Bognor Regis, West Susex, UK
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
King George V convalesced in Craigwell in 1929 and was supposed to have pronounced "Bugger Bognor" (interestingly it took more than 60 years for anyone obey this royal decree - the IRA responded in 1995)
Bognor's name is derived from a Saxon word Bucgan-Ora (pronounced Bugger Nora - perhaps the king was misquoted whilst he was instructing some servant in the history of the place). In 1275 it was recorded as Buggenore and in 1405 as Bogenor. The original saxon word means "place on the border of somewhere else". From early Saxon times Bognor had already been identified in terms of its proximity to somewhere more exciting.
Bognor was orginally home to "smugglers and persons of a lower order". In 1753 Dr Richard Russell published a book titled "A Dissertation on the Use of sea-water in the Diseases of the Glands". The fashionable upper and middle classes flocked to the south coast to bathe in the rejuvenating salt water. Sir Richard Hotham, a famous hatter, laid a foundation stone in 1787. His magnificant house and observatory is set in public gardens which house Britains definitive collection of Lathyrus (Sweet Peas). It is also a place for local young people to fornicate and play miniature golf.
Richard Hotham wanted to call the town "Hothampton" but was defeated by the local authority. This is a shame as the town is a top table performer in terms of sunshine hours and temperatures often reach 20 centigrade in summer (taking into account vicious windchill). Other famous visitors were Napolean III (just when you though it was safe) William Blake and Dante Gabriel Rosetti. The latter pair are both as wierd as 3 legged chickens.
Bognor's name is derived from a Saxon word Bucgan-Ora (pronounced Bugger Nora - perhaps the king was misquoted whilst he was instructing some servant in the history of the place). In 1275 it was recorded as Buggenore and in 1405 as Bogenor. The original saxon word means "place on the border of somewhere else". From early Saxon times Bognor had already been identified in terms of its proximity to somewhere more exciting.
Bognor was orginally home to "smugglers and persons of a lower order". In 1753 Dr Richard Russell published a book titled "A Dissertation on the Use of sea-water in the Diseases of the Glands". The fashionable upper and middle classes flocked to the south coast to bathe in the rejuvenating salt water. Sir Richard Hotham, a famous hatter, laid a foundation stone in 1787. His magnificant house and observatory is set in public gardens which house Britains definitive collection of Lathyrus (Sweet Peas). It is also a place for local young people to fornicate and play miniature golf.
Richard Hotham wanted to call the town "Hothampton" but was defeated by the local authority. This is a shame as the town is a top table performer in terms of sunshine hours and temperatures often reach 20 centigrade in summer (taking into account vicious windchill). Other famous visitors were Napolean III (just when you though it was safe) William Blake and Dante Gabriel Rosetti. The latter pair are both as wierd as 3 legged chickens.
