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The first priest at Willingdon on record is Godfrey, mentioned in the Domesday Book. He was a sub-tenant of Robert, Count of Mortain, and held one hide and one virgate of land, about 100 acres. Before the Conquest in 1066, the Manor was held by Earl Godwin. It was granted to Robert, who was a benefactor of the Abbey of Grestain in Normandy.

Bishop Seffrid of Chichester in 1200 refers to a church here and Bishop Simon, two years later, to a vicarage, with endowments to the Priory of Wilmington, an offshoot of Grestain.

After the confiscation of the monasteries in 1413, Willingdon was granted by the King to the Dean and Chapter of Chichester.

Two bombs caused extensive damage to the church in June and July 1944, including extensive damage to the roof and the destruction of most of the windows in the south wall. In 1946-47 the church interior was redecorated and many alterations carried out.

The ancient dedication of the church is lost, however in 1946 the Bishop of Chichester dedicated the church to St Mary in recognition of the previous existence of a Lady Chapel.

Sir Freeman Freeman-Thomas the 1st Marquess of Willingdon of Ratton was the Governor General of Canada from 1926 to 1931. He was born in England in 1866 and his family appear in the registers of the church.

Alciston is a small village which lies on the edge of the South Downs in East Sussex in Southern England.

The chalk built church was founded by the Saxons, and evidence of their building has been found under the east window. The internal walls of the chancel clearly show truncated arches, sure indication that the building was shortened in antiquity.

Alciston has the remains of a 14th century monastery which was owned by the Abbey at Battle. The impressive dovecote from the monastery has been restored. The 170ft long tithe barn has a roof containing 50,000 tiles. Both buildings are visible in this photograph.

Alfriston is a well know village between Brighton and Eastbourne, famous for its pre-reformation 'Clergy House' which is now owned by the National Trust. The quaint high street is home to the remains of a medieval market cross and the Star Inn. The Inn has been victim in recent years to the plague of our ancient high streets, the motor car, however it has been fully restored. The village is a popular destination for tourists and visitors.

Here is a view of the high street during a lull in the traffic. The 14th century cruciform church is dedicated to St Andrew and is on a raised mound next to the village green.

Angmering is an inland village on the coastal plain in West Sussex some 2 miles from the sea and located midway between the towns of Worthing and Littlehampton.

There are indications of Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements within a few hundred metres of the village centre plus the remains of a substantial Roman Villa. Angmering’s name derives from a later Saxon settlement.

The parish is large, having been a combination of three parishes prior to the Dissolution. One of these was Bargham which was lost following decimation by the Black Death. The parish is well populated in the south, but the northern parts comprise woodland and down land with some isolated farms.

Two manors are identifiable in the Domesday Survey, but a little later five existed, namely, East Angmering, West Angmering, Ham, Ecclesden, and Bargham.

St Margaret’s church has 12th Century origins but was substantially re-built in 1853 by William G K Gratwicke, a well known race horse owner of Ham Manor. The tower, however, dates from 1507. The church is a Grade II* Listed Building as is the remaining part of New Place, the 16th Century manor of West Angmering. The parish contains a further 76 Listed Buildings and Structures.

New Place was the seat of the Palmer family, one branch of which later built Parham House. Sir Thomas Palmer sold his Angmering estates to Sir Thomas Bishopp of Parham in 1615. Another prominent family were the Gratwickes, descended from wealthy iron-masters, who acquired Ham Manor in the 16th Century and who went on to hold it for 300 years.

The name Ashburnham , probably derives from the Saxon "Ashbourne", the local stream, and "ham", an enclosure, so becoming "The enclosure on the river Ashbourne".

Ashburnham is mentioned in the Domesday book, as being badly effected by the Normans, who reduced its value from £6.00 prior to the invasion to £1.00 after the invasion. Its value increased back to £9.00 by the time of the Domesday survey, probably due to the Iron workings nearby.

The Parish Church, dedicated to St Peter, was rebuilt in 1665 in the Gothic Style. Only the 14th century tower was left unmodified.

In the 12th century records show that Reginals de Oseburnham granted lands in Ashburnham to the Abbey in Robertsbridge. The village was controlled by the Ashburnham family from the 1100's until 1953, when Lady Catherine Asburnham died.

The Iron blast furnace owned by the Crowley family at Ashburnham was the last one in Sussex to be extinguished in 1813.

Situated some distance from the village, at Ponts Green, is Ashburnham Chapel.

Ardingly is a small village four miles north from Haywards Heath.

St Peter's church has some of the finest Medieval brasses to be found anywhere in England.

The village also has a Congregational Church.

The village is well know these days as being the location of the South of England show ground, the Royal Botanical Gardens at Wakehurst Place and the home of one of the largest private schools in the area, Ardingly College.

There are no photos available for Albourne as yet.

Albourne is a small village near Hurstpierpoint. The parish church is much restored however there is an unusual 13th century pointed arch behind the altar.

The 17th century Bishop's Palace in the village is supposed to have been built by Archbishop Juxon, who attended Charles I at his execution and escaped the Roundhead soldiers by disguising himself as a bricklayer. The house contains a priest's hole.

Yapton is four miles away from Littlehampton. The 13th century church is built on Saxon foundations and has a fine 14th century porch. There are good carvings on the capitals of the nave pillars. The church also contains an unusually large Norman font.

Just two miles north west of Midhurst, Woolbeding is situated in beautiful surroundings. The nave walls of the parish church are adorned with Saxon pilaster strips.