St Nicholas Church, West Itchenor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Nicholas Church, West Itchenor |
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St. Nicholas Church
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| 50°48′00″N 0°51′59″W / 50.7999°N 0.8665°W | |
| Location | West Itchenor |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Founded | c.1175 |
| Founder(s) | Hugh Esturmy |
| Dedication | Saint Nicholas |
| Administration | |
| Parish | West Itchenor |
| Deanery | Rural Deanery of Chichester |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Chichester |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. Nicholas Church is an old church in West Itchenor, a village in West Sussex, United Kingdom. It is an Anglican parish church, which means it serves the local community. The church is named after Saint Nicholas.
Contents
History of St. Nicholas Church
Around the year 1175, a man named Hugh Esturmy received permission to build a small chapel in Itchenor. This permission came from the Bishop of Chichester, John of Greenford. A "chapel" is a small place of worship.
Between 1180 and 1197, another Bishop, Seffrid II, allowed the chapel to become a proper parish church. A parish church is the main church for a local area. It also got its own graveyard at this time.
Over many years, the church's local area, called a "parish," changed. In 1935, the Parish of Itchenor joined with the Parish of Birdham. They became one "benefice," which is a group of parishes served by one priest.
Later, in 1986, this benefice joined with the Parish of West Wittering. Today, the main priest, called the Vicar of West Wittering, is also the Rector for the combined area. This area is now known as the Benefice of West Wittering and Birdham with Itchenor.
Music and Bells
For a long time, music in St. Nicholas Church was made using string or wind instruments. These instruments helped people sing during services. This was before 1862.
Church Organs
Church music at St. Nicholas changed a lot after 1862. In 1870, the church bought a harmonium. This instrument took the place of the string and wind instruments. A harmonium is like a small organ that uses air pumped by foot pedals.
In 1922, the church got a small pipe organ. A pipe organ is a large musical instrument that makes sound by sending air through pipes. Then, in 1950, a new electric "blower" was added to the pipe organ. This made it easier to play.
The pipe organ had to be moved in 1956 because a new room, called a "vestry," was built. The old organ was in poor condition. So, the church's organist, Margot Linton-Bogle, gave the church a small reed organ. This organ was placed at the west end of the church.
In 1961, Linton-Bogle donated another organ, an electronic one made by Jennings. This organ was moved onto a new gallery in 1964. The gallery is where the church's current organ stands today.
By 1970, the electronic organ was hard to maintain. So, Linton-Bogle donated a Compton pipe organ. Finally, in 1994, the new organist, Margaret Thomas, donated the Viscount organ. This is the organ that is still used in the church today.
Church Bells
St. Nicholas Church has three bells. They are called The Treble, The Second, and The Tenor. The Treble bell is very old, dating back to 1530. Both The Second and The Tenor bells were made in the 1600s.
In 1988, the bells were re-hung by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. This means they were taken down and put back up properly. An Ellacombe apparatus was also installed. This special system allows the bells to be rung in two ways: either by "swing chiming" or "hand chiming."
The church bells ring before services, and sometimes before or after weddings and funerals. The bells are usually rung by the churchwardens, who are volunteers who help manage the church.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in West Sussex
- List of current places of worship in Chichester (district)
Images for kids
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The Old Rectory, a historic building near the church.
