The parish has a land area of 797 hectares (1968 acres). In the 2001 census 357 people lived in 87 households, of whom 129 were economically active. It includes the settlement of Upper Norwood.
The parish is dominated by Seaford College, a private school which owns 400 acres (1.6 km2). The main school building, previously Lavington Park country house, is a Grade II* listed building.[5] St Peter's parish church, also Grade II* listed, has become the school chapel.
In July 1553, John Fowler, a courtier of Edward VI, was made Keeper of the Great Park of Petworth or "Woolavington" in Sussex.[6] Mary I appointed another courtier, William Goring, as keeper. An Elizabethan manor house was built by Giles Garton, at "Woolavington" in 1587. The old house at Lavington Park is long demolished, but the 1587 building contract described how the chimneys, windows, and corner quoins should be made "verie artyficiallie and conninglie".[7]