St Wulfran's Church, Ovingdean
St Wulfran's Church | |
---|---|
Chichester | |
Deanery | Rural Deanery of Brighton |
Parish | Ovingdean |
Clergy | |
Rector | Father Richard Tuset |
St Wulfran's Church, dedicated to the 7th-century French
History
A church existed in Ovingdean at the time of the Domesday Book,[1] which recorded it as an ecclesiola ("little church").[3] This was rebuilt in the early 12th century, and most sources agree that no trace of the Saxon-era building remains.[1][3] The 12th-century chancel and nave form the basis of the present structure. A tower was added at the west end in the 13th century,[2] as was an aisle on the south side (reached by twin archways cut through from the nave).[1] This aisle no longer exists, and its fate is uncertain; however, ancient scorch marks and discoloured brickwork in the south wall of the nave suggest fire damage by the same French raiders who destroyed neighbouring Rottingdean's St Margaret's in 1377. (A stone tablet in the church also makes this claim.)[1][3]
There were no significant alterations for several centuries after the tower was added, apart from a porch on the south side in the early 19th century, but like many ancient churches in the Brighton area St Wulfran's was subjected to a
A chapel was built on the south side in 1907.[6] One had been planned since the 12th-century rebuild, when an archway intended to lead to it was provided in the wall of the chancel.[1] A vestry was added in an architecturally complementary style in the mid-1980s.[2][6][7]
The churchyard surrounds the church on three sides, and is home to an ancient
The dedication to Wulfram of Sens (in any spelling) is very rare. Only one other extant church in England bears it:
Architecture
St Wulfran's Church is built entirely of
There are lancet windows of various sizes on all sides of the church and in the tower.[2] Kempe's stained glass can be found in one of the tower windows, the south chapel, the north wall (three windows) and the south wall (two).[4] Internally, there are several arches, some with pointed tops and chamfering; in particular, there are three arched entrances to the chapel on the south side, and a blocked entrance to the former south aisle.[2]
The churchyard is entered on the east side through a steep-roofed lychgate with recessed seating. "Holiness unto the Lord" is carved on one of the wooden beams.
The church today
St Wulfran's received its Grade I listing on 13 October 1952.[2] The parish covers a rural area; Ovingdean village is the only significant area of housing. It reaches the southern boundary of Woodingdean, the eastern boundary of the Whitehawk estate and the northern edge of Rottingdean, and incorporates East Brighton Golf Club and surrounding areas of downland.[12]
There are two
See also
Notes
- ^ Charles was born with the surname Kemp, but added the e later.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Dale 1989, p. 205.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Historic England. "Church of St Wulfran, Greenways (west side), Ovingdean (Grade I) (1380550)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Whiteman & Whiteman 1998, p. 116.
- ^ a b c d e Dale 1989, p. 206.
- ^ Dale 1989, p. 140.
- ^ a b c d e Dale 1989, p. 207.
- ^ a b c "Church History". St Wulfran's Church, Ovingdean. 2013. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ "Welcome to Volk's Electric Railway—the official site of the Volk's Electric Railway Association". Volk's Electric Railway Association. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ Drury, Jennifer (21 September 2008). "St Wulfran's churchyard: The history of 'God's acre' at Ovingdean". My Brighton and Hove (c/o QueensPark Books). Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ a b Carder 1990, §116.
- ^ "Dorrington". Archbishops' Council. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ "Ovingdean". A Church Near You website. Archbishops' Council. 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ "Services". St Wulfran's Church, Ovingdean. 2013. Archived from the original on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
Bibliography
- Carder, Timothy (1990). The Encyclopaedia of Brighton. Lewes: East Sussex County Libraries. ISBN 0-861-47315-9.
- Dale, Antony (1989). Brighton Churches. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-00863-8.
- Whiteman, Ken; Whiteman, Joyce (1998). Ancient Churches of Sussex. Seaford: S.B. Publications. ISBN 1-85770-154-2.