Diameter: 26.13" Bell 1 of 3
Founded by John Tonne 1536
Dove Bell ID: 51282 Tower ID: 18520 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Botolphs: St Botolph
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 193 92
This ancient church is a small, charmingly simple flint building with a west tower, nave and chancel and a tiny brick south porch. The church is in the south-east corner of the rectangular churchyard and the chancel is hard up against the east boundary, where the land falls away to the river beyond a hedge. The chancel arch and nave are Late Saxon. The parish appears to have been in the Manor of Annington, mentioned as early as 956.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
West tower, 3-bay nave, south porch, chancel.
Dimensions:
Nave 12m long, 5m wide.
Footprint of Church buildings: 164 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
A Lower Palaeolithic handaxe was found in a trench 0.8 metres deep to the west of the Adur, south east of Annington House, ½ mile north-west of the church. There are Saltern mounds (left over from salt-making) on the valley bottom dating from the prehistoric period onwards, and there is a large quarry just south of Botolphs. Roman bricks and pottery have been found on Annington Hill, St Botolph’s Down, considered to be possibly the site of a Roman villa.
The chancel arch and nave are Late Saxon. The parish appears to have been in the Manor of Annington, mentioned as early as 956. Botolphs is not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, but the church is probably that mentioned under Annington, owned by William de Braose (Brasenose), 1st Lord of Bramber, who handed it over to St Florent de Saumur together with Beeding Priory and St Nicholas, Bramber. It passed to Sele Priory by 1100. The Normans rededicated the church to St Peter De Veteri Ponte, but the old dedication eventually prevailed. The advowson of Botolphs belonged to Sele priory until the late 15th century when it passed, with the other possessions of the priory, to Magdalen College, Oxford. A priest is recorded c 1150.
The north wall of the nave has blocked arches of the arcade of a former 13th-century aisle. The stubs remain at each end. The chancel was lengthened and the tower added in the 13th century, most of the windows were altered or replaced in the 14th. The building and site has exceptional archaeological potential and therefore reference should be made to the Historic Environment Record and contact made with the County Archaeologist if any development of the site or building is being considered.
The north aisle was demolished by 1830. The porch was added in 1897, during restoration works at this time traces of mural paintings were first recorded.
Exterior Description
The tower provides some vertical emphasis, and in the gently rolling countryside this simple and charming church can be seen from some distance. The tower has a pyramid cap, and a single lancet opening above a central buttress to the west face. Small slit window to reach side wall. Brass weathervane and iron clamps.
The south nave wall has side-alternate quoins, probably of Late Saxon date. The north wall has three tall round-headed lancets inserted into the blocked arcade bays of the north aisle, apparently done in the early 19th century. The west bay of the south wall has a cusped pointed lancet, east of this a small gabled brick porch. East of this is a single window with pointed head within a round-headed blocked lancet, there are two similar, the western a low-side window, in the south chancel wall, there is also a scratch sun-dial here. Low-side window also in the chancel north wall, some remnants of lime render here. 3-light pointed window with double-cusped reticulated tracery in the chancel east wall.
Building Fabric and Features
Tower (component)
13th century West tower
Chancel
11th century With 13th century lengthening.
Nave
11th century Late Saxon
Porch
19th century Added 1897.
Building Materials
Flint
11th century Coursed flint rubble
Stone
11th century stone dressings
Brick
19th century restoration repairs
Horsham Stone
11th century Horsham stone roof to the nave and tower
Clay
19th century clay tiles to the chancel and porch
Interior
Interior Description
The inner south doorway is round-arched and chamfered, with a boarded and studded door inscribed with the date 1630. The internal walls are plastered, some patches of red and ochre Medieval paintings survive in the nave and around the chancel arch. Some haloed figures can be made out. This may have been a scheme, as can be seen at nearby Coombe church.
The west tower arch is pointed, and has a plank door. Within this, there is a ladder leading to the belfry which has a 16th century bellframe and a possibly contemporary king-post timber roof structure to the pyramid roof.
The blocked north arcade of three bays has columns with plain circular moulded capitals and bases, pointed arches. The windows are deeply recessed with splayed reveals in the thick flint walls. Tiled floor in the nave with several 17th and 18th century ledger slabs in the central alley. There are plain late 19th century benches, and a handsome Jacobean pulpit. 19th century waggon roofs with tie-beams. Attractive iron pendant lamps.
The chancel arch is late Anglo-Saxon (c 1050) and is stylistically related to the earliest phase at Sompting St Mary, where the tower arch is of similar appearance and date. The soffit has a semi-circular roll, joggled at the apex, which decends onto carved corbels or capitals to north and south.
Within the chancel is a section of worn tile floor with an 18th century ledger slab, otherwise 19th century tiles and stone flags and ledger slabs in the sanctuary behind the 18th century communion rails, one step up. There is a pointed 13th century piscina in the south wall and a plain square aumbry in the north.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century Altar table, plain
Reredos
19th century curtain
Pulpit
17th century Softwood pulpit with tester, Jacobean or perhaps Carolean, with lozenge decoration to the panels and rosettes around the tester cornice. A fine piece.
Lectern
19th century Wooden reading desk, with the same decoration as the pulpit, but probably 19th century.
Font (component)
17th century A plain square bowl on a chamfered and heavily plastered brick base. Wooden octagonal cover with ball finial.
Plaque (component)
19th / 20th century Several 19th-century and early 20th-century pedimented white marble tablets commemorating members of the local Penfold family. Christopher Rawson Penfold, son of John Penfold, vicar of Steyning, emigrated to Australia in 1844 and founded Penfold Wines, still a leading brand there.
Bells
Diameter: 28.13" Bell 2 of 3
Founded by John Tonne 1536
Dove Bell ID: 51283 Tower ID: 18520 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Diameter: 31" Bell 3 of 3
Founded by John Tonne 1536
Dove Bell ID: 51284 Tower ID: 18520 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 193 92
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
Sources
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