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 | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Founded | c.1175 |
| Founder(s) | Hugh Esturmy |
| Dedication | St. Nicholas |
| Administration | |
| Parish | West Itchenor |
| Deanery | Rural Deanery of Chichester |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Chichester |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. Nicholas Church is a historic Anglican church located in West Itchenor, a small village in West Sussex, United Kingdom. It serves as the main church for the local community.
Contents
History of St. Nicholas Church
How the Church Began
Around the year 1175, a person named Hugh Esturmy received special permission to build a small chapel in Itchenor. This permission came from the Bishop of Chichester, John of Greenford. A few years later, between 1180 and 1197, another Bishop, Seffrid II, allowed this chapel to become a proper little parish church. It even got its own graveyard where people could be buried.
Joining Parishes Together
Over time, the way churches are organized changed. In 1935, the church in Itchenor joined with the church in Birdham. This meant they became one "benefice", which is a group of churches looked after by the same priest. Later, in 1986, this group expanded again to include the church in West Wittering. Today, the main priest, called the Rector, for West Wittering also looks after the churches in Birdham and Itchenor.
Music and Bells at St. Nicholas
Musical Instruments in the Church
For a long time, before 1862, people at St. Nicholas Church used string and wind instruments to play music and help with singing during services. This changed in 1870 when the church bought a harmonium, which is a type of small organ.
In 1922, they got a bigger pipe organ. This organ used air blown through pipes to make sound. Later, in 1950, a new electric blower was added to make the organ work better. The organ was moved in 1956 because a new room, called a vestry, was being built. Because the old organ was getting worn out, the church's organist, Margot Linton-Bogle, kindly gave them a small reed organ.
She continued to support the church's music, donating an electronic organ in 1961. This organ was moved to a new gallery in 1964, which is where the main organ still stands today. In 1970, she donated yet another organ, a Compton pipe organ, because the electronic one was hard to maintain. Finally, in 1994, the new organist, Margaret Thomas, donated the Viscount organ that is still used in the church today.
The Church Bells
St. Nicholas Church has three bells. They are called The Treble, The Second, and The Tenor. The oldest bell, The Treble, was made way back in 1530! The other two bells, The Second and The Tenor, are from the 1600s.
In 1988, the bells were re-hung by a famous company called Whitechapel Bell Foundry. They also added something called Ellacombe apparatus. This special system allows the bells to be rung in two ways: either by swinging them (swing chimed) or by using hammers to hit them (hand chimed). The bells are usually rung before church services, and also for special events like weddings and funerals. The churchwardens, who help manage the church, often ring the bells.
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 connected to the church.
