River Arun

The River Arun winds for 60 kilometres through West Sussex, rising in the wooded Weald near St Leonard’s Forest. It flows west past Horsham, turns south through a gap in the South Downs, and reaches the sea at Littlehampton. The river is one of the fastest in England and remains tidal as far as Pallingham Quay, 41 kilometres upstream. Its main tributary, the western River Rother, joins near Pulborough. The Arun gives its name to the local government district and has shaped the towns along its banks. The river’s history stretches back to Roman times, when it was called the Trisantonis, meaning ‘the trespasser’ for its habit of flooding nearby land. By the Middle Ages it was known as the river of Arundel or the great river of Arundel. In the 16th century Henry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel, improved navigation as far as Pallingham Quay without charging tolls. Later acts of Parliament in the 18th century widened the channel and built locks to allow barges of up to 30 tons to reach Newbridge. Visitors can follow the river’s course through gentle countryside and market towns. Above Arundel the waterway passes under Hardham Tunnel and beside flood locks near Pulborough. Below Arundel, the estuary at Littlehampton offers views of the sea and downs. Along the banks lie wharves and old warehouses that recall the river’s days as a busy trade route. The Wey and Arun Canal, now being restored, once linked the Arun to London and Portsmouth.