St John the Baptist's Church, Clayton
Encyclopedia
St John the Baptist's Church is the Church of England parish church
of the village of Clayton
in the district of Mid Sussex
, one of seven local government districts in the English
county of West Sussex
. The small and simple Saxon building is distinguished by its "remarkable" and extensive set of wall paintings
, dating from the early 12th century and rediscovered more than 700 years later. Much of the structural work of the church is 11th-century and has had little alteration. The church, which stands in the middle of a large churchyard and serves the hamlet
of Clayton at the foot of the South Downs
, is part of a joint parish with the neighbouring village of Keymer
—an arrangement which has existed for centuries. English Heritage
has listed the church at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance.
to Brighton
crossed an east–west track at the foot of the South Downs, existed at the time of the Domesday survey
in 1086, when it was called Claitune or Claitona. It was at the southern end of the parish of the same name, which covered 1414 acres (572.2 ha) of mostly rural land running north (and downhill) from the summit of the South Downs. The manor
of Clayton was held at that time by William de Watevile for William de Warenne
, who built the nearby Lewes Castle
. The church was in the possession of Lewes Priory
, which had been given it by de Warenne in 1093. The manor and church in the neighbouring parish of Keymer had the same ownership. The original dedication of St John the Baptist's Church was All Saints—a common dedication during the Saxon era.
The standard layout of Saxon churches was a tall nave without aisles linked to a smaller, square-ended (not apsidal
) chancel by a chancel arch. St John the Baptist's Church follows this form; and the nave and chancel arch, along with parts of the north and south chancel walls, survive from the 11th century. On the north side of the nave, fragmentary remains of a 12th-century porticus (a low side chapel, similar to a transept
) can be seen: on the inside, there is a blocked round-headed opening, while on the outside a roofline is visible. A similar porticus of the 13th century existed on the south side; its remnants can still be seen.
The entrance porch on the north wall was erected in the 15th century, but the heavy oak door dates from the Norman era. The entrance was originally on the south side; suggested reasons for its move include avoiding the prevailing wind, which blows off the hills straight into the south wall, or a change in the location of the nearby road in medieval times. The squat wooden belfry at the west end of the nave is also 15th-century, as are two of the three bells. The path leading to the porch is unusually made of "ripplestone"—Horsham sandstone
taken from a nearby riverbed.
The chancel was rebuilt in the 19th century, and a vestry
was added on the northwest side. Minor restoration work was carried out in the 20th century. A blocked window, discovered in the north wall of the chancel, was found be an original Saxon window. The former side-chapel on the north side was discovered during excavation work in 1918. The lychgate
at the entrance to the churchyard was built in the early 1920s and serves as Clayton's war memorial. A Falklands War
casualty is commemorated, and there is also a military grave
from that conflict in the churchyard. To commemorate the Millennium, new stained glass
was inserted in the west window of the nave; the design received considerable praise.
house in England and had close links to its mother priory at Cluny
in Burgundy, and the art techniques developed at Cluny from the mid-10th century were very influential. Murals from the same school—known as the Lewes Group—can also be seen at Coombes Church
near Shoreham-by-Sea
, St Botolph's Church
at Hardham
and St Michael and All Angels Church at Plumpton
, and were once visible at the church in Westmeston
as well. The examples at Clayton have been described as "some of the most important in the country", "remarkable", "a fine set", "amazing", "unique in England for their extent, preservation and date", and "graphically representing ... the terrors of Judgment Day". They are also some of the oldest surviving murals in England, although their age is not known for certain. Historians have variously dated them to the 11th century, 1080, between 1080 and 1120, 1100, "later than 1125", 1140, 1150 or late 12th century.
The murals cover the chancel arch and the east, south and north walls of the nave, and were uncovered between 1893 and 1895 when Charles Eamer Kempe
was restoring the interior. More were uncovered during subsequent alterations between 1917 and 1919. Nikolaus Pevsner
believed that the west wall would have had similar paintings as well. Most authorities agree that they are fresco
es—painted directly on wet plaster. Like the other Lewes Group paintings, they feature a very small range of local pigments in shades of yellow and red (leading to the nickname "bacon-and-egg").
The main subject of the murals is the Day of Judgment
, making them an early example of the "Doom
" paintings seen in medieval churches across England. Pevsner noticed that the figures had characteristic features: "extremely long and lean, with heavy ... garments, exceedingly small heads ... [and] strange headgear". Centrally placed above the chancel arch is an image of Christ in Majesty
in a mandorla held by angels and with apostles on each side. Flanking this are Christ giving the Keys of Heaven
to Saint Peter
(to the left) and a book to Saint Paul. On the north wall of the nave, a procession (led by bishops) approaches the Heavenly Jerusalem
, watched by angels and saints, and the defeat of the Antichrist. Scenes on the south side include angels, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
, worshipping saints and another procession, this time of the damned: in this dramatic composition, "a spike-heeled devil riding a large beast separates the doomed from the blessed". An angel is also depicted at each corner of the nave: this is another reference to the Day of Judgment, when, according to the Gospel of Mark
, "shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the Earth to the uttermost part of Heaven" . The paintings are heavy with symbolism, and "give a full interpretation of the Last Judgment": in medieval times such paintings were the most important way of conveying information and narratives to worshippers, many of whom could not read.
In 2010, it was reported that the murals were threatened with damage from bat faeces. A colony of bats—a protected species—were roosting in the church, and church staff had to remove droppings from the walls before each service. Bat urine was also harming the timbers of the roof. A survey by specialists indicated that although the paintings were still "in good condition", their age and fragility increased the risk of damage.
churcheds in Sussex. The plan consists of a square-ended chancel, a much taller nave, a porch on the north side, a vestry on the south side and a west-end belfry of timber and shingles
. The "tall, thin walls" of the nave give the church a "heartfelt piety". The church is built of flint with some sandstone
dressings and quoins
, covered with cement in places. The roof is laid with a mixture of red tiles and Horsham Stone
slabs.
The "bold", "impressive", "solid and powerful" chancel arch is the principal structural feature inside. It dates from the 11th century and is flanked by a pair of arched recesses, one of which retains some original plasterwork. These may have served as squints
originally. The structure dominates the nave through its sheer height, the use of massive square stone blocks with a smooth, plain finish, and the three 10 inches (25.4 cm) moulded
shafts on each side. The jambs terminate in bulky chamfer
ed imposts. The arch has been compared to that of another Grade I-listed Saxon church in West Sussex—the slightly older St Nicholas' Church at Worth
. Its three bells date from the early 15th century (by Richard Hille), the 1470s (Henry Jurdan) and 1713 (Samuel Knight). Hille owned a foundry in London; his bells are found at several other churches throughout Sussex.
The chancel, renewed in the 19th century, measures 19.5 by 13.25 ft (5.9 by 4 m). The east window is a three-light lancet
with mullion
s, set below a segmental-arched hood mould
. There are two narrow lancets in the south and north walls as well, and a blocked window of Saxon origin on the latter. The walls are just over 2 foot (0.6096 m) thick.
The nave formerly had a pair of porticus-style side chapels, but little trace of these remains—although blocked windows and fragments of archways and gable
d roofs have been visible since 1918, when they were excavated. The nave's dimensions are 43 by 22.5 ft (13.1 by 6.9 m), and the walls are about 2.5 foot (0.762 m) thick. The Norman doorway, reset on the north side in its 15th-century porch, have jambs with five stones of irregular length and a five-stone arch. The belfry, at the west end of the nave, sits on top of the roof with no structural link to the inside of the building. It has a shallow pyramid-shaped roof.
Other than the wall paintings, the interior is plain. The ceiling has panelling and simple timberwork, and walls with no murals are plastered. There are some 18th-century Eucharist
ic objects and a 17 inches (43.2 cm) brass memorial to Richard Idon, a parson, who died in 1523. He is shown holding a Communion wafer
and chalice and clad in vestments. Another brass, slightly older (1508) but consisting solely of an inscription to Thomas a Wode, is hidden under a carpet.
on 28 October 1957. Such buildings are defined as being of "exceptional interest" and greater than national importance. As of February 2001, it was one of 16 Grade I listed buildings, and 1,028 listed buildings of all grades, in the district of Mid Sussex.
The ecclesiastical parish of Clayton with Keymer covers three villages, each with one Church of England parish church, and surrounding rural areas towards Burgess Hill
, Ditchling
and Hurstpierpoint
. Keymer is served by St Cosmas and St Damian Church
, which also has Saxon origins but was rebuilt in 1866. Hassocks
, now linked to Keymer by postwar residential expansion, was served from St Cosmas and St Damian until 1975, when St Francis of Assisi Church was built.
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of the village of Clayton
Clayton, West Sussex
Clayton is a small village at the foot of the South Downs in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. It lies south of London, north of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Burgess Hill to the north and Lewes, the county town of East...
in the district of Mid Sussex
Mid Sussex
Mid Sussex is a local government district in the English county of West Sussex. It contains the towns of East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill....
, one of seven local government districts in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county 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 small and simple Saxon building is distinguished by its "remarkable" and extensive set of 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...
, dating from the early 12th century and rediscovered more than 700 years later. Much of the structural work of the church is 11th-century and has had little alteration. The church, which stands in the middle of a large churchyard and serves the 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 Clayton at the foot 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...
, is part of a joint parish with the neighbouring village of Keymer
Keymer
Keymer is a village in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the B2116 road south of Burgess Hill.Keymer was an ancient parish that like its near neighbour Clayton was merged into the modern day parish of Hassocks. Both Keymer and Clayton's records go back as far as the...
—an arrangement which has existed for centuries. English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
has listed the church at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance.
History
The ancient village of Clayton, situated where the main route from LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
crossed an east–west track at the foot of the South Downs, existed 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, when it was called Claitune or Claitona. It was at the southern end of the parish of the same name, which covered 1414 acres (572.2 ha) of mostly rural land running north (and downhill) from the summit of the South Downs. 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 Clayton was held at that time by William de Watevile for William de Warenne
William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey
William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, Seigneur de Varennes is one of the very few proven Companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066...
, who built the nearby Lewes Castle
Lewes Castle
Lewes Castle stands at the highest point of Lewes, East Sussex, England on an artificial mound constructed with chalk blocks. It was originally called Bray Castle.-History:...
. The church was in the possession of Lewes Priory
Lewes Priory
The Priory of St Pancras was the first Cluniac house in England and had one of the largest monastic churches in the country. It was set within an extensive walled and gated precinct laid out in a commanding location fronting the tidal shore-line at the head of the Ouse valley to the south of Lewes...
, which had been given it by de Warenne in 1093. The manor and church in the neighbouring parish of Keymer had the same ownership. The original dedication of St John the Baptist's Church was All Saints—a common dedication during the Saxon era.
The standard layout of Saxon churches was a tall nave without aisles linked to a smaller, square-ended (not apsidal
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
) chancel by a chancel arch. St John the Baptist's Church follows this form; and the nave and chancel arch, along with parts of the north and south chancel walls, survive from the 11th century. On the north side of the nave, fragmentary remains of a 12th-century porticus (a low side chapel, similar to a transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
) can be seen: on the inside, there is a blocked round-headed opening, while on the outside a roofline is visible. A similar porticus of the 13th century existed on the south side; its remnants can still be seen.
The entrance porch on the north wall was erected in the 15th century, but the heavy oak door dates from the Norman era. The entrance was originally on the south side; suggested reasons for its move include avoiding the prevailing wind, which blows off the hills straight into the south wall, or a change in the location of the nearby road in medieval times. The squat wooden belfry at the west end of the nave is also 15th-century, as are two of the three bells. The path leading to the porch is unusually made of "ripplestone"—Horsham sandstone
Horsham Stone
Horsham Stone is a type of calcerous, flaggy sandstone containing millions of minute sand grains. It is also high in mica and quartz. The rock extends in an arc-like formation for several kilometres around the West Sussex town of Horsham from which it bears its name and lies just below the Wealden...
taken from a nearby riverbed.
The chancel was rebuilt in the 19th century, and a vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
was added on the northwest side. Minor restoration work was carried out in the 20th century. A blocked window, discovered in the north wall of the chancel, was found be an original Saxon window. The former side-chapel on the north side was discovered during excavation work in 1918. The lychgate
Lychgate
A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, or as two separate words lych gate, is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard.-Name:...
at the entrance to the churchyard was built in the early 1920s and serves as Clayton's war memorial. A Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
casualty is commemorated, and there is also a military grave
War grave
A war grave is a burial place for soldiers or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations. The term does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to be war graves, as are military aircraft that crash into water...
from that conflict in the churchyard. To commemorate the Millennium, new stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
was inserted in the west window of the nave; the design received considerable praise.
Wall paintings
The most famous feature of St John the Baptist's Church is the array of well-preserved and ancient wall paintings in the nave and on the chancel arch. They are part of a series painted by monks from Lewes Priory; this was the first CluniacCluny Abbey
Cluny Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in Cluny, Saône-et-Loire, France. It was built in the Romanesque style, with three churches built in succession from the 10th to the early 12th centuries....
house in England and had close links to its mother priory at Cluny
Cluny
Cluny or Clungy is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France. It is 20 km northwest of Mâcon.The town grew up around the Benedictine Cluny Abbey, founded by Duke William I of Aquitaine in 910...
in Burgundy, and the art techniques developed at Cluny from the mid-10th century were very influential. Murals from the same school—known as the Lewes Group—can also be seen at Coombes Church
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...
near Shoreham-by-Sea
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...
, St Botolph's Church
St Botolph's Church, Hardham
St Botolph's Church, the Anglican parish church of Hardham in the district of Horsham, is a Grade 1 listed building. It contains the earliest nearly complete series of wall paintings in England. Among forty individual subjects are the earliest known representation of St. George in England...
at Hardham
Hardham
Hardham is a small village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the A29 road 1.2 miles southwest of Pulborough....
and St Michael and All Angels Church at Plumpton
Plumpton, East Sussex
Plumpton is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is located five miles north-west of Lewes. The parish includes the small village of Plumpton and the larger village of Plumpton Green to the north where most of the community and services are based...
, and were once visible at the church in Westmeston
Westmeston
Westmeston is a hamlet and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. It is located four miles south southeast of Burgess Hill and west of Lewes, on the northern slopes of the South Downs....
as well. The examples at Clayton have been described as "some of the most important in the country", "remarkable", "a fine set", "amazing", "unique in England for their extent, preservation and date", and "graphically representing ... the terrors of Judgment Day". They are also some of the oldest surviving murals in England, although their age is not known for certain. Historians have variously dated them to the 11th century, 1080, between 1080 and 1120, 1100, "later than 1125", 1140, 1150 or late 12th century.
The murals cover the chancel arch and the east, south and north walls of the nave, and were uncovered between 1893 and 1895 when Charles Eamer Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe was a well-known Victorian stained glass designer. After attending Twyford School, he studied for the priesthood at Pembroke College, Oxford, but it became clear that his severe stammer would be an impediment to preaching...
was restoring the interior. More were uncovered during subsequent alterations between 1917 and 1919. Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
believed that the west wall would have had similar paintings as well. Most authorities agree that they are fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es—painted directly on wet plaster. Like the other Lewes Group paintings, they feature a very small range of local pigments in shades of yellow and red (leading to the nickname "bacon-and-egg").
The main subject of the murals is the Day of Judgment
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...
, making them an early example of the "Doom
Doom (painting)
A Doom is a traditional English term for a painting or other image of the Last Judgment, an event in Christian eschatology. Christ judges souls, and then sends them to either Heaven or Hell...
" paintings seen in medieval churches across England. Pevsner noticed that the figures had characteristic features: "extremely long and lean, with heavy ... garments, exceedingly small heads ... [and] strange headgear". Centrally placed above the chancel arch is an image of Christ in Majesty
Christ in Majesty
Christ in Majesty, or Christ in Glory, in Latin Majestas Domini, is the Western Christian image of Christ seated on a throne as ruler of the world, always seen frontally in the centre of the composition, and often flanked by other sacred figures, whose membership changes over time and according to...
in a mandorla held by angels and with apostles on each side. Flanking this are Christ giving the Keys of Heaven
Keys of Heaven
In ecclesiastical heraldry, the Papal coat of arms contain the keys of the office of St. Peter. The Keys of Heaven were, according to Christian tradition, received by Saint Peter from Jesus, marking Peter's ability to take binding actions. Thus, the Keys are seen as a symbol of Papal authority...
to Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
(to the left) and a book to Saint Paul. On the north wall of the nave, a procession (led by bishops) approaches the Heavenly Jerusalem
New Jerusalem
In the book of Ezekiel, the Prophecy of New Jerusalem is Ezekiel's prophetic vision of a city to be established to the south of the Temple Mount that will be inhabited by the twelve tribes of Israel in the...
, watched by angels and saints, and the defeat of the Antichrist. Scenes on the south side include angels, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are described in the last book of the New Testament of the Bible, called the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ to Saint John the Evangelist at 6:1-8. The chapter tells of a "'book'/'scroll' in God's right hand that is sealed with seven seals"...
, worshipping saints and another procession, this time of the damned: in this dramatic composition, "a spike-heeled devil riding a large beast separates the doomed from the blessed". An angel is also depicted at each corner of the nave: this is another reference to the Day of Judgment, when, according to the Gospel of Mark
Gospel of Mark
The Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...
, "shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the Earth to the uttermost part of Heaven" . The paintings are heavy with symbolism, and "give a full interpretation of the Last Judgment": in medieval times such paintings were the most important way of conveying information and narratives to worshippers, many of whom could not read.
In 2010, it was reported that the murals were threatened with damage from bat faeces. A colony of bats—a protected species—were roosting in the church, and church staff had to remove droppings from the walls before each service. Bat urine was also harming the timbers of the roof. A survey by specialists indicated that although the paintings were still "in good condition", their age and fragility increased the risk of damage.
Architecture and fittings
St John the Baptist's Church is a typical example of the simple two-cell (nave and chancel) layout found at many pre-Norman ConquestNorman 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...
churcheds in Sussex. The plan consists of a square-ended chancel, a much taller nave, a porch on the north side, a vestry on the south side and a west-end belfry of timber and shingles
Roof shingle
Roof shingles are a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements. These elements are typically flat rectangular shapes laid in rows from the bottom edge of the roof up, with each successive higher row overlapping the joints in the row below...
. The "tall, thin walls" of the nave give the church a "heartfelt piety". The church is built of flint with some sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
dressings and quoins
Quoin (architecture)
Quoins are the cornerstones of brick or stone walls. Quoins may be either structural or decorative. Architects and builders use quoins to give the impression of strength and firmness to the outline of a building...
, covered with cement in places. The roof is laid with a mixture of red tiles and Horsham Stone
Horsham Stone
Horsham Stone is a type of calcerous, flaggy sandstone containing millions of minute sand grains. It is also high in mica and quartz. The rock extends in an arc-like formation for several kilometres around the West Sussex town of Horsham from which it bears its name and lies just below the Wealden...
slabs.
The "bold", "impressive", "solid and powerful" chancel arch is the principal structural feature inside. It dates from the 11th century and is flanked by a pair of arched recesses, one of which retains some original plasterwork. These may have served as squints
Hagioscope
A hagioscope or squint, in architecture, is an opening through the wall of a church in an oblique direction, to enable the worshippers in the transepts or other parts of the church, from which the altar was not visible, to see the elevation of the host.Hagioscopes were also sometimes known as...
originally. The structure dominates the nave through its sheer height, the use of massive square stone blocks with a smooth, plain finish, and the three 10 inches (25.4 cm) moulded
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
shafts on each side. The jambs terminate in bulky chamfer
Chamfer
A chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
ed imposts. The arch has been compared to that of another Grade I-listed Saxon church in West Sussex—the slightly older St Nicholas' Church at Worth
Worth village, West Sussex
Worth is an area within the neighbourhood of Pound Hill, Crawley. It was a separate village and is still a civil parish in the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex.-Worth village:...
. Its three bells date from the early 15th century (by Richard Hille), the 1470s (Henry Jurdan) and 1713 (Samuel Knight). Hille owned a foundry in London; his bells are found at several other churches throughout Sussex.
The chancel, renewed in the 19th century, measures 19.5 by 13.25 ft (5.9 by 4 m). The east window is a three-light lancet
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
with mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
s, set below a segmental-arched hood mould
Hood mould
In architecture, a hood mould, also called a label mould or dripstone, is an external moulded projection from a wall over an opening to throw off rainwater...
. There are two narrow lancets in the south and north walls as well, and a blocked window of Saxon origin on the latter. The walls are just over 2 foot (0.6096 m) thick.
The nave formerly had a pair of porticus-style side chapels, but little trace of these remains—although blocked windows and fragments of archways and gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d roofs have been visible since 1918, when they were excavated. The nave's dimensions are 43 by 22.5 ft (13.1 by 6.9 m), and the walls are about 2.5 foot (0.762 m) thick. The Norman doorway, reset on the north side in its 15th-century porch, have jambs with five stones of irregular length and a five-stone arch. The belfry, at the west end of the nave, sits on top of the roof with no structural link to the inside of the building. It has a shallow pyramid-shaped roof.
Other than the wall paintings, the interior is plain. The ceiling has panelling and simple timberwork, and walls with no murals are plastered. There are some 18th-century Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
ic objects and a 17 inches (43.2 cm) brass memorial to Richard Idon, a parson, who died in 1523. He is shown holding a Communion wafer
Sacramental bread
Sacramental bread, sometimes called the lamb, altar bread, host or simply Communion bread, is the bread which is used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist.-Eastern Catholic and Orthodox:...
and chalice and clad in vestments. Another brass, slightly older (1508) but consisting solely of an inscription to Thomas a Wode, is hidden under a carpet.
The church today
St John the Baptist's 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 28 October 1957. Such buildings are defined as being of "exceptional interest" and greater than national importance. As of February 2001, it was one of 16 Grade I listed buildings, and 1,028 listed buildings of all grades, in the district of Mid Sussex.
The ecclesiastical parish of Clayton with Keymer covers three villages, each with one Church of England parish church, and surrounding rural areas towards Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill
Burgess Hill is a civil parish and a town primarily located in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England, close to the border with East Sussex, on the edge of the South Downs National Park...
, Ditchling
Ditchling
Ditchling is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is contained within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park; the order confirming the establishment of the park was signed in Ditchling....
and Hurstpierpoint
Hurstpierpoint
Hurstpierpoint is a village in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. Together with Sayers Common it forms one of the Mid Sussex civil parishes, with an area of 2029.88 ha and a population of 6,264 persons....
. Keymer is served by St Cosmas and St Damian Church
St Cosmas and St Damian Church, Keymer
St Cosmas and St Damian Church is an Anglican church in the village of Keymer, in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. Rebuilt in 1866 in a style similar to the Saxon building it replaced, it is the parish church of Keymer and now lies within a combined parish serving three villages in...
, which also has Saxon origins but was rebuilt in 1866. Hassocks
Hassocks
Hassocks is a large village and civil parish in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. Its name is believed to derive from the tufts of grass found in the surrounding fields....
, now linked to Keymer by postwar residential expansion, was served from St Cosmas and St Damian until 1975, when St Francis of Assisi Church was built.