All Saints Church, Highbrook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church |
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The church from the southeast
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| 51°03′18″N 0°03′27″W / 51.0549°N 0.0574°W | |
| Location | Hammingden Lane, Highbrook, West Hoathly, West Sussex RH17 6SS |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England https://www.allsaints-highbrook.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Founder(s) | Francis Kirby and Caroline Weguelin |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 11 May 1983 |
| Architect(s) | Richard H. Carpenter and Benjamin Ingelow |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1882 |
| Completed | 1884 |
| Construction cost | £4,000 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Highbrook: All Saints |
| Deanery | Rural Deanery of Cuckfield |
| Archdeaconry | Horsham |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
All Saints Church is a beautiful Christian church located in Highbrook, a small hamlet in West Sussex, England. It's a special building that was built a long time ago.
Highbrook was quite far from the main village church. So, two wealthy sisters, Frances Kirby and Caroline Weguelin, decided to pay for a new church right in Highbrook.
The church was designed by famous architects Richard H. Carpenter and Benjamin Ingelow. It has a tall spire and was finished in 1884. This "handsome" church looks like buildings from the 14th and 15th centuries, in a style called Gothic Revival. It's so important that it's been given a special Grade II listing by English Heritage.
Contents
History of All Saints Church
Why Was the Church Built?
The area around Highbrook is called the High Weald. It has clay soil and rocky hills. Highbrook itself is a small settlement about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the main village of West Hoathly.
In the 1880s, Highbrook had many old houses and farms. The people living there found it hard to travel to St Margaret's Church in West Hoathly. It was about 2 miles (3.2 km) away, which was a long walk back then.
Two wealthy sisters, Frances Kirby and Caroline Weguelin, lived nearby. They wanted to help the local people. So, in 1882, they decided to pay for a new church to be built in Highbrook. They spent £4,000 on its construction, which was a lot of money at the time!
Who Designed the Church?
The sisters hired two well-known architects, Richard H. Carpenter and Benjamin Ingelow. Carpenter had designed many buildings in Sussex, including a chapel at Lancing College. They worked together on several projects.
They designed All Saints Church in the Gothic Revival style. This was a very popular style for churches during the Victorian era. The church was built using local stone and was finished in 1884. Even though Highbrook was small, the church was quite large for the area. It even got its own parish in 1882.
Inside the Church
The church didn't have many decorations inside at first. But between 1885 and 1892, beautiful stained glass windows were added by a company called Clayton and Bell. The large window at the east end of the church was a special memorial to the founding sisters' parents.
Later, in 1933, the floor in the chancel (the area around the altar) was updated. It was relaid with a cool checkerboard pattern of black and white marble.
Architecture of All Saints Church
What Does the Church Look Like?
All Saints Church is built in the Gothic Revival style. It looks like churches from the 1300s or 1400s. A famous architectural historian, Nikolaus Pevsner, called it a "serious job, outside and inside."
The church has a main hall called a nave and a smaller section at the front called a chancel. There's an arch between them. On the north side of the nave, there's an aisle. On the south side, there's a porch where people enter.
One of the most noticeable features is the tower on the northeast side. It has a pointy roof called a broach spire, which is covered with oak shingles. The entire church is built from stone found nearby.
Windows and Details
All the windows in the church are tall, narrow lancets. They have fancy stone patterns called tracery, typical of the Decorated Gothic style. All of them have colorful stained glass. The largest window is at the east end of the chancel and has five sections.
Inside, the arches and columns have detailed mouldings and capitals. These look more fancy than what you might expect in a small country church. There's also a beautiful reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) made of marble. You can also find memorials inside dedicated to the sisters who paid for the church.
All Saints Church Today
All Saints Church was officially listed as a Grade II building by English Heritage on May 11, 1983. This means it's considered a "nationally important" building with "special interest." It's one of many important historical buildings in the Mid Sussex area.
The church serves the hamlet of Highbrook and the countryside around it. It's part of a group of churches called the united benefice of Highbrook and West Hoathly, which started in 1975. The Bishop of Chichester oversees the church.
See also
