Little Bealings

Introduction

Set beside the river Fynn and site of an early Anglo-Saxon settlement, Little Bealings was recorded in Domesday as "Parva (sometimes Parvo) Belinges" and is shown on John Speed's 1610 map as "Bealing par".

The village sign is unusual in that it stands at the boundary with Great Bealings and has that village's sign on the other side.

A Bronze Age urnfield burial and Iron Age farm site provide evidence for earlier occupation of the area.

Quarrying on Playford Heath in 1957 revealed signs of occupation in the late Bronze Age as well as signs of Anglo-Saxon huts. In 1987, work at Little Bealings Quarry revealed Iron Age pits as well as signs of a 1st-3rd century Romano-British occupation. A Mesolithic stone-working site has also been found at Sinks Pit. In 1934, a hoard of about 500 Roman coins was found in a sandpit near the church.

Bealings Station opened in June 1859 and closed in September 1956. The station building still stands (see the gallery).

Gallery

Acknowledgements

Some historical information from English Heritage's National Monuments Record.