Worthing
West Sussex
753/23/72 DURRINGTON HILL 11-OCT-49 (West side) DURRINGTON CHURCH OF ST SYMPHORIAN (Formerly listed as: DURRINGTON HILL DURRINGTON ST SYMPHORIAN'S) (Formerly listed as: DURRINGTON HILL DURRINGTON DURRINGTON CHURCH (ST SYMPHORIAN'S)) II Parish church.
1914-1919 incorporating the remains of a C13 chapel.
Tile roof.
PLAN: The nave is a single wide span but divides into two at the W end, respecting the archaeology of the C13 building.
EXTERIOR: Very little remains visible of the C13 fabric.
The N side, which preserves some C13 fabric (seen in internal window splays) is buttressed with four lancet windows.
Visible C13 evidence is in the splays of one of the N side lancets.
One splay includes a Saxon masonry fragment.
The E wall incorporates a re-sited medieval trefoil-headed piscina.
FITTINGS: Font with a scalloped white marble bowl on a round stem on a square section plinth.
Polygonal timber pulpit, commemorative date of 1958, with panelled sides on tall reeded shafts.
Interesting stained glass including the NW window, dated 1929 with a portrait head and SW War Memorial window in a C14 spirit.
HISTORY: A church is known to have existed at Durrington in 1086, which was presumably then, as later, a chapel of the parish of West Tarring, to which Durrington was a chapelry.
It comprised a nave and chancel, apparently of the mid C13.
It fell out of use during the Civil War when it was badly damaged and in 1680, in response to a petition, the inhabitants were excused rebuilding the chapel and allowed to attend West Tarring parish church instead.
Further interest is provided by the stained glass windows. * the historical interest of the main phases of this church being constructed during the First and Second World Wars, as well as the incorporation of the remains of a ruined C13 chapel, also contribute to its significance.