as extensive on the north side as on
the others, the grave digger's spade has left it either quite untouched
or the graves are few in number and mostly of recent date.

West Tarring was once a market town and several good specimens of
medieval and Tudor domestic architecture still exist. It was once a
"peculiar" of the Archbishops of Canterbury, and the remains of the
archiepiscopal palace may be seen in the school house on the east of
the church. In the rectory orchard close by is the "columbarium," or
all that is left of it. Becket is said to have occupied the palace. The
celebrated fig orchard is supposed to have been raised from slips
planted by him, though another story has it that the original planter
was St. Richard. The present orchard is of much interest and dates from
the year of the "forty-five," though it can well be believed that some
of the trees are older; the venerable patriarch in the centre is known
as "St. Thomas," but this is of course impossible. A most remarkable
occurrence takes place annually at the ripening of the fruit; a small
bird similar to, if not identical with the _Beccafico_ ("Figeater") of
Italy visits the orchards here and at Sompting, stays a few weeks and
then departs until the next season; it is seen in no other part of
England.

CHAPTER VI

ARUNDEL AND THE ARUN

There is a choice of roads between Worthing and Arundel: that which
keeps to the low lands has been partly traversed in the journey to West
Ferring.

About two miles east of this village, and close to Angmering station,
are the twin villages of East and West Preston; the former has a Norman
and Transitional church with one of the four stone spires in Sussex. At
Rustington, a mile farther, is a more interesting Early English church
with a Transitional tower. Note the ancient sculpture in the north
transept, also the squint and rood-loft steps. This village is but a
short distance from Littlehampton, which may be approached by the shore
road.

The country about here seen from the flats appears to be thickly
wooded, an effect that is produced by the screen of tall trees in every
hedgerow, untouched until time levels them, in return for their
protection of the growing crops from the searching sea winds which
sweep across the level fields to the Downs. Vegetation here has a
different aspect from that on the other side of the wall of hills. In
May and early June one may come from the tender green of the Washingto