A couple of years ago I went down to Aldwick, near Bognor Regis for the summer to house-sit a relative’s house. I ended up being stranded there due to a lengthy train strike. Robert Smith of the Cure is probably the only famous local resident. The owner of one of the local shops told me where he lived, and I went along to see it once out of curiosity. The house was dull and expensive looking, but the beach it stands next to was much more Robert Smith like, with windswept shingle like Dungeness and rare sea cabbages. I like to imagine he really lives in a burrow under the kale. I never bothered to look at Robert Smith’s house again, but I made many trips to the beach because I liked it so much. I was usually the only person there.
I’ve just written a zine about that whole time, that you can order here.
Bleakness and sea kale
Cabbage closeups
To get to Aldwick Bay from the main beach you can either walk through the expensive and bland gated estate, or you can clamber over these rocks. If the tide is out, climbing is more fun.
Hi, my name is jarek, live in Bognor since 2005, the rocks which You mentioned are with altogether beach from Dark Lane is my Andalusia!!!!
My son was 2 months old first time being there and two days ago we spent some nice time celebrating His 15th Birthday…
I am huge lover of The Cure, I do not know personally These Great Musicians (I would love to meet Them and having nice talk with Them) and I told my son that Mr Robert Smith lives somewhere here and is making me “flying” as not everything and everybody in Bognor area is crab. I used to rent in Old Place in Aldwick and was walking all area several times including Estate Aldwick but never met Robert Smith and no idea which house it is, I knoe where the “cabbages” are on the beach so believe somewhere near….
Thank You for nice article and so nice pictures.
Keep well#jarek