fo. xliii, v".




Irj.jj,



ani — ^^^ Jtuljo^ C(l3upcj;^ ^ri3f]i0n



AND ITS ANCIENT FONT. 31

a shell, and across his left arm hangs a napkin. The
winf«'ed figure on the right of our Lord no doul)t repre-
sents the angel who is holding the haptismal apparel.
Like the rest of the sculptures, all these figures are rude
in the extreme ; but I think we need entertain no doubt
about accepting the general outline of the above inter-
pretation.

4. The fourth compartment, on the north side of the
font, though it contains two figures only, is the most
obscure of the series. It has been suggested, but I fear
it cannot be proved, that it may possibly represent the
ordinance of marriage. The details of this interpreta-
tion are not convincing, and I need not repeat them.
With this partial exception, I hope we may regard the
mystery of the Brighton font as solved. I propose now
to say a few words on the remarkable black marble fonts
of similar antiquity, which seem to have been brought
over soon after the Conquest from the north-east of
France or from Flanders.

1. To beoin with the font in the cathedral of more
distant Lincoln. For the following account, the structural
part of which applies more or less to all the others, I am
indebted to Prj^centor Venables. " This font consists of
a square basin, supported on a sturdy central cylinder,
with smaller shafts set round, one at each angle. The
whole is supported on a square base. Each of the four
sides of the square basin is carved in low relief with non-
descript animals, couchant, with arborescent tails. They
are maned, and are perhaps intended to represent lions.
They remind one distantly of the animals of the Nineveh
marbles. There are three of these couchant monsters
on the north and south faces, and four on the east and
west faces. The angles of the flat upper surface, between
the circle and the square, are sculptured with a rude
imitation of the Grecian honeysuckle. The capitals of
the sustaining shafts die into the lower part of the basin ;
the bases are formed of wide- spreading leaf-like processes.
The whole is made of black basalt."

In the neighbouring county of Hampshire there are
four of these fonts which claim our attention.

2. One of these, at St. Mary Bourne, near Andover,
is known to me only by a drawing with which I have been



32 THE CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS

favoured by the Vicar, the R,ev. S. J. I. Lockhart.
Structurally, it resembles the other fonts of black basalt
or marble. It appears to be richly covered with symbols
and tracery, but without any records of history or legend.
Two sides are beautifully arcaded. The third and fourth
show graceful combinations of fruit and flowers. Above
one of the arcades, and in two angles of the top, we
find the baptismal symbol of the drinking doves, as on
the font at Winchester.

The other three Hampshire fonts, all of which I have
recently inspected, are at St. Michael's, Southampton, at
East Meon, and in Winchester Cathedral.

3. Of these, the Southampton font, like that at Lin-
coln, presents us mainly with mythical creatures — griffins,
or dragons in their prime, except that one of the circular
compartments, into three of which each side is divided,
contains the figure of a mighty angel ; doubtless St.
Michael, in whose name the church is dedicated.

4. The font at East Meon is wonderfully curious. Two
of the four sides are occupied by symbols ; the other two
contain a series of figures depicting the creation of man,
his temptation, and his expulsion from Paradise. On the
north side we have first the creation of Adam, then that
of Eve out of his side ; next, the temptation, with the
apple and the serpent. On the east side we begin with
a stately building, which must here be presumed to repre-
sent the gates of Paradise. In front of this is the angel
with the sword ; then Adam and Eve, with fig-leaves,
departing from the portal ; next, the commencement of
industries, — an angel reaching out a spade to Adam, and
Eve holding the distaff. The whole work is so similar in
style to that at Winchester that many have supposed them
both to be the production of the same unknown artist,
and presented to both churches by the same great builder.
Bishop Walkelin, though other authorities bring the date
down later by a century, to about a.d. 1180.

5. At Winchester, as at East Meon, two of the four
faces of the font are filled with symbolical figures, such
as the two doves drinking from one phial, and the like.
The other two sides are devoted to the legend of St.
Nicholas; which Milner, after recanting his earlier ac-
quiescence in a dream about Birinus and a Saxon king,
has worked out with a minute care on which no later




liitlS






^on-t — 0'- X^irljolH^j ^^Ijiifci ^rijf^ton



AND TTS ANCIENT FONT. 33

observer, so far as I know, has been able to improve.^
We begin with a conventional building, which, no doubt,
now represents the Cathedral of Myra, where the rescued
sailors recognised their saintly benefactor, and against
the walls of which, as you have just heard, the Evil One
in vain devised that fatal and destructive oil. Before its
portal stands St. Nicholas with mitre and pastoral staff.
Five fiofures are arrano;ed in line in front of him, of whom
the nearest is kneeling, and apparently receiving a purse
at his hands. There can be no doubt that this represents
the most famous of all the St. Nicholas leo-ends, — the
provision which he made, by the gift of three purses of
gold, for the marriage of three poor maidens in sore dis-
tress. The episcopal dress shows a variation in the
legend, for it is more generally represented that the good
deed was performed by the saint in his youth. If that
one of the five figures who kneels before the Bishop
represents the father, then the other four would repre-
sent two of the three bridal pairs (all that there is room
for) to whom his bounty had secured this prospect of
happiness. These figures fill the whole south side of the
font. On the west side we have the record of four other
legends. First, there is a ship with three figures on
board, — a sailor with the rudder, a passenger in despond-
ency, and the saint in prayer. This scene clearly refers
to the miracle by which he was believed to have rescued
sailors in a storm. Next, he is healing sick persons, two
of whom still lie before him, while a third is rising. The
next scene again represents a very famous legend. St.
Nicholas is rescuing three innocent young men from the
axe of the executioner ; and the sculptor seems to catch
the thought, that the heads that were meant to fall
beneath the axe were raised beneath the pastoral staff.
The last scene is thought to represent the posthumous
legend of the youth with the cup which the father sacri-
legiously withheld after devoting it. In one place the
youth lies dead beneath the sea, in another he is restored
to life on the repentance of his father.

To sum up briefly then : at Winchester the sculptured
figures all relate to the legendary history of St. Nicholas.
The sister font at East Meon departs from it entirely,

^ History of Wiii'-Jiester, 2ncl eel., ii, pp. 77-8o.
1886 3



34 THE CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS, ETC.

and depicts the history of that death of sin, from wliich
we are restored through baptism to the new hfe of
righteousness. The sculptures at Lincohi, Southampton,
and St. Mary Bourne, are almost entirely symbolical. In
our font at Brighton the sacramental and legendary are
blended. Two compartments set before us baptism and
the Supper of the Lord. In a third, it has been endea-
voured, but not very successfully, to trace a representa-
tion of marriage. The fourth alone relates to St. Nicholas,
but it sets forth a portion of his legend with unmistak-
able clearness.

I have thought that it might interest you to compare
together these remarkable works of rude and ancient
sculpture, though I am well aware that in many respects
the comparison is rather that of contrast than of like-
ness. The Hampshire fonts are square, and our font is
round. The former all rest on a central cylinder, with
pillars at the four angles. In the case of the latter,
though the base has been evidently altered more than
once, it would appear to have been always carried straight
down into the ground. The former are all made out of
a beautiful black marble, while the latter has been
wrought out of a block of Caen stone. I should like to
add that there is a considerable diflPerence in the work-
manship between the " rich shallow sculpture" of the
Hampshire fonts, and the deep relief employed by the
sculptor of the font in Brighton. But it is difficult to
say how much of this is due to the hardness and sharper
outlines of the costlier material. The mouldings of the
Brighton font appear also to belong to a different class of
art. But they all alike carry us back to an age which
cannot be far removed from the period of the Conquest,
They are all witnesses to beliefs which had many elements
in common. And I hope I may conclude by saying that
they all deserve, and will reward, our most careful atten-
tion, both as bearing testimony to influential forms of
ancient faith, and as illustrating one distinct and remark-
able stage of the early development of art in England.^

^ For the vise of the copper-plates from which two sides of the
Brighton font are engraved, the Association is indebted to the courtesy
of Mr. W. J. Smith, North Street, Brighton. The engravings of the
figures on the other sides of the font are drawn by our able Associate,
Mr. C. Lynam of Stokc-upon-Trent, from photographs by Mr. Edwax-d
Fox, Market Street, Brighton.



35



THE PECULIARITIES OF THE SUSSEX
PARISH CHURCHES.

BY E. P. LOFTUS BROCK, ESQ., F.S.A., HON. SEC.

{Read 18 Aurj. 1885.)

I HAVE had not unfrequently to point out to the members
of this Association that the churches of ahnost every dis-
trict of our country have certain pecuUarities of design
and structure different from those of other locahties.
This is so in an unusual degree in Sussex, where the
buildings have so many features differing from other
churches, that it becomes an inquiry of much interest to
endeavour to indicate these peculiarities, and to trace
their causes.

In Sussex, as in all other localities, the old builders
were guided by certain principles, to which they adhered
with great fidelity. These were to work out the local
requirements with the materials which they found ready
to their hands, or within easy reach, and to adapt these
designs to harmonise with the local surroundings. Thus
true economy was studied, and buildings were erected
which seem to grow out of the landscape, so to speak,
and to be a portion of it. It is true that in an old church
we trace in stone the history of each parish and of the
long gone past, if we have eyes to read the history ; that
we can note many interesting points of art, of heraldry,
of the progress of our faith, of the rise and passage of
local families, costume, and the like. Our gratification
with regard to these and many other matters has often
been told by the poet and the author ; but it is the artist
alone who can trace the charm, greater than all these, of
how fitted each old church is to its own peculiar position,
and how it seems to be a picture, it may be, grouping
admirably with its backing of hills, or its grove of' ancient
trees, or the hamlet around it.

The churches of Sussex are numerous, and they are of
all ages and dates. They are mostly of small size, and a
very large number may be found of a single style. As

3*



36 THE PECULIARITIES

they were built so they have in many cases remained to
our own day, with only such small alterations as the addi-
tion of new windows, doors, or the like; works which are
at once easily recognisable, and which do not interfere
with the ease with which we may trace the original
design.

The local peculiarities may be broadly stated as follow :
small churches, simple designs, the existence of shingled
spires of timber framing (sometimes of large size, but
most frequently of very small dimensions), the absence of
elaborate ornament, the use of low towers (in many cases
covered with pyramidal roofs of so little height that
they cannot be called spires),^ the absence of buttresses,
the use of flint for the walls, and the peculiar, laminated
stone from Horsham for the roof-coverings. The great
weight of this material required the use of timbers
of large size ; but this was of little consequence when so
large a portion of the county was covered with forest
until a comparatively recent period. The presence of so
much timber, so easily obtainable, is the reason of the
existence of the timber-framed spires already referred to.
These are admirable specimens of ancient carpentry, and
are deserving of careful attention. Fine examples of very
early date exist at Horsham, Billingshurst, Wisborough
Green, Lindfield, Lingfield, Rotherfield, and other places.
Instead of these being covered with boarding and lead, so
usual in other timbered spires elsewhere in England,
these are, for the most part, covered with oak-shingle.
Warped and twisted some of these may be, like that at
the parish church of Horsham, yet they stand firm and
strong although the storms of fully five hundred years
have beaten upon them.

Oak is used very liberally in the construction of the
Sussex churches, and in some few cases, as at Newhaven,
the arcadings between nave and aisles — upright timbers

^ With so many examples it is difficult to particularise. The churches
of Clapton, Botulph's, Allbourne, Piecombe, and West Dean, may be
mentioned. The small, pyramid-like roof has the peculiarity of its
slopes being continued to the north and south sides of the tower. The
demolished churches at Hurstpierpoint, Ipiug, Uckfield, and Little-
hampton, were also good typical specimens. A circular church appears
to have existed at St. Sepulchre's, Chichester ; now, like the others,
rebuilt.



OF SUSSEX PARISH CHURCHES. 37

and arches — are wliolly formed of this material During
the repairs to this church, many years ago, it was not
found necessary to do anything to these portions, which
were sound, although some of the walls had to be rebuilt.

The local sandstone is a material of great value as a
building stone, presenting a capital appearance, very
durable, readily worked, and easily obtained. It is unfit
for moulded work, and is seldom used for such. Its pro-
perties have regulated, to a remarkable degree, the de-
signs of the buildings where it is used ; the masons hav-
ing been content with plain chamfers or the like, which
could be readily produced, no attempt having been made
to carry out designs too elaborate for the material, as is
the mistake of many modern works which could be
readily named.

Flint is easily procurable, and the county possesses
many interesting examples of its use ; used roughly, and
most probably plastered over in the earliest examples ;
knapped and used for surface-walling in later ones, or
combined in squares or simple patterns with stone.
There is hardly anything in the county to remind us of
the highly elalDorate flintwork patterns of Norfolk and
Suftblk. The tower of Seaford Church affords a very fair
specimen of the way in which the Sussex builders used
their flintwork ; and it may be a matter of surprise that,
with such good material, no more was attempted.^

The Sussex chalk, if carefully selected, is not a bad
building material, and its use as such is shown by many
existing specimens. Chalk as a backing, and for internal
walls, although not a good material, was of common use,
particularly (strange as it may appear) in Norman times.
We see its use in almost all the recently excavated walls
of Lewes Priory, where the frosts of two or three winters
have shivered the material badly.

Side by side with its use at Lewes we find large quan-
tities of Caen stone of the finest quality. Caen stone
must have been imported in large quantities, for there
is no building of importance in the county where it
is not used, particularly in those of Norman date. It

^ There is a consecration-crosR, neatly worked in flint, under the eapt
window of West Ham Church.



38 THE PECULIARITIES

may be well here to point out that this stone was known
and used in the county before the arrival of the Nor-
mans. The Saxon sundial of Bishopstone Church is
formed of it, as has already been noted in our Journal.
The Saxon door of what must have been the remarkable
church of St. John-sub-Castro, Lewes, is also worked in
Caen stone. We saw, during the Dover Congress, at
Richborough that Caen stone had been used there by
the Romans ; and at Dover either by the Romans or the
Saxons, in the Castle Church. The use of the material
here in Sussex may, therefore, be accepted as evidence
that the intercourse between the countries was suffici-
ently extensive in Saxon times, as well as later, to include
the transit of freestone as an article of commerce. Quarr
Abbey stone is also found, and also the yellow stone
found at Pulborough. It was extensively used at Arundel.
The Saxon churches remaining in Sussex are numerous
and remarkable ; and, indeed, in this respect the county
stands unrivalled, for the churches of this early date in
Northamptonshire, which exceed these in ornamental
detail, are yet different in character. How necessary the
Sussex examples are for unfolding to us what the Saxon
style was a few words will show. The church at Worth is
the most complete Saxon church in the kingdom. We
can trace the workmanship of this early period in all its
walls. It is a cruciform church ; but the transepts are
worked out of the nave, of lesser height, rather than
being of the same form and height as either nave or
chancel, showing that while the designer had the idea of
a cross-church before him, he was a little doubtful as to
the way of carrying it out. There is every appearance
of this church having been in existence long enough for
it to require being added to and altered in Saxon times ;
sufficient to disprove what some would have us believe,
that every Saxon church, if really Saxon at all, must of
necessity be of late date. The fine tower of Sompting
is unique in England, and it is invaluable in relation to
Saxon art. We have no other example in England of a
Saxon tower with its original termination.^ The form of

1 Mr. Bloxam records tliat the spire-roof has been lessened in height.
There is no apparent sign of tliis; and the stone gables which support
it are Saxon to their summits, showing that at any rate the design
has not been very materially altered, if altered at all.



OF SUSSEX PA l{ISII CHURCHES. 39

tills termination is similar to what is so frequently seen
along the banks of the Rhine and in the early German
cathedrals. It has, however, never yet been pointed out
that this example in England is most probably older
than any in Germany the date of which is known.

We may consider that this at Sompting and those in
Germany were inspired by some earlier type which has
ceased to exist. The great size, comparatively, of this
tower, and the form of the roof, which is almost a spire, ■
indicate that the Saxon style had made considerable de-
velopment before the arrival of the Normans, and that
the high-looking steeples figured to us in early MSS. are
likely to have had their foundation in fact.^

The little church at Chidhurst has been called Saxon,
and it may be so ; but I am more than doubtful. It is,
however, a remarkable building ; for it stands on a low
hill artificially scarped, very similar to the site of a Saxon
castle. It has no spire or bell, and the so-called Saxon
chancel-arch has, it is true, the lofty proportion of the
Bolney doorway."

The position of many of these Saxon churches is on a
bold, rising ground, with a good view from certain posi-
tions, showing that the builders were desirous of their
work being seen rather than for it to be hidden in some
sheltered dell for fear of a foreign foe.

Bosham Church gives us an example of developed work
in its close-jointed masonry, which, in contrast with that
at Worth, shows that better workmanship had been
attained. There are pilaster-strips visible on both sides
of the nave of Woolbeeding Church. There is a good

^ Bnt few examples of Saxon sculptured or interlaced patterns have
yet been found ; but probably only because observation has not been
directed to them. Mr. Komilly Allen has reported the fine example at
Bexhill ; and at Sompting are some others, including some carved
figures in the south transept. The two fine sculptured panels an
Chichester Cathedral, said to have been brought from Selsey, are
twelfth century work, and not Saxon, as has been stated. The coped
tomb at Lyminster is not unlike in form to that at Bexhill, and it is
probably of the same early date.

- It has plain, square jambs, and a similar arch springing from cham-
fered imposts. There are somewhat similar arches at Patcham and
Piecombe ; but the imposts appear only to the soflBts, and do not return.
At Piecombe there are open arches on each side of the diancel-arch.
At Cbidhurst there are hagioscopes only. Since the above was writ-
ten a bell-turret of stone has been added to Chidhurst Church.



40 THE PECULIARITIES

south porch, ahiiost Hke a small transept, at Bishopstone;
and portions of walling, also of Saxon date, at Ovingdean,
West Hampnett, probahly at Ludgarshall, and some
others. I venture to think that, as in Kent, much Saxon
work yet remains to be discovered in Sussex.^

There is a north doorway (now blocked up) at Old
Shoreham, a building which has often been measured and
drawn, the church being well known ; but it seems never
yet to have been pointed out that this also is of Saxon
date. The Norman church has been built on to it, and its
wall is not parallel with those of later date.^ The changes
which have taken place in some of the oldest of the
churches are of much interest, and this building is a good
typical example. In its first appearance it would justify
my opening observation, that it was an early design all
but untouched from Norman times until the advent of
the modern restorer, — whose work, by the way, here will
soon require attention. Closer observation shows that it
is engrafted on to a portion of an earlier building.

The changes of arrangement so often to be noted may
be illustrated by the interesting church of Southwick,
where there is a fine late Norman tower at the west end
of the Norman nave. The tower-arch into the church is
very small. On surveying the church not long since I
found, on ascending the belfry, that this Norman tower
had been built on to the west end of a somewhat earlier
church, the gable having been retained, and its line being
visible. The small arch is the original external door
which existed prior to the erection of the tower. The
change of West Ham from a cruciform church with semi-
circular chapels to the transepts orginally, into an ordi-
nary nave with side-aisle, has already been noted by
Mr. Freeman, who has also called attention to the original
Norman design of the chancel of New Shoreham, a small
apsidal structure with apsidal chapels to the transepts.

The Norman churches of the county are remarkable ;
and the more so since we find many of them in all but per-

^ Au undercroft of Saxon date probably existed at St. Olave's,
Chichester. Saxon work has recently been discovered at Bexhill.

^ The nave is almost entirely of Saxon work, having long and short
work of large stones. On the south side are traces of blocked win-
dows ; in some places cut into by the modern Norman windows in-
serted along the extent of the building.



OF SUSSEX PARISH CHURCHES. 41

feet condition. Old Slioreham sliows us the Norman mode
of working out a small cruciform plan ; but the most com-
mon plans were the usual nave and chancel and a western
tower, terminated by a square, conical roof of more or
less elevation. This form is very characteristic of the
county, and is a very interesting feature, particularly to
observers familiar with the towers and spires of other
parts of our country, recalling the picturesque village
churches of Normandy.

There is a church plan which I believe to have been
at one time not unfrequent in England during the
period of Norman rule, of which a very interesting speci-
men exists at Newhaven. Here the tower is between
nave and chancel, and the latter is terminated by an
apse. The tower has a low spire-like roof, which I believe
to be on its original lines. The shingle has only recently