St Catherine of Siena Church, Cocking facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cocking church |
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| Church of Saint Catherine of Siena | |
Cocking church from the south-east
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| 50°57′01″N 0°44′57″W / 50.9504°N 0.7492°W | |
| Location | Mill Lane, Cocking, West Sussex GU29 0HJ |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Under the Downs |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Catherine of Siena |
| Dedicated | 29 April 2007 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Listed building – Grade I |
| Designated | 18 June 1959 |
| Architect(s) | William Slater (North Aisle: 1865) George Pritchett (Vestry: 1896) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Saxon / Norman overlap |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint with sandstone ashlar dressings |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Cocking with West Lavington |
| Deanery | Midhurst |
| Archdeaconry | Horsham |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
The St Catherine of Siena Church is an Anglican parish church located in Cocking. This village is part of the Chichester District in West Sussex, England.
The oldest parts of the church were built in the 11th century. Most of the church you see today was built between the 12th and 14th centuries. Major additions were made in the mid-1800s. For a long time, the church did not have a special name. In April 2007, the people who attended the church decided to name it after St Catherine of Siena. Her name is even carved on one of the church bells. This church is a very important historical building, listed as Grade I. Inside, you can see an 11th-century arch, parts of a 13th-century wall painting, and a 12th-century font.
Contents
Church Location
The church is on the east side of Cocking village. It sits between the old manor house and a stream called Costers Brook. You can park for the church at the old Manor Farm. There is no car access from Church Lane.
The village's war memorial stands near the churchyard's southern gate. This gate is on Sunwool Lane, close to where it crosses Costers Brook. The memorial was first put up in 1920. It was moved to its current spot in 1959.
Church History
The Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086, mentions Cocking village. It says the village had a church and five mills. At that time, the church was linked to St Nicholas collegiate church in Arundel. This church later became a priory, which is a type of monastery, linked to an abbey in France. So, Cocking church became part of the Abbey of Séez, which followed the rules of the Order of Saint Benedict.
Over the centuries, the ownership of the church changed several times. By 1401, the Advowson (the right to choose the priest) belonged to the Bishop of Chichester. It stayed with the Bishop until 1859. Then, it was given to the Bishop of Oxford. In 1873, the Crown took ownership. After that, the Lord Chancellor became responsible for choosing the priest.
In 1931, the churches of Cocking and nearby Bepton joined together. They became "The United Benefice of Cocking with Bepton." A "benefice" is an area served by a church.
Later, in 2008, St Mary Magdalene church in West Lavington closed. Its congregation moved to Cocking church. The two church areas then joined. Now, they are known as "The Parish of Cocking with West Lavington."
Building the Church
Some people believe a wooden church was built in Cocking around 680 AD. Others think the current stone church replaced an earlier Saxon church. The arch leading to the chancel (the area around the altar) is from about 1080.
The church you see today was mostly built in the late 11th century. It started as a simple "two-cell" church. This means it had a nave (the main part where people sit) and a chancel (the area near the altar). Around 1300, a south aisle and a Lady Chapel were added. At the same time, the chancel windows were made larger, and the tower was built.
During the 1600s, a gallery for musicians was built inside the nave. This gallery was removed during renovations in 1865. In 1865, a north aisle was added to the church. This work was done by a famous church architect named William Slater. The south aisle was also updated, and a porch was added at this time.
In 1896, the north aisle was extended to include a vestry (a room for the clergy). The chancel was also partly rebuilt and restored. The architect for this work was George Pritchett. The church was officially listed as a Grade I building on June 18, 1959.
Church Name
No one knows if the church had a special name before 2007. In April 2007, the church members decided to dedicate the church to St Catherine of Siena. Her name is carved on one of the church bells.
Outside the Church
The church tower is at the western end. It was built in the early 14th century. The tower has a pointed roof. A drawing from 1795 shows the church before the north aisle was added.
The north aisle, built in 1865, is covered with flint stones. The eastern end was extended in 1896 for the vestry. The chancel, at the eastern end, was rebuilt in 1896. It has a new east window and is covered with smooth stone blocks called ashlar.
The south aisle, from the early 14th century, is also covered with flint. The main entrance to the church is through the porch on the south side. This porch was added in 1865.
Inside the Church
The church has a nave (main seating area) with aisles on both the south and north sides. The chancel holds the main altar. The south aisle also has a second altar in the Lady Chapel.
The South Aisle
The south aisle was built in the early 14th century. At its western end is the Lady chapel with a small altar. This area is used for quiet prayer. The east window here has two lights and a diamond-shaped design at the top.
On the south wall, near the altar, you can find an aumbry and a piscina. An aumbry is a cupboard used to store special cups and other items. A piscina is a basin used for washing communion vessels. Both date from the early 14th century. The south window has two lights with pointed tops. The south doorway was added in the 19th century.
The Font
The font is in the south aisle, west of the south door. It is a simple, round font that looks a bit like a cup. It stands on a cylindrical base. Some experts believe the font is from the 12th century. The church's own guide says it might be even older, from the Saxon church that was here before.
The nave is about 30 feet long and 18 feet wide.
The nave is separated from the south aisle by two arches. These were built into the existing walls in the early 14th century. There is a single eight-sided pillar supporting them. Above the western arch, you can still see parts of an 11th-century window. This window was blocked when the south aisle was built. It was uncovered again in 1896.
On the eastern side of this old window, there are parts of a wall painting. This painting is from about 1220. It shows a scene from the Christmas story, with shepherds and a dog looking up at the Star of Bethlehem. You can also see an angel's arm pointing to the star.
The nave is separated from the north aisle by three arches, built in 1865. The western door of the nave leads to the tower. This door is probably the church's original west door. The nave roof is mostly new, but three old wooden beams might be from the 11th or 12th century.
The Chancel
The chancel is about 15 feet long and 14 feet wide.
The chancel arch is from the 11th century and is the oldest part of the church you can still see. It has a rounded top and is made of 14 small stones. The arch is about 6 feet 6 inches high to the imposts (the blocks on top of the pillars).
The chancel used to have a rood screen separating it from the nave, but this has been removed. Behind the altar is the east window. The original 14th-century window was replaced in 1896. The new window is set higher than the old one. It has three lights with pointed tops.
On both the north and south walls of the chancel, you can see parts of the original Norman windows. These were uncovered during the 1896 renovations. The current chancel windows are from the 14th century.
On the western end of the south wall, there is a lower window from the 13th century. This window has the only stained glass in the church. It was made by James Powell and Sons in 1896 to remember Revd. Richard Drummond Ash. The glass shows Richard of Chichester, a bishop from the 1200s.
On the north wall of the chancel is the door to the vestry, built in 1896. To the right of this door is the Easter sepulchre. This is an old stone structure from about 1300. It might be the oldest one in Sussex.
In the north-east corner of the chancel, you can see part of an 11th-century gravestone. It was found during the 1896 rebuilding. It has a Y-shaped cross carved on it.
On the east wall of the chancel is another aumbry, with a brass door. Above it, a candelabra shows that the Blessed Sacrament (holy bread) is kept there. The altar cross is made of iron, gilded, and decorated with mosaic and mother of pearl. It dates from 1896.
On the south wall of the chancel is a piscina from the early 14th century. This was found during the 1896 restoration.
You can also find gravestones for three former priests of the parish in the chancel. One is for James Maidlow, who died in 1791. Another is for Melmoth Skynner, who died in 1822. The third is for James Barker, who died in 1736.
The North Aisle
The north aisle was added in 1865. It has three windows on the north wall and a taller window on the west wall. At the eastern end of this aisle is a small church organ. It has one keyboard and over 150 pipes.
The Tower and Bells
The tower is at the western end of the church. It was added in the early 14th century. Inside the tower, there is a cupboard that was used to store parish records.
The church has three bells. The oldest bell (No. 2) was made in 1420. It says "Sancte Johannis Ora Pro Nobis" (Saint John Pray For Us). Bell No. 1 was made in 1448. It says "Sancte Caterina Ora Pro Nobis" (Saint Catherine Pray For Us). The third bell was made in 1616.
Past Priests
Here are some of the people who served as vicar or rector of Cocking church:
- Roger Andrewes (1606–1609)
- Josiah Pleydell (1683–1707)
- James Barker (1708–1736)
- Thomas Hutchinson (1737–1769)
- Sir John Ashburnham, 7th Baronet (1796–1798)
- Sir Derwent William Kermode (1959–1960)
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in West Sussex
- List of current places of worship in Chichester (district)
Gallery
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View of the chancel arch and main altar
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The font
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The piscina in the chancel
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The north face of the tower
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The war memorial in front of the church
