Worthing is a seaside town on the West Sussex coast, and the main town of the borough of Worthing. It's a relaxed, family-friendly place with a long pebble beach, a Victorian pier, a good mix of independent shops and familiar high street names, and one of the sunniest climates anywhere in England — which is exactly why this site exists: to bring together everything worth knowing about the town in one place.
From fishing hamlet to seaside resort
Worthing's story goes back a long way. It's recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a small fishing and farming hamlet within the parish of Broadwater, and it stayed that way for centuries. Everything changed in 1798, when Princess Amelia, daughter of King George III, came to stay for the sake of her health — her visit put Worthing on the map, and by 1803 the growing town had been granted its own status separate from Broadwater. Worthing Pier followed in 1862, rebuilt in its present form in 1889, and still anchors the seafront today.
Seafront, parks and things to do
The pier and the promenade running either side of it are still the heart of the town, with Beach House Park and Steyne Gardens giving plenty of green space close to the sea. Montague Street and the Guildbourne Centre form the main shopping area, while Worthing Museum & Art Gallery, the Connaught Theatre and the Pavilion Theatre out on the pier cover art, history and live entertainment throughout the year.
Getting to and around Worthing
Worthing sits on the south coast around 48 miles from London, with a direct rail service to London Victoria taking around 1 hour 25 minutes, and a service to Brighton in around 23 minutes. The A24 connects the town north towards Horsham and Dorking, while the A27 and coastal A259 link along the coast towards Brighton, Chichester and beyond — useful for commuters and day-trippers, while Worthing keeps a proper seaside-town feel of its own.
Whether you're moving to the area, visiting, or you've lived here for years, this site is built to help - browse the menus for the business directory, local schools, restaurants, parks, weather, and much more covering Worthing, Broadwater, Tarring, Goring-by-Sea and Durrington.