St Wulfran's Church, Ovingdean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Wulfran's Church |
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The church from the northwest
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | www.stwulfrans.org.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Wulfran |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ovingdean |
| Deanery | Rural Deanery of Brighton |
| Archdeaconry | Chichester |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Wulfran's Church is an Anglican church in Ovingdean. Ovingdean is a small village now part of Brighton and Hove, England. The church is named after St Wulfran, a French archbishop from the 600s. Some parts of the church were built in the early 1100s. It is a very important building, listed as Grade I because of its amazing history and architecture.
Church History
A church already stood in Ovingdean when the Domesday Book was written in 1086. This old book called it a "little church." This first church was rebuilt in the early 1100s. Most experts agree that nothing is left of the very first building from Anglo-Saxon times.
The main parts of the church today, like the chancel (the area around the altar) and the nave (the main seating area), come from the 1100s. A tower was added to the west side in the 1200s. A side section, called an aisle, was also added on the south side. This aisle is no longer there. Some old burn marks on the church walls suggest it might have been damaged by French attackers in 1377. These attackers also damaged a nearby church in Rottingdean.
For several centuries, the church did not change much. Then, in the Victorian era (1865 to 1867), it had a big makeover. This was called a Victorian restoration. During this time, the arches in the chancel were rebuilt. All the old church benches, called pews, were replaced. New wooden panels and roof timbers were added in the chancel.
These new designs were made by Charles Eamer Kempe. He was born in Ovingdean and later became a famous designer of stained glass windows. Before he passed away in 1907, he created seven beautiful windows for the church. He also designed a decorative screen, called a rood screen, for the chancel. This screen was carved in a German village known for its woodcarving. The decorated screen behind the altar, called a reredos, was also designed in the late 1800s. It shows different figures, including St Richard of Chichester. A painting above the altar, showing St Wilfred and St Richard, was added later, between 1957 and 1963.
A small chapel was built on the south side of the church in 1907. A vestry (a room for the clergy) was added in the mid-1980s. It was designed to match the church's style.
The churchyard surrounds the church on three sides. It has a very old yew tree, which might be up to 1,000 years old! Many interesting people are buried here. William Willett, who helped create daylight saving time, is buried in the churchyard. So is Magnus Volk, an inventor from Brighton. He built an early electric car and the Volk's Railway, which is the oldest electric railway still working.
Members of the Kempe family, including Charles Eamer Kempe himself, are also buried here. Helena Normanton, the first woman lawyer in the United Kingdom, also has her grave here. She fought for women's rights and was a big supporter of the nearby University of Sussex. The Jex-Blake family also has a large tomb. Sophia Jex-Blake, one of the first female doctors in the UK, is remembered on their memorial stone.
The church's dedication to St Wulfran is quite rare. Only one other church in England is named after him: the parish church in Grantham, Lincolnshire. There might be a connection between the two churches through William de Warenne. He was a powerful Norman nobleman who owned land in both Ovingdean and Grantham in the 1000s.
Church Architecture
St Wulfran's Church is built almost entirely from flint, which is a type of stone. Only the narrow corner stones, called quoins, are different. Many churches in Sussex use some flint, but St Wulfran's is special because it's the only one in the historic county made completely of flint.
The roof was once made of slate, but now most of it has tiles. The church tower has two sections and a shallow pyramid-shaped roof called a "Sussex Cap." It also has a round stone support, called a corbel, on one corner.
The church has many tall, narrow windows, called lancet windows, on all sides and in the tower. Charles Kempe's beautiful stained glass can be seen in several of these windows. Inside, there are many arches. Some have pointed tops and chamfered (angled) edges. There are three arched entrances to the chapel on the south side.
You enter the churchyard on the east side through a covered gateway called a lychgate. It has a steep roof and seats inside. The words "Holiness unto the Lord" are carved into one of its wooden beams.
The Church Today
St Wulfran's Church was officially recognized as a Grade I listed building on October 13, 1952. This means it is a very important historical building. The church serves a rural area, with Ovingdean village being the main place where people live. The parish also includes the East Brighton Golf Club and parts of the downland.
The church holds two communion services on Sunday mornings. There is also a service every Wednesday and Morning Prayer every Thursday. Other prayer and study groups meet at the church each month.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Brighton and Hove
- List of places of worship in Brighton and Hove
