St Mary the Virgin, (Battle)

Denomination:

Anglican.

Internet:

A Church Near You (Church of England site for this church).

Address:

Unknown or not given.

Grid reference: 575010, 115785, View on: Google Maps, Open Street Map, Streetmap, National Library of Scotland Map, Magic Maps

Incumbents:

Church of England Clergy Database.

Registers:

Earliest Register: 1610.

Baptisms:

There are 1041 baptisms in the OPC database.

No baptism IGI batches known.

Burials:

There are 881 burials in the OPC database.

No burial IGI batches known.

Marriages:

There are 112 marriages in the OPC database.

No marriage IGI batches known.

Monumental inscriptions:

There are 2 monumental inscriptions in the OPC database.

Images:

POWPics (The New Roughwood Church Album) contains 3 photographs of this church. This album will also display any postcards or other images of the church which are in the Sussex OPC database.

There are 12 images of this church in the OPC database.

Building information:

Built: Unknown or not given.

Current use: Worship.

Corpus of Romanesque Architecture has interesting information about St Mary's Church

Harrison's description (1911):

ST. MARY. Restored by Butterfield in 1845. Late in the 12th century the Norman church, founded by Ralph, Abbot of Battle (1107-1124), was displaced by a larger building, and the round arch in chancel is the only part left of the first church. In turn the Tr.-Nor. church has been altered and enlarged as follows:- Chancel extended, 13th c.; N. chapel and S. aisle, 14th c.; N. aisle, S. chapel, S. porch and tower, 15th c.

The chancel, as at Eastbourne, deviates to the south, and was added with its aisles, or chapels, in E.E. period. The E. end was rebuilt and the arch widened at restoration. There are piscina (with recess) and aumbry. N. chapel was enlarged in 14th c. and has double piscina under ogee arch; and alabaster tomb of Sir Anthony Browne and his wife (1548). South chapel, rebuilt in 15th c. has a piscina under cusped arch; and, on one of the niches in E. wall, a wheel carved, emblem of St Katherine, to whom the chapel was probably dedicated.

The nave (Tr.-Nor.) has fine arcade with pillars alternately round and octagonal; capitals with foliage, clerestory of lancets over the pillars; roof, waggon-shaped (the old canted tie beams were cut away at the restoration). The bases of the piers in the nave have been tampered with. The capitals cannot compare with the finely carved work, nearly contemporary, at New Shoreham and Steyning. (Note one on south side, carved before it was put up, and then irregularly fitted together.) N. aisle was widened in 15th c. and has Perp. windows with old stained glass; doorway of rood-loft staircase; two chests; and a small skewed lancet, high up, W. of blocked-up N. doorway, which may have been a "leper's" squint, or for a hermit's cell outside the aisle.

Note the brasses - Sir John Lowe in full-plate armour (1426); Dean Clere (1440 ?d.1452); Dean Wythines (1615); Wm. Arnold (1435); Elizabeth Haye (1597); Elizabeth Alfraye (circa 1600).

Font, late Nor. On N. wall of clerestory are faint traces of mural paintings. Communion plate includes chalice (1592), small chalice and paten (1691), two alms dishes (1691), flagon (1705). The tower and S. porch were rebuilt in 15th c.; N. door (blocked-up) has two sculptured heads at ends of label; the fine W. door is E.E. In the churchyard, near the east end of the church, is the grave of Isaac Ingall, a servant of the abbey, who died in 1798, aged 120.

Documents:

There is 1 document concerning this church in the OPC database.

Publications:

There is 1 book about this church in the Sussex OPC Bibliography.

There are 4 articles about this church in the OPC Sussex Archeaological Collections Index.

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