spaces, so check the tide times and never leave your car there at high water.

Is Bosham in the Bayeux Tapestry?

Yes. The tapestry shows Harold riding to Bosham and praying at its church before sailing to Normandy in 1064.

Our Advice

Our advice: Check the tide tables, arrive an hour or so before high water, and walk the quay as the sea fills the creek.