Anglo-Saxon Bucgan'ora
Bognor Regis, though significantly transformed into a seaside resort in later centuries, has roots stretching back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is notable for having one of the oldest recorded Saxon place names in Sussex.
In a document from AD 680, the area was referred to as Bucgan ora, meaning "Bucge's shore" or "landing place." Bucge is believed to have been a female Saxon name, indicating the importance of this coastal spot as a personal or community landing area.
For many centuries, Bognor remained a small fishing village and, at times, was associated with smuggling activities. Archaeological findings in the broader Bognor Regis area have revealed Anglo-Saxon sites, including four Saxon ring-ditches, three of which surrounded central graves with inhumation burials, one dated to AD 640-879.
The wider region of West Sussex was part of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Sussex, which had its own kings until it was annexed by Wessex, likely in 827 AD. While historical accounts suggest the Saxons settled in the area from the late 5th century, recent research indicates that the western part of Sussex might have retained an independent British Christian kingdom for centuries longer than previously thought, with the name of the last Sussex king, Æthelwealh, even suggesting a "noble Briton" rather than purely Saxon origin.
Therefore, in the Anglo-Saxon era, Bognor (as it was then known) was a small coastal settlement, likely a landing place, and formed part of the evolving Anglo-Saxon landscape of Sussex, which itself had a complex and contested history during this period.