Holy Trinity Church, Bosham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Trinity Church, Bosham |
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| 50°49′44″N 0°51′33″W / 50.82889°N 0.85917°W | |
| OS grid reference | SU 804 039 |
| Location | Bosham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | http://boshamchurch.org.uk/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | Holy Trinity |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 5 June 1958 |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 6 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Westbourne Deanery |
| Diocese | Diocese of Chichester |
Holy Trinity Church is a very old and important church in Bosham, West Sussex. It's so special that it's a 'Grade I listed building'. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England. People have worshipped here for a very long time, even since the Saxon period! The oldest parts of the church building are from that time.
Contents
The Church's Story
Early Days
Long, long ago, in the year 681, a writer named Bede wrote about Bosham. He said that Bishop Wilfrid visited the area. Bishop Wilfrid found a small monastery there. It had about five or six monks led by an Irish monk named Dicul. This early building might have been right where the church stands today.
Before the Norman Conquest in 1066, King Edward the Confessor gave Bosham Church and its land to his chaplain, Osbern FitzOsbern. Osbern kept these after the Normans took over England. He later became the Bishop of Exeter in 1072. The church and its land then belonged to the Bishops of Exeter for many years. They kept it until the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when many church properties changed hands.
Building Through the Ages
People have found old Roman things in Bosham. Some think the church might be built on the site of a Roman basilica, which was a large public building.
The church is built from rough stones with nicely cut stone details. It has a tiled roof and a tall, pointed spire covered in wooden shingles. The bottom part of the church tower is very old, from the Saxon period. The main arch leading to the altar area, called the chancel arch, is also Saxon.
The chancel area was made longer in the 12th century. It was made even longer in the 13th century. Around this time, a small room called a sacristy was added on the north side. Also, side sections, called aisles, were added to the main part of the church. The very top part of the tower was built in the 15th century.
The font, which is a basin for baptisms, is from the late 12th century. It is an eight-sided stone block. It has two small arches carved on each side. A thick central column and four thinner columns support it. The south entrance porch was added later, in the 16th or 17th century.
Mysteries of the Church
King Canute's Daughter
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There's a local story that a daughter of King Canute drowned in a nearby stream. People say she was buried right here in Holy Trinity Church. In 1865, a small stone coffin was found near the chancel arch. But no one knows for sure if it belonged to King Canute's daughter.
King Harold's Possible Resting Place
Harold Godwinson, who became King of England in 1066, lived in Bosham. The famous Bayeux Tapestry shows him and his friends riding to Bosham. They were getting ready to sail to Normandy to meet William, Duke of Normandy.
In 1954, workers were fixing stones under the chancel arch. They found the small coffin thought to be King Canute's daughter's. They also found another coffin. This one held a skeleton that was missing its head and legs. After a quick look by a coroner, the coffin was sealed up again.
In 2003, some historians wanted to dig up the remains. They hoped to prove if the skeleton was actually King Harold. They wanted to compare its DNA with people who said they were his descendants. However, permission was not given. The court said that digging up remains should only happen for very special reasons. They also heard that the three supposed descendants had different DNA.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in West Sussex
- List of current places of worship in Chichester District
