St. James Church, Heyshott, West Sussex, UK - part of The Rother Valley Guide, West Sussex, England, UK

The Rother Valley
West Sussex, England
Heyshott
St James

St. JAMES CHURCH
- HEYSHOTT, WEST SUSSEX -

Revd Chris Boxley
The Rectory, Heyshott, Midhurst
West Sussex - GU29 0DH

01730 814405
boxley@talktalk.net
c_boxley@yahoo.co.uk

map of Heyshott & Cocking

A chapel is known to have existed in Heyshott before 1144.

The church of Heyshott was presumably founded as a chapel to that of St. James at Stedham; it was so styled in 1291 and it continued attached to Stedham until 1882, when it was constituted an independent rectory in the gift of the bishop of Chichester.
Over the south door is the Royal Arms as borne 1714–1800.

Of the three bells
the oldest may be ascribed to William Founder (c. 1400)
another to Anthony Wakefield (d.1605)
and the third is by William Eldridge, 1671.
The registers begin in 1690.
source: 'Heyshott', A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 4: 1953

photo left - Ms Kathryn Burrington - English Heritage

The Font

This dates from the early 13thc. and is located at the western end of the nave. The bowl forms a transition from a square at its base to a circle, with a prominent moulded rim, at the top. On each corner of the square is a moulded capital. The result is a tub font with a spade-shape carved on four sides. The interior is lead lined. A piece of the central shaft, with a drain hole drilled through the centre, is kept inside the bowl. The capitals now stand directly upon a low, square, chamfered plinth rather than upon shafts, which would have been the original arrangement.

click here for full image of font.

Richard Cobden regularly worshipped in Heyshott church
His pew was immediately beneath the pulpit, in which this small brass plate may be noticed.
Cobden plaque, St. James

Photo:- Pam Hadley 2007 - click to enlarge

St James, c.1904 - click for more vintage photos

St. James photo gallery | Memorial window | Headstones at St. James
St. James, Stedham | St. James, Selham | Churches Index

Gravelroots is a locally operated website based at Heyshott in the Rother valley, West Sussex.
Information and images are updated throughout this site on a constant daily basis. If you regularly use or
have visited these pages previously remember to refresh the pages for any new entries...Refresh page
If you came to these pages looking for specific information and were unable to find it, please let us know.

Todays photos, observations and news are tomorrows history, be part of it.
If you have photos, documents or information you wish to submit why not e-mail copies to us & share them with everyone.

Part of the Rother Valley Guide by Gravelroots
Searching for something specific, use the indexes
This site is best viewed in 1024 x 768
using Internet Explorer