Hurstpierpoint: St George
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 286 164
A small Gothic flint-faced chapel tucked away in a small churchyard off St George’s lane, the church was built in 1852 as a non-conformist chapel by the landowner Charles Smith Hannington. The family later joined the Church of England and the church was licenced for public worship in 1867, but the chapel remained in the family and the first vicar was James, later Bishop Hannington, later martyred in Uganda, an event commemorated within the church. The church is designed in the early Decorated style, and is very simple, this and the dimensions are suggestive of its non-conformist origin.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
4-bay nave with west porch, south vestry, chancel.
Dimensions:
Nave estimated to be c 17m (57ft) x 7m (23ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was built in 1852 as a non-conformist chapel by the landowner Charles Smith Hannington. The family later joined the Church of England and the church was licenced for public worship in 1867, but the chapel remained in the family and the first vicar was James, later Bishop Hannington, later martyred in Uganda, an event commemorated within the church. The chapel was repaired and became a chapel-of-ease to Holy Trinity after it was conveyed to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1892 (presumably the vestry and organ loft were added at this date), though it was not consecrated until 1948. Somewhat later the muted Victorian decorative scheme was whitewashed over, and a stone belcote which rose from the north-west corner of the nave was demolished, and the bell sold.
There is evidence for prehistoric, particularly Iron Age, and Roman, Saxon and Medieval settlement in the immediate area of the church. The Pierrepont family were granted the manor after the conquest and were among the most extensive landholders in Sussex, confirmed by the Domesday Book entry for Herst as it was then known. The town prospered through the Medieval period, and later became a stop for coaches on the Brighton-London road. Hurstpierpoint College, a noted boarding school, was founded in the 18th century and is still a major feature of the town today, which has remained modest in size.
The church site is in an area of archaeological potential and reference should be made to the Sites and Monuments Record before any development of the site is contemplated.
Exterior Description
The church is designed in the early Decorated style, and is very simple, this and the dimensions are suggestive of its non-conformist origin. What detail there is has been concentrated on the exterior. Angle buttresses with two weatherings to the corners and to each bay, finial crosses to the gables. Fish-scale tiles employed in bands for decorative effect.
The west end has a narrow gabled porch with plain pointed outer and inner doorways, and a pointed light in each side wall. Flanking this in the west end of the nave are 2-light windows with quatrefoils in the heads and hoodmoulds with floriate stops, and there is a large rose window, almost a wheel window of eight arms in the gable head.
There is a similar 2-light window to each bay of the nave, which is higher and slightly wider than the chancel. The chancel east window has, most unusually, the same arrangement as the west end, except the roundel in the head is of different design, a plain cinquefoil. There is a pointed priest’s door in the north wall of the chancel. The vestry is a separate gabled block, with a plain pointed doorway and equally plain roundel above in the west wall, and two plain lancets with a roundel in the gable in the east end. Moulded stack.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century 4-bay
Porch
19th century west
Vestry
19th century south
Chancel
19th century
Building Materials
Flint
19th century walls
Cement
19th century dressings
Stone
19th century red, dressings to vestry
Clay
19th century tile roof
Interior
Interior Description
Moving inside, the interior is very simple indeed, whitewashed, the only colour provided by stained glass in the nave and chancel and blue carpet in the chancel. The window arches and pointed chancel arch are plain. The open roof to the nave has scissor-braces to a collar taken down to plain corbels, plain roof to chancel and vestry. The floors are of wood.
There is an organ gallery with attractively carved oak tracery front suspended on iron piers at the west end, with the font tucked in underneath. Wooden Commandment Boards painted blue with arched heads nearby on the north wall. The nave is fully pewed with plain deal benches, oak choir stalls with poppyheads. The chancel is virtually the Hannington family memorial chapel with several wall tablets. Panelling around the sanctuary. Pointed door to the vestry.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
20th century Wooden table with lettering 'do this in remembrance of me'.
Reredos
20th century Oak panelling with cusped blind tracery around the sanctuary walls.
Pulpit
20th century The pulpit is of oak, hexagonal with carved open tracery panels.
Lectern
20th century Wooden eagle lectern. Given in memory of Lt Col Matthias OBE died 1948.
Font (component)
20th century Stone font, octagonal bowl with chevron around the rim, round stem, 13th century style. Oak cover 1952.
Stained Glass (window)
19th century Floral and foliate patterns in the nave windows, colourful and of good quality, all slightly different, mid-late 19th-century. The symbols of the Four Evangelists in the east windows and pelican in the roundel above are less good and probably somewhat later.
Plaque (component)
19th / 20th century • Plain brass plaque with red marble frame in memory of James Hannington Bishop of Equatorial Africa, executed in Uganda on the orders of King Mwanga in 1885. Framed photograph in the vestry. • Brass plaque in the nave to Admiral Sir Lewis Beaumont, died 1922.
Inscribed Object
20th century • Mottled stone tablet to his son James Edward Meopham Hannington, also missionary in Uganda, died 1950. • White pedimented stone tablet to the Hannington family 1797-1932 by Bennetts of Brighton.
Organ (component)
20th century Two manual organ, c 1900 restored in 1946 by Morgan & Smith of Brighton.
Rail
20th century Wrought iron, with oak hand rail.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 286 164
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.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
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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