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The Parish Church of St Mary

The Parish Church Of St Mary

Sompting

West Sussex

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 08/01/2013 TQ 10 NE 2/27 12.10.54 SOMPTING CHURCH LANE The Parish Church of St Mary I C11 to C12.

SAXONC11C12C14C15C16

Architectural Features

Typical Saxon triangular headed windows can be seen as well as the Saxon long and short work in the vertical pilaster strips. Roman tiles from a derelict villa can also be seen.
SAXON

Tower entirely early Cll and the only English example of a Saxon tower with a four-sided shingled roof or 'Rhenish helm'.

Typical Saxon triangular headed windows can be seen as well as the Saxon long and short work in the vertical pilaster strips. Roman tiles from a derelict villa can also be seen.

© Michael Garlick

C12C15C16

The remainder of the church is late C12 with late C15 or early C16 windows.

C12

The north west chapel was built by the Knights Templar after 1154 as a separate chapel from the church

C14

was opened up into the church by the Knights Hospitallers in the C14.

C16

It fell into ruins soon after the dissolution of that order in 1538.

SAXON

The church contains some importent examples of Saxon sculpture.

SAXON

References Anglo Saxon Architecture H M and J Taylor Vol II 558-62 Cambridge 1965.