Bell 1 of 2
Founded by Thomas I Mears 1791
Dove Bell ID: 60474 Tower ID: 23718 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Stanmer
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 336 95
The small Gothic flint church of Stanmer village occupies an idyllic location in a large landscaped park, where there has been a church since at least the 13th century. The 3rd Earl of Chichester, Henry Thomas Pelham decided to rebuild the church in 1838 to increase its capacity. It is designed in the Early English style, and, despite the giveaway slender tower typical of the early phase of the Gothic Revival, is remarkably correct in its detail, and represents an important point in the development of true Victorian Gothic.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Cruciform in plan with the tower at the west end acting as a porch.
Dimensions:
Nave estimated to be c 17m (55ft) x 6m (19,6ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
There was a Bronze Age settlement at nearby Coldean and an Iron Age settlement at Hollingbury Castle Camp. Stanmer is mentioned in Domesday. After the Conquest tenants were put in most of the manors, except at Stanmer, which belonged to The Archbishop of Canterbury. There has been a church on the site of the present church at Stanmer since at least the 13th century. The medieval village is thought to have been located either to the west of the present village or on the land between the church and Stanmer House, though if the latter is true any surface traces of it must have been landscaped away. The house was built between 1722 and 1727 when two brothers, Henry and Thomas Pelham, acquired the estate. In 1801 Thomas Pelham’s son was created Earl of Chichester, and the 3rd Earl of Chichester, Henry Thomas Pelham decided to rebuild the church in 1838 to increase its capacity. The architect was a local man, Ralph Joanes of Lewes.
The church remains very much as built, though some fittings and furnishings have been introduced over the years. The lectern, altar and west doors of the church, are known to have been made by Francis Jude Jones (died 1937) in the first decade of the 20th century. Others, such as the Commandment Boards to either side of the reredos, the pulpit and maybe the bench ends seem to be somewhat earlier, but later than the structure of the church. Perhaps Jude Jones (1844-1919), the estate carpenter and father of Francis Jude Jones had a hand in some of this work (was he perhaps in turn related to the architect?).
In 1941 the Stanmer estate was requisitioned by the War Department, and the Pelham family and all those living in the estate cottages were forced to leave. The park became a training ground for battalions of Canadian soldiers later involved in the Normandy landings. During this use the church was protected with sandbags but still retains some scars from that time. After the war the Pelhams sold the estate to Brighton Council.
The site is clearly of considerable archaeological potential and reference should be made to the SMR before any development is contemplated.
Exterior Description
The church is designed in the Early English style, and despite the giveaway slender, “weak” tower typical of the early phase of the Gothic Revival is remarkably correct in its detail, and represents an important point in the development of true Victorian Gothic. The proportions are also excellent, it is a truly graceful, if quite modest, building.
Externally the architecture is symmetrical and simple. The west tower is of three stages, the lower stage with a pointed doorway of two chamfered orders with a hoodmould to headstops. The stage above, which is not demarcated in any way, has a slender lancet in the west face and a clock in the south. Buttresses of two weatherings climb to a string course demarcating the belfry stage, which has large lancets with hoodmoulds as the doorway. The crenellated parapet is corbelled out, the corbel table simply moulded, behind this the slender octagonal spire rises like a long needle, almost as tall as the rest of the tower, topped by a weathervane with “Pelham buckle”.
The nave, transept and slightly lower chancel bays are demarcated by single cusped lancets, there are stepped triple lancet windows in the outer faces of the transepts and in the east wall. The chancel east corners have short gabletted angle buttresses. Corbel table throughout as with the tower parapet, coped and shouldered gables. There is a pointed doorway in the east wall of the south transept, and 18th-century wall tablets set onto the walls.
Building Fabric and Features
Cruciform Plan
Tower (component)
19th century acting as porch, west end
Nave
19th century
Chancel
19th century
Spire
19th century shingled
Building Materials
Flint
19th century
Stone
19th century dressings
Slate
19th century roofs
Shingle
19th century spire
Interior
Interior Description
Inside the church is as little changed as it is outside. Looking up and west, stairs on the south side lead to the west gallery, which has two slender columns supporting a wooden front with blind cusped lancets, and houses an attractively quaint organ with Gothick case, otherwise crammed with benches.
The chancel arch and transept arches have continuous mouldings and simple capitals, the windows are shafted with capitals, of one order. The nave roof is an arch braced structure with struts with cusped open tracery infill supporting a gabled boarded ceiling, the braces taken down to moulded corbels. Looking east, the nave is fully pewed, very nice benches with poppyhead ends, with similar choir stalls to the east of the openings to the transepts. The quality of the carpentry is high.
There are several memorials to members of the Pelham family in the south transept, which is basically a memorial chapel to this family, these include a dedicated wooden hearse. The north transept is used as a sacristy and vestry, behind a panelled screen. The chancel is very attractive, well-lit including the attractive stained glass in the east window, with encaustic tiles and a stone reredos, again gilded, flanked by oak commandment boards with gilded lettering. There is also an 18th-century ledger slab in the floor in front of the altar.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century Oak table.
Reredos
19th century Tripartite carved stone reredos with blind cusped lancets. Takes up the whole width of the east window, appears to have been added in the mid 19th century. Flanked by oak panelling with commandments.
Pulpit
20th century The pulpit is of oak, hexagonal with carved tracery panels, 1906.
Lectern
20th century Wooden lectern, 1906, presented by T H W P in memory of his brothers Walter and Francis, the 5th and 6th Earls (carved into side panel).
Font (component)
19th century Stone font, octagonal bowl, initialled CP.
Stained Glass (window)
19th century The east window has the Ascension, donated in memory of the 3rd Earl of Chichester, by Mayer of Munich in 1887.
Inscribed Object
17th - 20th century • Black marble oval tablet on the chancel south wall to Elizabeth and Henry Scrase, died 1732, 1793. Coat of arms on apron. • Brass on the north chancel wall, Deborah Goffe 1626,“the wife of Stephen Goffe preacher“. • Ledger slab in the chancel of Edward Michelbourne, died 1700. • White marble tablet, Revd Thomas Baker 1831, north wall chancel. • South nave wall. Square marble tablet in memory of Henry Thomas, 3rd Earl of Chichester, died 1856. Builder of this church, Lord Lt of Sussex, President of the Church Missionary Society. The window was dedicated in his memory by his siblings and children in 1887. • On the north wall of the nave is a fine Elizabethan wall monument commemorating Sir John Pelham (died 1580) and his young son, Oliver (died 1584). Husband and wife, in whose mournful voice the inscription below is phrased, facing each other kneeling, son behind the father. Brought here from the church of Holy Trinity Minories in the City of London. • Wooden tablet, Jude Jones 1844-1919, north nave wall, nicely carved frame and pediment. • Brass rubbing on linen hung on the south nave wall, priest with chalice. • Royal arms, carved oak, gilded. • External wall tablet in red veined stone: Edward Bland MA, Rector, died 1789. • External wall tablet in red veined stone: Robert Speak died 1792, servant to Right Honourable Lord Pelham.
Clock
19th century Gillett, Bland & co of Croydon.
Organ (component)
19th century Small single manual organ made by W Pilcher of London, originally functioned as a barrel organ, barrels now in baptistery.
Rail
19th century Gothic tracery oak.
Stall
19th century Choir stalls with poppy heads and carved side panels.
Relief
20th century On the north wall of the chancel is a plaster relief of St George commemorating Herbert Lyttelton Pelham who died in 1914 at the Battle of the Aisne.
Bells
Diameter: 26.25" Bell 2 of 2
Founded by Thomas I Mears 1791
Dove Bell ID: 60475 Tower ID: 23718 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers date from 1813.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 336 95
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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