St Mary the Virgin's Church, North Stoke
Encyclopedia
North Stoke Church, rededicated in 2007 to St Mary the Virgin after its medieval dedication was unexpectedly rediscovered, is a former Church of England parish church
in the riverside hamlet
of North Stoke
in the Horsham
District of West Sussex
. The partly 11th-century cruciform
building, set in an almost deserted village
in a loop of the River Arun
, is mostly unrestored
and stands on an ancient earthwork which has pre-Christian origins. The building has architectural features and internal fittings spanning hundreds of years, including some very old stained glass
and wall paintings, although there are few memorial
s compared with other Sussex churches of a similar age. The church, "movingly eloquent of centuries of remote Sussex agricultural life", is no longer used for worship: it was declared redundant
in 1992, after which it was entrusted to the Churches Conservation Trust
. English Heritage
lists the church at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance.
, now much smaller than in previous centuries, sits opposite South Stoke
— with which it is linked by a 1/2 mi path across the River Arun
. Road access between the two places requires an 8 miles (12.9 km) drive around Arundel Park and down a long dead-end track from Houghton
. Access is also possible along a downland
path from nearby Burpham
.
A church here was mentioned at the time of the Domesday Book
of 1086. It is likely to have been a Saxon
wooden church. Later in the 11th century the present nave may have been built over its foundations. The tall, wide structure has a single window on each side (north and south), and lacks side aisles. The next addition was a mid 13th-century Early English Gothic chancel
; its north and south lancet window
s give an indication of how church windows had developed since Norman times. In about 1290 the building was made cruciform
by the addition of north and south transept
s. That on the north side was built so it could bear a tower, but this addition was never made. Instead a belfry
was added, "astonishingly situated astride the ridge" of its roof according to Nikolaus Pevsner
. The transept wings have windows with Decorated Gothic tracery
, showing a further evolution in window design. Also in about 1290 the church was given some small stained glass
windows depicting the Coronation of the Virgin
. This represents a very early example by Sussex standards, dating from a period when stained glasswork was moving from the grisaille style and the basic Tree of Jesse
towards Biblical figures.
The nave and chancel were structurally divided in the early 14th century by a horseshoe-shaped chancel arch built of clunch
and covered with elaborate decorative mouldings
. The remains of a contemporary wall painting
are visible above it, and on each side there is a recess—the left-hand one of which has a carving of a human hand on its corbel
. The wall paintings, depicting flowers and foliage, are said to have inspired the 16th-century local artist Lambert Barnard in his designs for the vaults at nearby Boxgrove Priory
and Chichester Cathedral
.
Unlike many churches in Sussex, North Stoke Church was not restored
during the 19th century, although the east window in the chancel is a modern replacement. In particular, the simple timber roof design has lasted for more than 700 years without the need for alteration. The timberwork is clearly visible in the nave and south transept in particular.
On 1 March 1992 the Diocese of Chichester
declared the church redundant
. From the same date, under the provisions of Section 50 of the Pastoral Measure 1983, it was placed into the care of the Redundant Churches Fund (now the Churches Conservation Trust
). The Trust administers five former churches in West Sussex; the others are at Chichester
, Church Norton
, Tortington
and Warminghurst
. The church is open for visitors every day.
Under its former name of North Stoke Church, the building was listed at Grade I by English Heritage
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.
In late 2007 two amateur archaeologists on an ecclesiastical archaeology course at the University of Sussex
unexpectedly found an ancient document giving the dedication of the church, which had been unknown since the English Reformation
or before. Tony and Lesley Voice were examining documents at The National Archives in Kew
, London, when they found a piece of vellum
stuck to the back of one. It was a letter written by the Bishop of Chichester
Stephen Bersted
to King Edward I
in 1275, indicating that the church was dedicated to Mary the Virgin
. Accordingly, a rededication ceremony was held at the now redundant church on 8 December 2007, at which it was officially renamed from North Stoke Church to St Mary the Virgin Church. Other discoveries made at the same time included the involvement of William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel
in the medieval life of the church.
The parish of St. Mary the Virgin has been combined with that of St Michael and All Angels, Amberley
. This parish now has the legal name Amberley with North Stoke. This is part of a benefice that also includes the churches of Greatham
, Parham
and Wiggonholt
.
s were built on the north and south sides later in that century. The north transept was buttress
ed and built with a more square shape in anticipation of a tower being built on top, but this did not happen and a small belfry
surmounts it instead. The church is built of locally quarried flint and stone.
The interior is plainly decorated and light, with mostly plain glass and whitewashed walls. Its "delightfully unrestored" appearance gives it a "timeless atmosphere". The main structural features are a simple timber roof with exposed beams and a more intricately decorated chancel arch of the early 14th century, built of clunch. A notable architectural feature of the church is the wide variety of window designs that have survived ("a history in miniature of window architecture"): Norman
slits with crude lancet
heads give way to taller lancets with Early English Gothic and Decorated Gothic tracery
, and later wide lancets. Six styles of window have been identified overall. The three-light east window, the only modern replacement, was put in after its predecessor's tracery gradually disappeared over the centuries. Although most of the glass is clear, the stained glass
that does survive is very old and in good condition—although some has been reset and is no longer in its original position.
Internal fittings include a mid 13th-century piscina
which is joined to three sedilia
by continuous moulded
scrollwork. Above this, two blocked archways rise and meet at a corbel
carved with a sheep's head. This may be Norman and could have come from elsewhere in the church. There are also carvings representing monks' heads supporting statues. Apart from the main piscina, two others survive elsewhere in the church, suggesting that there may have been two subsidiary altars at one point.
The principal monuments in the church are six stone slabs set into the chancel floor and dating from the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and a two-colour marble tablet on the chancel wall in memory of three members of the Sayres family who died between 1809 and 1820. The latter is reminiscent of the Regency style
. The churchyard has very few stones or markers, although three with carved crosses have been identified as late 13th-century.
The oldest fixture is a "tub-like" stone font with a lead bowl, dating from between 1200 and 1250 and standing at the west end of the church. The wide bowl is supported on a thin pillar and has little decoration. Its shape is reminiscent of a chalice
, and it was carved from sandstone
quarried at nearby Pulborough
.
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:...
in the riverside 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 North Stoke
North Stoke, West Sussex
North Stoke is a village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is just over north of Arundel and south of Amberley railway station, and is at the end of a no through road from the station....
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 partly 11th-century cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
building, set in an almost deserted village
Abandoned village
An abandoned village is a village that has, for some reason, been deserted. In many countries, and throughout history, thousands of villages were deserted for a variety of causes...
in a loop of the River Arun
River Arun
The Arun is a river in the English county of West Sussex. Its source is a series of small streams in the St Leonard's Forest area, to the east of Horsham...
, is mostly unrestored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
and stands on an ancient earthwork which has pre-Christian origins. The building has architectural features and internal fittings spanning hundreds of years, including some very old 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...
and wall paintings, although there are few memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
s compared with other Sussex churches of a similar age. The church, "movingly eloquent of centuries of remote Sussex agricultural life", is no longer used for worship: it was declared redundant
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
in 1992, after which it was entrusted to the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. 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...
lists the church at Grade I for its architectural and historical importance.
History
The village of North StokeNorth Stoke, West Sussex
North Stoke is a village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is just over north of Arundel and south of Amberley railway station, and is at the end of a no through road from the station....
, now much smaller than in previous centuries, sits opposite South Stoke
South Stoke, West Sussex
South Stoke is a small village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It is located two miles to the north of Arundel, and is situated on the west bank of the River Arun on the edge of Arundel Park. It is reached by road from Arundel. A footpath leads to North Stoke on the...
— with which it is linked by a 1/2 mi path across the River Arun
River Arun
The Arun is a river in the English county of West Sussex. Its source is a series of small streams in the St Leonard's Forest area, to the east of Horsham...
. Road access between the two places requires an 8 miles (12.9 km) drive around Arundel Park and down a long dead-end track from Houghton
Houghton, West Sussex
Houghton is a village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It is located on the River Arun five kilometres to the north of Arundel...
. Access is also possible along a downland
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...
path from nearby Burpham
Burpham
Burpham is a village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. The village is on an arm of the River Arun slightly less than northeast of Arundel.The civil parish has an area of...
.
A church here was mentioned at the time of the Domesday Book
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...
of 1086. It is likely to have been a Saxon
Anglo-Saxon architecture
Anglo-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...
wooden church. Later in the 11th century the present nave may have been built over its foundations. The tall, wide structure has a single window on each side (north and south), and lacks side aisles. The next addition was a mid 13th-century Early English Gothic 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...
; its north and south lancet window
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...
s give an indication of how church windows had developed since Norman times. In about 1290 the building was made cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
by the addition of north and south 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...
s. That on the north side was built so it could bear a tower, but this addition was never made. Instead a belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
was added, "astonishingly situated astride the ridge" of its roof according to 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...
. The transept wings have windows with Decorated Gothic tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
, showing a further evolution in window design. Also in about 1290 the church was given some small 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...
windows depicting the Coronation of the Virgin
Coronation of the Virgin
The Coronation of the Virgin or Coronation of Mary is a subject in Christian art, especially popular in Italy in the 13th to 15th centuries, but continuing in popularity until the 18th century and beyond. Christ, sometimes accompanied by God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove,...
. This represents a very early example by Sussex standards, dating from a period when stained glasswork was moving from the grisaille style and the basic Tree of Jesse
Tree of Jesse
The Tree of Jesse is a depiction in art of the Ancestors of Christ, shown in a tree which rises from Jesse of Bethlehem, the father of King David; the original use of the family tree as a schematic representation of a genealogy...
towards Biblical figures.
The nave and chancel were structurally divided in the early 14th century by a horseshoe-shaped chancel arch built of clunch
Clunch
Clunch is a term for traditional building material used mainly in eastern England and Normandy. It is a term which encompasses a wide variety of materials, often locally variable....
and covered with elaborate decorative mouldings
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...
. The remains of a contemporary wall painting
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...
are visible above it, and on each side there is a recess—the left-hand one of which has a carving of a human hand on its corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
. The wall paintings, depicting flowers and foliage, are said to have inspired the 16th-century local artist Lambert Barnard in his designs for the vaults at nearby Boxgrove Priory
Boxgrove Priory
Boxgrove Priory, in the village of Boxgrove in Sussex, was founded in about 1066 by Robert de Haye, who in 1105 bestowed the church of St. Mary of Boxgrove upon the Benedictine Abbey of Lessay. In about 1126 upon the marriage of Robert's daughter Cecily, to Roger St...
and Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, otherwise called Chichester Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in Sussex, England...
.
Unlike many churches in Sussex, North Stoke Church was not restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
during the 19th century, although the east window in the chancel is a modern replacement. In particular, the simple timber roof design has lasted for more than 700 years without the need for alteration. The timberwork is clearly visible in the nave and south transept in particular.
On 1 March 1992 the Diocese of Chichester
Diocese of Chichester
The Diocese of Chichester is a Church of England diocese based in Chichester, covering Sussex. It was created in 1075 to replace the old Diocese of Selsey, which was based at Selsey Abbey from 681. The cathedral is Chichester Cathedral and the bishop is the Bishop of Chichester...
declared the church redundant
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
. From the same date, under the provisions of Section 50 of the Pastoral Measure 1983, it was placed into the care of the Redundant Churches Fund (now the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
). The Trust administers five former churches in West Sussex; the others are at Chichester
St John the Evangelist's Church, Chichester
St John the Evangelist's Church is a former Anglican church in the cathedral city of Chichester in West Sussex, England. Built in 1812 to the design of James Elmes as a proprietary chapel, the octagonal white-brick "evangelical preaching house" reflects the early 19th-century ideals of the Church...
, Church Norton
St Wilfrid's Chapel, Church Norton
St Wilfrid's Chapel, also known as St Wilfrid's Church and originally as St Peter's Church, is a former Anglican church at Church Norton, a rural location near the village of Selsey in West Sussex, England...
, Tortington
St Mary Magdalene's Church, Tortington
St Mary Magdalene's Church is the former Anglican parish church of the hamlet of Tortington in the district of Arun, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. Founded in the 12th century to serve a priory and villagers in the riverside location, it has...
and Warminghurst
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Warminghurst
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a former Anglican church in the hamlet of Warminghurst in the district of Horsham, one of seven local government districts in the English county of West Sussex. The present building, which is no longer used for worship, has 13th-century origins, but a church may...
. The church is open for visitors every day.
Under its former name of North Stoke Church, the building was listed at Grade I by 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...
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.
In late 2007 two amateur archaeologists on an ecclesiastical archaeology course at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
unexpectedly found an ancient document giving the dedication of the church, which had been unknown since the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
or before. Tony and Lesley Voice were examining documents at The National Archives in Kew
Kew
Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. Kew is best known for being the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens, now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace...
, London, when they found a piece of vellum
Vellum
Vellum is mammal skin prepared for writing or printing on, to produce single pages, scrolls, codices or books. It is generally smooth and durable, although there are great variations depending on preparation, the quality of the skin and the type of animal used...
stuck to the back of one. It was a letter written 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...
Stephen Bersted
Stephen Bersted
Stephen Bersted was a medieval Bishop of Chichester.-Life:Bersted was from a humble background, and came from Bersted, Sussex which at the time was part of the archbishop of Canterbury's estate at Pagham. He studied at Oxford University, and was a regent of theology there for a time...
to King Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
in 1275, indicating that the church was dedicated to Mary the Virgin
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
. Accordingly, a rededication ceremony was held at the now redundant church on 8 December 2007, at which it was officially renamed from North Stoke Church to St Mary the Virgin Church. Other discoveries made at the same time included the involvement of William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel
William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel
William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel, 6th Baron Maltravers .He was a son of John FitzAlan, 13th Earl of Arundel and Eleanor Berkeley...
in the medieval life of the church.
The parish of St. Mary the Virgin has been combined with that of St Michael and All Angels, Amberley
Amberley, West Sussex
Amberley is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England.Amberley is situated at the foot of the South Downs. Its neighbours are Storrington, West Chiltington and Arundel. The village is noted for its many thatched cottages...
. This parish now has the legal name Amberley with North Stoke. This is part of a benefice that also includes the churches of Greatham
Greatham, West Sussex
Greatham is a small village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the Coldwaltham to Storrington road 1.8 miles south of Pulborough.-History:...
, Parham
Parham, West Sussex
Parham is a civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. There was a village of Parham, around the parish church but its few houses having been destroyed in the early 19th century to create the modern landscaped park and gardens. The parish now consists of Parham Park and the farms...
and Wiggonholt
Wiggonholt
Wiggonholt is a village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is southeast of Pulborough on the A283 road. The village consists of a farm, a few houses and a small Church of England parish church....
.
Architecture and fittings
St Mary the Virgin Church is a simple two-cell structure built during three periods. Its nave is 11th-century; a chancel was added early in the 13th century; and transeptTransept
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...
s were built on the north and south sides later in that century. The north transept was buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
ed and built with a more square shape in anticipation of a tower being built on top, but this did not happen and a small belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
surmounts it instead. The church is built of locally quarried flint and stone.
The interior is plainly decorated and light, with mostly plain glass and whitewashed walls. Its "delightfully unrestored" appearance gives it a "timeless atmosphere". The main structural features are a simple timber roof with exposed beams and a more intricately decorated chancel arch of the early 14th century, built of clunch. A notable architectural feature of the church is the wide variety of window designs that have survived ("a history in miniature of window architecture"): Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
slits with crude 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...
heads give way to taller lancets with Early English Gothic and Decorated Gothic tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
, and later wide lancets. Six styles of window have been identified overall. The three-light east window, the only modern replacement, was put in after its predecessor's tracery gradually disappeared over the centuries. Although most of the glass is clear, the 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...
that does survive is very old and in good condition—although some has been reset and is no longer in its original position.
Internal fittings include a mid 13th-century piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
which is joined to three sedilia
Sedilia
Sedilia , in ecclesiastical architecture, is the term used to describe stone seats, usually to be found on the south side of an altar, often in the chancel, for the use of the officiating priests...
by continuous 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...
scrollwork. Above this, two blocked archways rise and meet at a corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
carved with a sheep's head. This may be Norman and could have come from elsewhere in the church. There are also carvings representing monks' heads supporting statues. Apart from the main piscina, two others survive elsewhere in the church, suggesting that there may have been two subsidiary altars at one point.
The principal monuments in the church are six stone slabs set into the chancel floor and dating from the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and a two-colour marble tablet on the chancel wall in memory of three members of the Sayres family who died between 1809 and 1820. The latter is reminiscent of the Regency style
Regency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
. The churchyard has very few stones or markers, although three with carved crosses have been identified as late 13th-century.
The oldest fixture is a "tub-like" stone font with a lead bowl, dating from between 1200 and 1250 and standing at the west end of the church. The wide bowl is supported on a thin pillar and has little decoration. Its shape is reminiscent of a chalice
Chalice
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. This can also refer to;* Holy Chalice, the vessel which Jesus used at the Last Supper to serve the wine* Chalice , a type of smoking pipe...
, and it was carved from 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,...
quarried at nearby Pulborough
Pulborough
Pulborough is a large village and civil parish in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England, with some 5,000 inhabitants. It is located almost centrally within West Sussex and is south west of London. It is at the junction of the north-south A29 and the east-west roads.The village is near the...
.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in West Sussex
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South East England
- List of places of worship in Horsham (district)