COUNTRY CHURCHES

75. St Mary, Stoughton

This eleventh century Saxon church was probably built c.1050 when Earl Godwin of Wessex held the manor of Stoughton. As one walks up the path to the church, set on a rise well away from the road, the high walls of the nave and the belfry tower of the south transept give the impression of a fortress.

The brick porch giving access to the south door was added in the seventeenth century. Once inside, the height and grandeur of the nave is breathtaking as there are no pillars to impede the view. The fine timbered roof is medieval but the west window, its Victorian glass depicting a Nativity scene, was probably added in the fifteenth century.

Unfortunately all the fittings in the nave are relatively modern. The pews date from a restoration of 1846, the font is a 1970's copy of a previous one, whilst the pulpit was installed in the 1920's. The blue piped organ at the west end of the nave jars the senses but the colourful array of kneelers, many showing local scenes, add to the beauty of the church. Looking east, the great round headed chancel arch dominates the nave, its capitals decorated with bishop's crosses and fern heads. The two transepts stand lower than the main arch.

A very large painting of the Last Supper hangs in the north transept. It is a copy by Angelo Hayter of Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting and dates from 1853. Originally it was hung behind the altar. A decorated piscina, probably 13th century, can be seen below the painting. The double splayed windows high in the west wall of the transept are Saxon originals. In the south transept massive timbers support the bell chamber with its five bells rehung and refurbished in 1996. The oldest bell weighing 8 cwt is dated 1390.

The chancel was heavily restored in 1846 and the east window depicting an Ascension scene dates from this time. A thirteenth century piscina stands close to the altar and there is a priest's door in the south side plus a long lancet window inserted in the 12th century to give more light.

There are several tomb slabs in the floor of the nave relating to the Bayley and Stares families, yeoman farmers in Stoughton and Walderton, mostly dating from the 18th century. Above the pulpit is another Stares memorial as well as a brass plate dated 1563 to 'James Smyth clerk, sometime one of the Chaplynes perpetual of ye Hospital of the Savoy in Strand - on whose soule Jesus have M'cy'.

The parish War Memorial can be seen on the south side of the chancel arch whilst hidden away in the south transept is an amusing modern memorial:

Philip Howard Francis, M.A. Cantab

1901-1987. Vicar of Stoughton 1957-77

Athlete, teacher, mathematician, author, eccentric and master of the short sermon.

'And all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.' Pilgrims Progress.

He was the last vicar of Stoughton and clearly a man of many talents. Today the parish is part of a joint benefice known as the Octagon, comprising Stoughton, Upmarden, East Marden, North Marden, Compton, Racton, Stansted and Forestside.

A fuller account of the history of Stoughton can be found in the church guidebook by E. A. Killick on sale in the church.

John Symonds