St Mary Magdalene's Church, Tortington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary Magdalene's Church |
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The church from the southeast
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| 50°50′09″N 0°34′37″W / 50.8357°N 0.5769°W | |
| Location | Off Ford Road, Tortington, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 0BG |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Dedication | Mary Magdalene |
| Events | 1978: declared redundant |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 5 June 1958 |
| Style | Norman |
| Groundbreaking | 12th century |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Arundel with Tortington |
| Deanery | Rural Deanery of Arundel and Bognor |
| Archdeaconry | Chichester |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary Magdalene's Church is a very old church located in the small village of Tortington, in West Sussex, England. It was built way back in the 12th century, which means it's almost 900 years old! This church was originally built for a nearby monastery and the people living in the village.
Even though it's been around for centuries, the church hasn't changed much. It still has amazing old carvings from the 1100s. You can see "grotesque, boggle-eyed monsters" and special "beakhead" figures carved into its stone. These carvings are quite rare and unique. The church is made of flint and Caen stone and sits in a beautiful, quiet spot behind a farm. It was used for church services until 1978. Now, it's looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, a group that saves old churches. It's also a "Grade II listed building," which means it's very important historically and architecturally. The church is named after Mary Magdalene, a companion of Jesus.
Contents
The Church's Long History
Tortington is a very old area near the River Arun in West Sussex. It was once a "manor," which was like a large estate with a lord and villagers. The area was even mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086, a famous survey from over 900 years ago! There was also a medieval Augustinian monastery here called Tortington Priory. By the 1100s, a small farming village had grown, and it still looks much the same today.
Building the First Church
We first hear about the church in the middle of the 12th century (around 1140). It was mainly built to serve the nearby monastery. The church's main entrance (doorway) and the arch leading to the altar area (chancel arch) are still from that time. They are beautifully carved. Even though the church has been repaired over the years, its basic shape and many of its original stones are still from the 12th century.
In the 13th century, an "aisle" (a side section) was added to the south side of the main part of the church (the nave). The old doorway was even moved to fit this new aisle. However, this aisle was later removed, probably before the 1700s. Also in the 13th century, tall, narrow windows called "lancet windows" were added to the chancel.
Changes Over the Centuries
In the 1400s and 1500s, churches started adding seats for people, which was new at the time. St Mary Magdalene's Church got its seats early, and some of these simple wooden benches are still there today!
Some parts of the medieval church are now gone, like a special chapel for the Virgin Mary (Lady chapel) and a tall, pointy steeple. The steeple was replaced in the 1700s by a white wooden "bell-turret." This bell-turret was painted white to help boats navigate along the nearby River Arun. Around the same time, the chancel arch and roof were updated. The nave already had an old wooden roof from the medieval period.
Many churches in Sussex were repaired and updated during the Victorian era (the 1800s). St Mary Magdalene's Church was also updated in 1867, but the changes were not too big. A new south aisle was built to replace the old one that had been destroyed. The doorway was moved back to its original spot. Later, in 1892, a small room called a "vestry" was added on the north side. More work was done in 1904 by an architect named Philip Mainwaring Johnston.
The Church Today
In the 20th century, fewer people lived in Tortington, and fewer people attended church. Because of this, the church was declared "redundant" (meaning it was no longer needed for regular services) on August 1, 1978.
Since April 21, 1980, the church has been cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. This charity looks after old churches that are no longer used for regular worship. St Mary Magdalene's is one of five such churches in West Sussex looked after by the Trust.
The church was officially listed as a "Grade II listed building" by English Heritage on June 5, 1958. This means it's considered "nationally important and of special interest" because of its history and architecture.
Church Design and Features
St Mary Magdalene's Church has a main hall (nave), a narrower area for the altar (chancel), and a small room (vestry) on the north side. It also has a south aisle with an arcade (a row of arches) and a wooden bell-turret. The roof is made of clay tiles and slopes steeply over the aisle. The church is mainly built from Flint and stone, with special Caen stone blocks at the corners (quoins). You can still see parts of the original entrance porch.
Amazing Norman Carvings
The most special parts of the church are its two structures from the Norman era (the 1100s): the south doorway and the chancel arch. These are covered in detailed carvings, including strange monsters and unusual "beakhead" designs. "Beakhead" carvings are rare in Sussex; only a few other churches have them.
The doorway has three layers of carvings in its round arch. You can see zigzag patterns (chevrons), stars, and grape-like shapes. The zigzag patterns go all the way down the sides of the doorframe (jambs) and onto the tops of the pillars (capitals).
Inside the church, the carvings around the chancel arch are truly amazing. They date from around 1140, just like the doorway. You'll see "an amazing congregation of grotesque monsters" with "boggle-eyed" faces, beaks, tongues, and even squid-like tentacles! These "fearsome" creatures seem to frown and glare down at visitors. They hold the arch's decorative moldings in their beaks. These "beakhead" decorations are a bit of a mystery from Late Norman architecture. They might have been used to grab people's attention or to make them feel awe and a little fear.
Windows and Fittings
Some original Norman windows are still there. They are large, round-arched, and have deep openings. The chancel also has 13th-century lancet windows. Some of these have beautiful stained glass made by Charles Eamer Kempe. One window, showing St Richard of Chichester, is considered very high quality for its time (late 1800s). The east window of the chancel also has stained glass, thought to be by Thomas Willement.
The oldest item inside the church is a 12th-century font (a basin for baptisms) made of Caen stone. It has a round bowl decorated with honeysuckle plants and other patterns. There's also an "interesting" wooden Jacobean pulpit from the early 1600s, which might have been made by a local craftsman. In the south aisle, you can see wooden pews from the 1400s. Above the chancel arch, there are two large, painted wooden panels from the 1700s called "funerary hatchments," which show the coats of arms of important families.
See also
