Adur Estuary

The River Adur derives its name from the Celtic word ‘Dwyr’, meaning ‘water’. The river has been an important trade route since Roman times.

The Adur District gets its name from the River Adur which divides it roughly in half; with Shoreham-by-Sea, Southwick and Fishersgate to the east; and Lancing and Sompting and Coombes to the west.

During the 1700s and 1800s various new harbour entrances for the river were cut through the shingle, but all silted up again until the present river mouth at Kingston became permanent.

Today, Shoreham is still an important south coast port administered by Shoreham Port Authority. Principal cargoes include timber, refined oil and gravel dredged from the sea.

Two main separate arms form the River Adur:

• the Western Adur: Rising near Slinfold, the Western Adur flows through Shipley and West Grinstead
  and
• the Eastern Adur: Rises on Ditchling Common and flows north and west passing between Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill

Both arms then join near Henfield and flow south across the Henfield Levels, an area of unspoiled wetlands which draw dragonflies, damselflies and overwintering wetland birds.

Its final tidal route to the sea runs through the Shoreham Gap Valley, which is designated as an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).