St Botolph's Church, Botolphs
Encyclopedia
The Grade I listed Saxon church of St Botolph's at Botolphs
, West Sussex
, England, is situated in the valley of the River Adur
and is now part of the Church of England parish of Beeding
and Bramber
with Botolphs. An earlier dedication to St Peter de Vetere Ponte (St Peter of the Old Bridge) is now lost, like the bridge over the Adur from which it took this ancient name. The church serves the mostly depopulated
hamlet
of Botolphs in the Horsham
district of West Sussex
. The church has fragments of medieval wall paintings
. Architectural historian Ian Nairn
comments that the Jacobean
pulpit is "notable in a county which is poor in 17th century fittings".
as one of several long, narrow divisions of land on the southern slopes of the South Downs
near the River Adur, which reached the English Channel
at the port of Shoreham
. Like neighbouring Beeding and Bramber, Botolphs' territory stretched for about 2 miles (3.2 km) from west to east. At the time of the Domesday survey
in 1086, the manor
of Hanyngedune was known; it was first named in 956, when King Eadwig gave it away, and the area it covered was identical to the later parish of Botolphs.
The lie of the land meant that two settlements developed separately in the parish: there were two areas of high ground rising from a flood-prone alluvial plain
. Some flint cottages were built around Annington manor house
and its farm, and a few others were clustered around the church. The latter settlement was known as Old Bridge before acquiring the name Botolphs, and both the name and archaeological evidence (in the form of Roman-era masonry found in the fields) suggest that the church was built near the site of the now vanished bridge over the river.
The Domesday survey mentioned a church at Annington as well as the manor house, and architectural evidence suggests that St Botolph's Church is of Saxon origin—confirming that only one church served the parish, rather than each settlement having its own place of worship as was once believed. The dedication to St Botolph is thought to be original; but around the time of the Norman conquest
the church was officially rededicated to St Peter de Vetere Ponte (meaning St Peter of the Old Bridge). In 1254, the dedication to St Botolph reappeared in print, and the two names were used interchangeably for a period as use of the old name was maintained by locals. By the 15th century, the newer dedication to St Peter fell out of use. Another historic dedication, to St Mary, has also been suggested. The existence of another St Peter's Church at nearby Beeding
has been suggested as a reason for the dedication reverting to St Botolph.
The river Adur was originally navigable as far as Bramber; but the sea began to recede in about 1350, and the river silted up, after which the bridge at Botolphs fell into disuse and the village population declined
. The crossing point had apparently been in use for about 1,000 years (as suggested by the Roman rubble found nearby), and when it was lost the village could no longer thrive. In 1526 Botolphs was incorporated into Bramber parish. Structurally, the church expanded and contracted over the centuries in line with the changing population. In its original form, it was an aisleless building with nave
and chancel
. In the 13th century, a tower was added; and in about 1250 an aisle was added to the north side, separated from the nave by an arcade of three bays
. The chancel was altered and new windows were inserted in the 14th century. The tower was equipped with a peal of three bells in 1536. The aisle, which apparently housed a shrine to St Botolph, St Peter and Mary, became dilapidated by the late 18th century as the population fell; it had been demolished by 1830, leaving the three blank arches of the arcade on the north wall.
A timber-framed
vicarage existed by 1615. It may date from the 14th century, and the building still stands next to the church—albeit with structural alteration. It was listed at Grade II by English Heritage on 9 May 1980.
were both a short distance away on the other side of the river (both have ceased operating). Writing in 1932, one historian noted that interest in the church and its similarly isolated neighbour
at Coombes
had been reinvigorated by the building of a new road along the river between Steyning
and the coast, which encouraged visitors to come to the "little lost Down[ land]
churches". The church was less well regarded in the Victorian era
: one 19th-century writer dismissed it as "small and uninteresting". Ian Nairn
considered it "simple and mellow", while others have praised the "clean lines [and] perfect setting" of the "small, attractive church".
The nave and chancel are Saxon, but their date is unknown. The nave has long and narrow Saxon proportions of about 55 in 6 in (16.92 m) long by 17 in 6 in (5.33 m) wide by the interior measure. At the west end of the south wall is an original round-headed Saxon window. The south doorway is 17th century, with a modern porch. The chancel is about 16 feet (4.9 m) long and 10 feet (3 m) wide on the interior. The chancel arch is of one order with the late Saxon feature of a soffit roll.
The three-bay north aisle added in about 1250 had a three-arched arcade. By the early 19th century the arches were filled in and the aisle was demolished—evidence of the declining population and importance of Botolphs, which had become a shrunken medieval settlement
with only a few surviving houses. The remains of the pointed arches are a prominent feature of the north wall.
Traces of the wall paintings were recorded in 1897. When examined in about 1932 they were thought to be from a "Doom" scheme of painting, including depictions of St John and the Virgin Mary with a bishop. However only a few indistinct patches are visible today.
The pulpit "almost certainly dates from 1630” and was formerly painted blue. It is covered with incised abstract patterns.
One of the three 1536 bells commemorates the old dedication to St Peter with the inscription “Sancte Petre ora pro nobis”.
A modern Tapsel gate
dating from 2003 links the churchyard to an adjacent civil burial ground, operated jointly by the three civil parish councils of Bramber, Upper Beeding, and Steyning. The Rector of Botolphs sits (ex officio) on the Joint Parishes Burial Board, and an annual memorial service for the council burial ground in held in the church. The tapsel gate was funded by the joint parish councils to facilitate the use of the church by visitors to the burial ground. It was officially opened and dedicated early in 2004 by the Bishop of Horsham
.
on 15 March 1955. Such buildings are defined as being of "exceptional interest" and greater than national importance. As of February 2001, it was one of 38 Grade I listed buildings, and 1,726 listed buildings of all grades, in the district of Horsham.
The advowson
(the right to appoint clergy) has been held by the Bishop of Chichester
since 1953, along with that of St Nicholas' Church at Bramber with which it has been united since 1526, and St Peter's Church in Beeding with which it has been united since 1987. The three churches now form a single ecclesiastical parish, with one Parochial Church Council
. The advowson had originally been held by Sele Priory
at nearby Beeding; this was linked to the Abbey Church of St Florent at Saumur
in Normandy
, to which the church belonged at the time of the Domesday survey. Most of the priory's holdings, including the advowson, were transferred to Magdalen College
at the University of Oxford
in the late 15th century, and except for a few years from 1475 this institution nominated the rector
until 1953, when the right of presentation was voluntarily surrendered to the Bishop of Chichester.
One Sunday service is held each month, on the evening of the first Sunday. Other services are held at the other two churches in the parish—at Bramber and Upper Beeding. The joint parish, which serves about 5,000 people in the three villages and the surrounding rural area, was officially created in 1987 from the merger of Bramber-cum-Botolphs and Beeding parishes. Births, marriages and deaths in the parish since 1601 are recorded in the parish registers.
Botolphs
Botolphs, formerly called Annington, is a tiny village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is in the Adur Valley southeast of Steyning on the road between Steyning and Coombes...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, England, is situated in the valley of the River Adur
River Adur
The Adur is a river in Sussex, England; it gives its name to the Adur district of West Sussex. The river was formerly navigable for large vessels up as far as Steyning, where there was a large port, but over time the river valley became silted up and the port moved down to the deeper waters nearer...
and is now part of the Church of England parish of Beeding
Upper Beeding
Upper Beeding is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the northern end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea and has a land area of 1877 hectares...
and Bramber
Bramber
Bramber is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located on the northern edge of the South Downs and on the west side of the River Adur. Nearby are the communities of Steyning to the west and Upper Beeding to the east, and the other side of the river....
with Botolphs. An earlier dedication to St Peter de Vetere Ponte (St Peter of the Old Bridge) is now lost, like the bridge over the Adur from which it took this ancient name. The church serves the mostly depopulated
Deserted medieval village
In the United Kingdom, a deserted medieval village is a former settlement which was abandoned during the Middle Ages, typically leaving no trace apart from earthworks or cropmarks. If there are fewer than three inhabited houses the convention is to regard the site as deserted; if there are more...
hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Botolphs in the Horsham
Horsham (district)
Horsham is a local government district in West Sussex, England. Its council is based in Horsham. The district borders those of Crawley, Mid Sussex, Mole Valley, Chichester, Arun and Adur....
district of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. The church has fragments of medieval wall paintings
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
. Architectural historian Ian Nairn
Ian Nairn
Ian Nairn was a British architectural critic and topographer.He had no formal architecture qualifications; he was a mathematics graduate and a Royal Air Force pilot...
comments that the Jacobean
Jacobean era
The Jacobean era refers to the period in English and Scottish history that coincides with the reign of King James VI of Scotland, who also inherited the crown of England in 1603 as James I...
pulpit is "notable in a county which is poor in 17th century fittings".
History
The parish of Botolphs came into existence in the Saxon eraAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
as one of several long, narrow divisions of land on the southern slopes of the South Downs
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
near the River Adur, which reached the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
at the port of Shoreham
Shoreham-by-Sea
Shoreham-by-Sea is a small town, port and seaside resort in West Sussex, England. Shoreham-by-Sea railway station is located less than a mile from the town centre and London Gatwick Airport is away...
. Like neighbouring Beeding and Bramber, Botolphs' territory stretched for about 2 miles (3.2 km) from west to east. At the time of the Domesday survey
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
in 1086, the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Hanyngedune was known; it was first named in 956, when King Eadwig gave it away, and the area it covered was identical to the later parish of Botolphs.
The lie of the land meant that two settlements developed separately in the parish: there were two areas of high ground rising from a flood-prone alluvial plain
Alluvial plain
An alluvial plain is a relatively flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms...
. Some flint cottages were built around Annington manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
and its farm, and a few others were clustered around the church. The latter settlement was known as Old Bridge before acquiring the name Botolphs, and both the name and archaeological evidence (in the form of Roman-era masonry found in the fields) suggest that the church was built near the site of the now vanished bridge over the river.
The Domesday survey mentioned a church at Annington as well as the manor house, and architectural evidence suggests that St Botolph's Church is of Saxon origin—confirming that only one church served the parish, rather than each settlement having its own place of worship as was once believed. The dedication to St Botolph is thought to be original; but around the time of the Norman conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
the church was officially rededicated to St Peter de Vetere Ponte (meaning St Peter of the Old Bridge). In 1254, the dedication to St Botolph reappeared in print, and the two names were used interchangeably for a period as use of the old name was maintained by locals. By the 15th century, the newer dedication to St Peter fell out of use. Another historic dedication, to St Mary, has also been suggested. The existence of another St Peter's Church at nearby Beeding
Upper Beeding
Upper Beeding is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the northern end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea and has a land area of 1877 hectares...
has been suggested as a reason for the dedication reverting to St Botolph.
The river Adur was originally navigable as far as Bramber; but the sea began to recede in about 1350, and the river silted up, after which the bridge at Botolphs fell into disuse and the village population declined
Deserted medieval village
In the United Kingdom, a deserted medieval village is a former settlement which was abandoned during the Middle Ages, typically leaving no trace apart from earthworks or cropmarks. If there are fewer than three inhabited houses the convention is to regard the site as deserted; if there are more...
. The crossing point had apparently been in use for about 1,000 years (as suggested by the Roman rubble found nearby), and when it was lost the village could no longer thrive. In 1526 Botolphs was incorporated into Bramber parish. Structurally, the church expanded and contracted over the centuries in line with the changing population. In its original form, it was an aisleless building with nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. In the 13th century, a tower was added; and in about 1250 an aisle was added to the north side, separated from the nave by an arcade of three bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
. The chancel was altered and new windows were inserted in the 14th century. The tower was equipped with a peal of three bells in 1536. The aisle, which apparently housed a shrine to St Botolph, St Peter and Mary, became dilapidated by the late 18th century as the population fell; it had been demolished by 1830, leaving the three blank arches of the arcade on the north wall.
A timber-framed
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
vicarage existed by 1615. It may date from the 14th century, and the building still stands next to the church—albeit with structural alteration. It was listed at Grade II by English Heritage on 9 May 1980.
Architecture, fittings and setting
St Botolph's Church is in "a peaceful spot" next to the River Arun, although the former Beeding Cement Works and the Shoreham–Horsham railway lineSteyning Line
The Steyning Line was a railway line that connected the West Sussex market town of Horsham with the once bustling south-coast port of Shoreham-by-Sea, with the possibility of an onward connection to Brighton...
were both a short distance away on the other side of the river (both have ceased operating). Writing in 1932, one historian noted that interest in the church and its similarly isolated neighbour
Coombes Church
Coombes Church is a Church of England parish church in the rural hamlet of Coombes in the Adur District of West Sussex, England. It has served the rural parish, northwest of Shoreham-by-Sea and next to the River Adur, since the 11th century. Despite several rebuildings, some structural elements...
at Coombes
Coombes
Coombes is a hamlet and civil parish in the Adur District of West Sussex, England. The village is in the Adur Valley northwest of Shoreham-by-Sea....
had been reinvigorated by the building of a new road along the river between Steyning
Steyning
Steyning is a small town and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the north end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea...
and the coast, which encouraged visitors to come to the "little lost Down
South Downs
The South Downs is a range of chalk hills that extends for about across the south-eastern coastal counties of England from the Itchen Valley of Hampshire in the west to Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the east. It is bounded on its northern side by a steep escarpment, from whose...
churches". The church was less well regarded in the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
: one 19th-century writer dismissed it as "small and uninteresting". Ian Nairn
Ian Nairn
Ian Nairn was a British architectural critic and topographer.He had no formal architecture qualifications; he was a mathematics graduate and a Royal Air Force pilot...
considered it "simple and mellow", while others have praised the "clean lines [and] perfect setting" of the "small, attractive church".
The nave and chancel are Saxon, but their date is unknown. The nave has long and narrow Saxon proportions of about 55 in 6 in (16.92 m) long by 17 in 6 in (5.33 m) wide by the interior measure. At the west end of the south wall is an original round-headed Saxon window. The south doorway is 17th century, with a modern porch. The chancel is about 16 feet (4.9 m) long and 10 feet (3 m) wide on the interior. The chancel arch is of one order with the late Saxon feature of a soffit roll.
The three-bay north aisle added in about 1250 had a three-arched arcade. By the early 19th century the arches were filled in and the aisle was demolished—evidence of the declining population and importance of Botolphs, which had become a shrunken medieval settlement
Deserted medieval village
In the United Kingdom, a deserted medieval village is a former settlement which was abandoned during the Middle Ages, typically leaving no trace apart from earthworks or cropmarks. If there are fewer than three inhabited houses the convention is to regard the site as deserted; if there are more...
with only a few surviving houses. The remains of the pointed arches are a prominent feature of the north wall.
Traces of the wall paintings were recorded in 1897. When examined in about 1932 they were thought to be from a "Doom" scheme of painting, including depictions of St John and the Virgin Mary with a bishop. However only a few indistinct patches are visible today.
The pulpit "almost certainly dates from 1630” and was formerly painted blue. It is covered with incised abstract patterns.
One of the three 1536 bells commemorates the old dedication to St Peter with the inscription “Sancte Petre ora pro nobis”.
A modern Tapsel gate
Tapsel gate
A Tapsel gate is a type of wooden gate, unique to the English county of Sussex, which has a central pivot upon which it can rotate through 90° in either direction before coming to a stop at two fixed points. It was named after a Sussex family of bell-founders, one of whom invented it in the late...
dating from 2003 links the churchyard to an adjacent civil burial ground, operated jointly by the three civil parish councils of Bramber, Upper Beeding, and Steyning. The Rector of Botolphs sits (ex officio) on the Joint Parishes Burial Board, and an annual memorial service for the council burial ground in held in the church. The tapsel gate was funded by the joint parish councils to facilitate the use of the church by visitors to the burial ground. It was officially opened and dedicated early in 2004 by the Bishop of Horsham
Bishop of Horsham
The Bishop of Horsham is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester, in the Province of Canterbury, England...
.
The church today
The church was listed at Grade I by English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
on 15 March 1955. Such buildings are defined as being of "exceptional interest" and greater than national importance. As of February 2001, it was one of 38 Grade I listed buildings, and 1,726 listed buildings of all grades, in the district of Horsham.
The advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
(the right to appoint clergy) has been held by the Bishop of Chichester
Bishop of Chichester
The Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
since 1953, along with that of St Nicholas' Church at Bramber with which it has been united since 1526, and St Peter's Church in Beeding with which it has been united since 1987. The three churches now form a single ecclesiastical parish, with one Parochial Church Council
Parochial Church Council
The parochial church council , is the executive body of a Church of England parish.-Powers and duties:Two Acts of Parliament define the powers and duties of PCCs...
. The advowson had originally been held by Sele Priory
Sele Priory
Sele Priory was a medieval monastic house in West Sussex, England.It was a Benedictine Order priory founded before 1126 and was dedicated to St Peter...
at nearby Beeding; this was linked to the Abbey Church of St Florent at Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, to which the church belonged at the time of the Domesday survey. Most of the priory's holdings, including the advowson, were transferred to Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in the late 15th century, and except for a few years from 1475 this institution nominated the rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
until 1953, when the right of presentation was voluntarily surrendered to the Bishop of Chichester.
One Sunday service is held each month, on the evening of the first Sunday. Other services are held at the other two churches in the parish—at Bramber and Upper Beeding. The joint parish, which serves about 5,000 people in the three villages and the surrounding rural area, was officially created in 1987 from the merger of Bramber-cum-Botolphs and Beeding parishes. Births, marriages and deaths in the parish since 1601 are recorded in the parish registers.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in West Sussex
- List of places of worship in Horsham (district)
- Anglo-Saxon architectureAnglo-Saxon architectureAnglo-Saxon architecture was a period in the history of architecture in England, and parts of Wales, from the mid-5th century until the Norman Conquest of 1066. Anglo-Saxon secular buildings in Britain were generally simple, constructed mainly using timber with thatch for roofing...