St Mary
Goring-by-Sea
West Sussex
WORTHING 753/24/82 SEA LANE AND ILEX WAY 11-OCT-49 GORING BY SEA (North side) CHURCH OF ST MARY, GORING (Formerly listed as: GORING ROAD GORING BY SEA ST MARY'S CHURCH, GORING) (Formerly listed as: GORING ROAD GORING BY SEA GORING BY SEA CHURCH (ST MARY'S) II* Church, of Norman origins, largely demolished in 1836 and rebuilt to the designs of Decimus Burton, retaining the piers of the Norman arcade, the lower parts of the chancel arch and, according to the church guide, the N and S walls to window sill level.
Architectural Features
All windows with Decorated style tracery and hoodmoulds with carved label stops: 2- and 3-light to the aisles, the chancel window 5-light.
2-centred moulded W doorway with detached shafts and carved label stops.
A sculpted figure of Christ on the S wall is a World War I memorial.
The volute-carved capitals appear to have been re-cut if not wholly of 1838.
Plain chamfered chancel arch: unplastered masonry below the springing of the arch appears to be C12.
Flat plastered nave roof in the Gothick tradition, divided into 6 large panels by moulded ribs with shallow Tudor arched braces, pierced trefoils in the spandrels and pretty coloured vine bosses.
The chancel roof is similar in character but Tudor arched in profile.
Unusual font with a round bowl, the base carved, and deep vertical mouldings to the stem.
1888 polygonal timber pulpit with traceried panels.
Early C18 monument to Susan Cook with a lively bust
large white marble monument by Chantrey to Isabella Lyon, d.1836.
E ends of aisles with stained glass windows by Powell.
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: This church is of special interest as a handsome 1838 design by Decimus Burton which retains the Norman piers, although re-tooled, and some walling of the original church.
The 1888 reordering of the interior complements the pretty Gothick interior, and it has a number of interesting monuments.