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Holy Trinity

Holy Trinity

Cuckfield

West Sussex

Built on foundations of C12 church. C1250.

Architectural Features

1330-40, lengthening of the nave by 1 bay to east, additions of north aisle of 4 bays and enlargement of chancel with North and South chapels to match width of nave aisles and raising of clerestory above nave.

Bell chamber of West tower probably added 1330-40. c1460 chancel and nave given new roof and ceiling and chapel and aisle walls heightened.

Late C16 or early C17 Sergison chapel added.

Chancel: C13

C14.

C14 arcades on North and South of 2 bays with hexagonal pillars with responds to match, mainly moulded capitals and bases and 2 centred arches.

C13 piscina in South wall, with trefoiled head to inner order, carried on shafted jambs with moulded braces and capitals.

Mid C19 East window of 5 lights and tracery of late C13 character.

C14 restored east window of 3 trefoiled lights and vertical tracery in 2 centred head with external hood-mould and hollow-chamfered four centred rear arch.

C16 doorway into vestry with depressed Tudor arch.

Sergison Chapel: Late C16 or early C17.

Doorway with C15 moulded jambs reset and modern Tudor arch and old 4 centred chamfered rear arch.

Nave: Mid C13

C14.

C14 north arcade of 4 bays with hexagonal pillars.

3 western bays of south arcade are mid C13 and have cylindrical pillars with plain capitals and moulded abaci and bases.

Above the arcades are original C14 clerestory windows (now blocked by aisle roofs on outside), quatrefoils with inner splays and segmental-pointed rere-arch.

North Aisle: Mid C14.

Mainly C19 windows but 3rd window west of doorway is of 3 elliptically headed lights, probably early C16, partially restored.

South Aisle: mid C14.

West Tower: Mid C13

mid C14.

At 2 west angles are C15 diagonal buttresses of 3 stages of rough squared ashlar with plain offsets and chamfered plinths.

C14 archway to nave has semi-octagonal responds of small courses with moulded bases and capitals and a pointed head of 2 chamfered orders of small voussoirs.

North Porch: C19 except for middle tie- beam which may be C15.

Structural timber-framing with carved bargeboards having Tudor rose emblem.

South Porch: Late C19 except for C15 truss with cambered tie-beam and curved braces.

5 sided ceilings divided into panels by moulded ribs with bosses at inter-sections, variously carved.

Panels covered by C19 painting and corbels have C19 angels holding shields.

Furnishings: Font probably C13 having round bowl which has been patched and relined with lead, carried on modern shafts.

Monumental Brasses: (1) Gerald Borell d.

1509, Archdeacon of Chichester and Vicar of Cuckfield.

Mural Monuments and Tablets: Many, including Ninian Burrell in south chapel, a kneeling effigy in recess with curtains held open by standing angels

Charles Sergison Commissioner of the Navy on north side of sanctuary, a sarcophagus with seated figure of truth holding a plaque carved with his portrait, also supported by a cherub by Thomas Adey