Southwick Ship Canal

Shoreham, Southwick, and Portslade are located side by side on the West Sussex coast. The River Adur flows from the north, and turns to the east near Shoreham, to reach the English Channel. The area has a long history as a centre for shipping. In Roman times, there were ports at Old Shoreham and Beeding on the lower reaches of the River Adur, and a road from London to the port passed through Portus Ladus ("the way to the port"), eventually giving rise to the name Portslade. It was thought that the Roman fort Portus Adurni was located near the mouth of the river, but Portus Adurni is now usually linked with Porchester. Southwick is a Saxon name, and was given to the town by Saxons who landed…