Goring-by-Sea Tourist Information

Goring-by-Sea is a small neighbourhood in the West Sussex Borough of Worthing. It has around 7.800 residents, a good number of whom have chosen to retire to this attractive community.

Noteworthy highlights of Goring-by-Sea are the Highdown Saxon Fort, the Ilex Avenue and the geological Goring Gap, where the green open countryside actually runs down and meets the coast, which is unique in this area.

The area has some grand manor houses in the surrounding area which include Courtlands, Goring Hall and Field Place. Castle Goring is a well-known landmark and Grade II listed building. It is not really a castle as such, but it does have a very impressive Gothic facade and a crenellated tower.

Present Day Goring-by-Sea

Goring-by-Sea has a yacht club, a row of beach huts and a couple of beachfront cafés. In the town centre it has a selection of local shops which serve Goring's local community and visitors and is an extension of the shops at Worthing, two miles away. There are also a good selection of cafés, restaurants and pubs for dining out.

Unlike other south coast resorts, Goring-by-Sea has resisted installing amusement arcades and candy-floss stalls and remains very clean and well-kept.

Goring-by-Sea has two churches of note. The Parish church originates from around 1100 AD and was rebuilt by Decimus Burton in 1837. The local Catholic Church has a remarkable painting by Gary Bevans. It is a reproduction of the famous Last Judgement, painted by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City.

The sloping beach, like others along this coastline, is a mixture of sand and pebbles. There is a public boat ramp and is popular for watersports particularly kitesurfing. The grassy area above the sea wall is ideal for ball games, picnics and family barbecues.

Things to do in Goring-by-Sea

The blue flag waters and clean beaches offer traditional family holidays at Goring-by-Sea along with the nearby resorts of Brighton, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton. Fishing, windsurfing, surf boarding, kitesurfing and a host of other watersports are all enjoyed in the area.

Summer festivals are popular around Goring-by-Sea and include the local Bowls Festival and the well-attended Chichester Show. For local theatres, Brighton and Worthing both have a lively summer programme.

Goring-by-Sea has a local railway station which makes it easy to reach Brighton to the east and Portsmouth to the west, where you can visit Portsmouth Historic Naval Dockyard.

Those who enjoy a day at the races will find Goodwood, Fontwell Park and Brighton race courses are all within easy reach of Goring-by-Sea. Golf courses are also plentiful in the area.

Walkers will enjoy the rolling hills and scenery of the South Downs Way.

For claims to fame, locals believe the Lord Goring character in Oscar Wilde's play An Ideal Husband was inspired by the name of the village. Pop star Billy idol lived in Goring-on-Sea for a while and Peter Townshend (The Who) recorded the beach sound for his album Quadrophenia right here on Goring beach.