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Fontwell - the spring (font) of a stream (one of the uses of well).

Fontwell lies in the fertile plain between the South Downs and the coast, 4 miles west of Arundel. The place name is first recorded in 1630, a house called Common Farm near the junction of the Chichester to Arundel road (now the A27) and West Walburton Lane was here in 1778.

In the 1840`s land was being offered for building around the road junction and towards Wandleys Lane (about a mile to the south) so that by the 1920`s & 30`s the settlement of Fontwell had been established.

In the late 18th century there was an alehouse Ball`s Hut, by the early C20th the Inn had become popular with cyclists and hikers, it was re-named The Fontwell in the early 1980`s but was demolished in 1992 after the A27 Fontwell bypass was built.

The shopping parade was built in 1939 and the roadside location also brought cafes and a petrol station. two small factories were established by 1957. The construction of the bypass in 1988 lead to a loss of business but by 1993 a new restaurant , motel and garage had been built.

The areas rich soil had always attracted market gardening - the first was recorded in 1851 and in the late C20th the award winning Denmans Gardens and Plant Centre was opened.

At the turn of the C20th the racehorse trainer Alfred day had his training gallops at Fontwell. In 1924 the gallops were developed into Fontwell Park Racecourse, built to a figure of eight design it is now the only National Hunt course laid out in such a manner; the first meeting was held on the 21st May 1924. The course is now one of the best small courses in the country and holds many different functions on non-race days.