All Saints Church, Roffey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church |
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The church from the southeast
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| 51°04′36″N 0°17′38″W / 51.0767°N 0.2940°W | |
| Location | Crawley Road, Roffey, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 4LX |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1856 (in schoolroom); 1878 (present church) |
| Founder(s) | Gertrude Martyn |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Consecrated | 1878 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 11 November 2002 |
| Architect(s) | Arthur Blomfield |
| Style | Early English Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1878 |
| Construction cost | £4,000–£5,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 300 |
| Materials | Horsham sandstone; Bath stone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | All Saints Roughey or Roffey |
| Deanery | Horsham |
| Archdeaconry | Horsham |
All Saints Church is an Anglican church in Roffey, a part of Horsham in West Sussex, England. It was built in 1878 to serve the growing community of Roffey. Before this, people held church services in a schoolroom since 1856.
The famous architect Arthur Blomfield designed the church. It was built using local sandstone. A kind widow, Mrs. A. Gertrude Martyn, paid for the church. She wanted it to be a special memory for her late husband. The church was finished in 1878 and became a parish church right away. All Saints Church is a Grade II listed building. This means it is very important for its history and architecture.
Contents
Church History
Roffey was a small settlement by the 1500s. It was known for making iron. A large estate called Roffey was first mentioned in the mid-1400s. It was part of a bigger estate near Horsham.
Horsham got its first railway line in 1848. More railway lines were built over the next 20 years. This helped the area grow with more homes and businesses. The area around Roffey village also started to grow in the 1820s. This happened after the road from Horsham to Crawley became a 'turnpike' (a road where you paid a fee to use it).
The main church for Roffey was in Horsham, which was quite far away. People started talking about building a church in Roffey around 1840. In 1856, an iron school building was put up on Roffey Street. This building quickly became the village's first church. It could hold 90 people for services.
Building the Church
As Roffey grew, people wanted a permanent church. In 1870, Mrs. A. Gertrude Martyn, a widow from Roffey Lodge, gave money and land for a new church. She wanted it to be a memorial to her late husband, Cecil Martyn. Arthur Blomfield, a well-known architect, was chosen to design the church. He had designed or fixed many churches in Sussex.
Building work started in 1878 and finished in the same year. Blomfield used local sandstone and Bath stone. During construction, a swan flew into the scaffolding around the tower. It fell to the ground. This was seen as a special sign because the Martyn family crest had a swan and a crown. The swan's feathers were used to decorate the altar when the church opened.
The church was finished by November 1, 1878. This day is called All Saints Day. The Bishop of Chichester officially opened the church. Building the church cost between £4,000 and £5,000.
Growth of Roffey
Roffey continued to grow after the church opened. By the end of the 1800s, it had a workhouse, a club for working men, a reading room, a bigger school, and shops. The church could hold 300 people. It was used a lot from the start. About 125 people usually attended services in its early years.
In 1880, the churchyard was made ready for burials. A large organ was also put into the church. In 1919, a wooden crucifix was placed in the churchyard. This was Roffey's war memorial. It was damaged in 1971 but was rebuilt and rededicated.
A new house for the vicar was opened in 1967. A church hall had already been built in 1957. From 1972, All Saints Church also held Roman Catholic services. These services continued until at least 2011.
Church Design
All Saints Church is built in the Early English Gothic Revival style. It has a surprisingly large tower. The church is made of Horsham sandstone. It also uses Bath stone and some brickwork. The roof is made of tiles, and the tower roof has wooden shingles.
The church has a long main area called a nave. It has an aisle (a walkway) on the north side. There is also a chancel (the area around the altar), a tower, a vestry (a room for clergy), and a porch. All these parts are close together.
The roof of the nave is made of timber. It has a special design called a "hammerbeam roof." This shows how carefully Blomfield designed the woodwork in his churches.
Windows and Features
The west window has two tall, narrow windows called lancets. Above them is a round, four-leaf shape. Other windows in the nave are also lancets. The vestry window is similar to the west window.
There are seven more lancet windows in the north aisle. The chancel has three sets of windows. This includes a three-light east window. This window has stained glass made by the Clayton and Bell company in 1878. Other windows in the church also have stained glass. They show scenes like Christ in Majesty, the Four Gospels, the Apostles, and different saints.
The porch is made of timber. It has carved decorations. The tower has four parts and a shingled spire. A weather vane sits on top. The tower windows are arched or lancet-shaped. The top part has arched openings with louvres (slats).
Inside the church, you can find a stone font with marble columns. It has eight sides. There is also a carved stone and timber pulpit, oak choir stalls, and communion rails. Other features include a timber confessional, the J. W. Walker and Sons organ, and a stone, wood, and marble reredos (a screen behind the altar) with carvings and mosaic work. A brass plaque remembers Cecil Martyn, for whom the church was built.
The Church Today
All Saints Church was listed as Grade II by English Heritage on November 11, 2002. This means it is a "nationally important" building. In February 2001, there were 1,628 Grade II listed buildings in the Horsham area.
The church's parish covers all of Roffey and nearby areas. This includes parts of the North Horsham housing estate and rural areas towards the villages of Rusper, Colgate, and Faygate. The official name of the parish is "All Saints Roughey or Roffey." This shows how the area's name used to be spelled differently.
For many years, All Saints Church also served as a place for local Roman Catholics to attend Mass. Priests from St John the Evangelist's Church in Horsham led these services. They were held on Saturday evenings and on special Holy Days. These services stopped sometime between 2011 and 2013.
See also
