🏠 William Blake
William Blake, the renowned English poet, painter, and printmaker, lived in a cottage in Felpham, a village just east of Bognor Regis, from 1800 to 1803. While he didn't reside directly in Bognor Regis, his time in Felpham is closely associated with the area.
During his three-year stay in Felpham, Blake was highly productive, beginning work on his epic poems "Milton" and "Jerusalem." It was in his Felpham cottage that he penned the famous lines "And did those feet in ancient time," which later became the hymn "Jerusalem." He expressed great delight in the village, finding it more spiritual than London and describing it as a "dwelling for immortals."
His time in Felpham was not without incident, however. He was famously involved in a dispute with a soldier at the local Fox Inn, which led to him being falsely accused of treason and put on trial in Chichester. Although he was cleared of the charges, the experience soured his view of Felpham, and he returned to London in 1803.
Blake's Cottage in Felpham is one of only two of his residences to survive and is now owned by the Blake Cottage Trust, which is working to restore it and open it as a visitor center. The cottage holds Grade II* listed status and is considered a significant part of English literary history. The connection between Blake and the area is celebrated through initiatives like the William Blake Trail and the annual Blakefest in Bognor Regis.
