Icklesham's historic roots can be traced back to 772, when it appeared as
Icoleshamme in a land charter signed by
Offa, King of
Mercia. Strategically located on the
River Brede, it was a prime target in the
Norman invasion of 1066 (some 700 years later, evacuation plans were prepared in case of an invasion by
Napoleon). The 12th Century church of All Saints & St. Nicholas was
restored by
architect Samuel Sanders Teulon in the late 1840s. The church was originally dedicated to All Saints in the Norman period but was changed by Henry VIII to St. Nicolas.
Nicholas is associated with protecting mariners, appropriate as Icklesham was still coastal at the time. ==Landmarks==