St Mary the Virgin's Church, North Stoke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary the Virgin |
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St Mary the Virgin church from the east
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 Location in West Sussex
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| 50°53′15″N 0°33′05″W / 50.8874°N 0.5514°W | |
| Location | North Stoke Church, North Stoke, Amberley, West Sussex BN18 9LS |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | North Stoke Church (no dedication) |
| Founded | 11th century |
| Dedication | Mary the Virgin |
| Dedicated | 8 December 2007 (rededication) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 15 March 1955 |
| Style | Norman; Early English Gothic |
| Closed | 1 March 1992 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Amberley with North Stoke |
| Deanery | Storrington |
| Archdeaconry | Horsham |
| Diocese | Chichester |
St Mary the Virgin Church in North Stoke is a very old building with a fascinating past. It was once known simply as North Stoke Church. In 2007, its original medieval name, St Mary the Virgin, was found again! This church is located in a quiet village by the River Arun in West Sussex.
The church building is partly from the 11th century and has a special cross shape. It stands in a village that is now much smaller than it used to be. The church is mostly unchanged from how it looked hundreds of years ago. It has many old features, like stained glass windows and wall paintings. Even though it's very old, it doesn't have many memorials inside.
St Mary the Virgin Church is no longer used for regular church services. In 1992, it was decided that the church was no longer needed for worship. It is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, which helps protect important old churches. This church is so important that English Heritage has given it a Grade I listing, meaning it's a building of great historical and architectural value.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
The village of North Stoke is much smaller today than it was centuries ago. It sits across from South Stoke. You can reach North Stoke by a path across the River Arun or by a longer road trip.
How Old Is the Church?
A church was first mentioned here way back in 1086, in the Domesday Book. It was probably a wooden church built by the Saxons. Later in the 11th century, the main part of the current church, called the nave, was built. It has tall, wide walls with one window on each side and no side aisles.
Changes Over the Centuries
In the mid-13th century, a new section called the chancel was added. Its tall, narrow windows, called lancet windows, show how church windows had changed since the 11th century. Around 1290, the church was made into a cross shape by adding two side sections called transepts. The transept on the north side was built to hold a tower, but the tower was never built. Instead, a small bell tower was added to the roof.
Around the same time, the church got some small stained glass windows. These windows showed the Coronation of the Virgin (Mary becoming Queen of Heaven). This was a very early example of stained glass in Sussex.
Inside the Church: Old Paintings and Arches
In the early 14th century, a special arch was built between the nave and the chancel. This arch is shaped like a horseshoe and is made of a soft stone called clunch. It has many fancy decorations. Above the arch, you can still see parts of an old wall painting with flowers and leaves. These paintings are thought to have inspired a local artist named Lambert Barnard in the 1500s.
Unlike many churches, North Stoke Church was not heavily changed in the 1800s. The simple wooden roof, which is over 700 years old, is still in great condition!
A Church for Visitors
On March 1, 1992, the church was officially declared no longer needed for regular services. It was then given to the Churches Conservation Trust. This trust takes care of five old churches in West Sussex. St Mary the Virgin Church is open every day for people to visit and explore its history.
A Hidden Name Discovered!
In 2007, something amazing happened! Two people studying old church history found a very old document. It was a letter from 1275 that said the church was dedicated to Mary the Virgin. This name had been forgotten for hundreds of years! Because of this discovery, a special ceremony was held on December 8, 2007, and the church was officially renamed St Mary the Virgin Church.
The church's local area, called its parish, is now combined with a nearby church in Amberley.
What Does the Church Look Like?
St Mary the Virgin Church is a simple building made of local flint and stone. It has three main parts: the nave (from the 11th century), the chancel (added in the early 13th century), and the transepts (added later in the 13th century). The north transept was built strongly, as if a tower would be placed on it, but only a small bell tower was added instead.
Inside the Church: Simple and Bright
The inside of the church is simple and bright. Most of the windows have clear glass, and the walls are painted white. This gives the church a "timeless" feeling, as if it hasn't changed much over the centuries. You can see the wooden beams of the roof, especially in the nave.
One cool thing about the church is its windows! They show how window styles changed over hundreds of years. You can see very old, narrow Norman windows, then taller, more decorative Gothic windows. There are six different window styles in total! Most of the glass is clear, but the stained glass that remains is very old and still looks good.
Special Features and Oldest Items
Inside, you'll find a mid-13th-century piscina, which is a stone basin used for washing sacred vessels. It's connected to three stone seats. Above these, there are two blocked archways that meet at a stone carving of a sheep's head. There are also carvings of monks' heads that once supported statues.
The church has a few old stone slabs on the floor from the late 1600s and early 1700s. There's also a marble plaque remembering members of the Sayres family from the early 1800s. The churchyard outside has very few gravestones, but some with carved crosses are from the late 1200s.
The oldest item in the church is a round stone font (a basin used for baptisms). It's shaped like a tub and has a lead bowl. It dates back to between 1200 and 1250 and is made from sandstone from nearby Pulborough.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in West Sussex
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Southeast England
- List of places of worship in Horsham (district)
