Titsey: St James
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 409 549
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
An aisleless nave with an entrance porch at the south west and a tower with spire at its south east. The chancel has an organ chamber and vestry on the north side which overlap: its junction with the nave. Adjoining them on the east is a mortuary chapel which opens off the chancel.
Description of Archaeology and History
The mediaeval parish church of Titsey, a largely early 13th century structure, stood in the garden of Titsey Place until it was demolished and replaced by an edifice with classical features outside the park on the present site in 1775-6. William Leveson Gower, the patron, was determined to erect a church which conformed more with the spirit of the first building, and, at his request, J.L. Pearson came in January 1859 to survey sites for a new church. Plans for a church on the same site were ready early in 1860. The foundation stone was laid in February and the work was completed for the Consecration in November 1861. The builder was Carruthers of Reigate. Pearson maintained the connection with Titsey through the 1860s.
Exterior Description
Titsey is an interesting example of Ruskin's influence on Pearson. The tower stands beside the nave unengaged with the aisles and unbuttressed except at the base, although there is nothing distinctly Italianate in the tower or the traditional and finely proportioned shingled Sussex pathless spire. Ruskin's advocacy of colour is expressed, not in a Butterfieldian polychromy, but in yelloms, greens, greys and pinks which are soft and harmonious in tone. The upper parts of the internal walls are patterned with coloured bands, roundels, stars, lozenges and other geometric shapes.
The church is built of local Limpsfield sandstone with dressings of Bath stone. The spire is covered with cedar shingles and the roof trusses of nave and chancel are of Baltic red deal.
The style of Gothic used by Pearson for Titsey was described by the Ecclesiologist as early Middle-Pointed; Pearson characteristically made use of plain lancets, such as the triple lancet east window together with a little plate tracery. The west end is pierced by two lancets set beneath a heavily cusped quatrefoil inscribed within a circle. The nave windows consist of two lights with an encircled trefoil in plate tracery at the head. The long south porch is lit by similar quatrefoils. The mortuary chapel east window is a stepped three light composition. The chancel southern lights are single lancets. The most elaborate fenestration appears in the tower where the south window bears a sexfoil above three lancets and where the unlouvred bell stage is pierced on all sides by two-light openings recessed behind shafted, hood-moulded arches.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1872
East window of 1872 depicting scenes of the Passion and Resurrection. By Clayton & Bell.
Stained Glass
1884
The west window of 1884 illustrating the Nativity, both in vivid reds and blues. By Clayton & Bell.
Stained Glass
The east window of the chapel which is an unusual essay showing the genealogy and alliances of the Leveson and Gower families.
Stained Glass
c.1570
The south window of the tower incorporates panels of domestic glass depicting the Gresham arms and crest.
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is faced with Bath stone, as at Catherston Lewiston, 1858, but it is enriched with bands of green Godstone firestone. The upper parts of the Walls have panels of coloured stone, which, together with all the internal shafting are of red Devonshire and green Galway marble. Appropriately, the eastern parts aremore heavily enriched. The church is floored with encaustic tiles.
The nave has an arch braced roof strengthened by wind braces the porch roof is similar, the chancel roof is arch braced and boarded and rests on carved corbel heads, and the tower roof is a flat boarded type. The mortuary chapel is covered by two unequal bays of stone quadripartite rib-vaulting.
The chancel arch is of three orders and rests on shafts with foliate capitals, whilst the tower arch, by contrast merely dies into the responds. The eastern triple lancet is hoodmoulded and divided by marble shafts with shaft rings; It rises above two bands of sculptured decoration, the lower consisting of coloured stones set in sunk quatrefoils and incorporating the heads of the five arcaded cusped arches of the architecutral reredos. These rest on short colonettes with shaftill, shaft rings and frame small panels with symbols.
The comparative plainness of the ornament apart from the chapel arch, typifies Pearson's desire to contrast plain areas of walling and simple shapes with a few enriched areas, which bear a considerable variety of sculpture and foliation. The chapel arch was constructed as a canopy to the Granville Leveson Gower tomb and replaced a simpler tripartite arch. Although designed by Pearson, it was not executed until after his death, by his son Frank. It consists of a segmental arch with drop tracery, surmounted by foiled circles in which are carved heraldic shields and angel figures holding scrolls.
Fixtures and fittings
Pulpit
The wooden arcaded drum-type Pulpit with diaper work and foliation in the lights was carved to Pearson's designs by Rattee and Kett with the Gresham family motto along the lip.
Rail
The design of the oak Communion Rails with trefoil—headed lights was taken from those still surviving from the mediaeval church.
Organ (object)
1895
Two-manual, overhauled by Hills in 1895, is supported on stone breickets, a device favoured by Pearson. The case of oak and metalwork leaves most of the coloured pipework exposed.
Font (object)
A square bowl with some nailhead decoration around the rim and bands of foliage at the base, stands on a diagonally placed white marble stem flanked by four marble colonettes with waterleaf spurs on a square chamfered base.
Brass
1579
William Gresham, 1579, and his wife Beatrice, in civil dress kneeling before prayer desks. Shields and achievements of arms on the same slab.
Brass
An indent slab of Sussex marble, early 16th century, intended for two kneeling figures with mouth scrolls addressed to a representation of the Trinity.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 409 549
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 | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
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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