Churches of Sussex explored in new book
A new book Churches of Sussex (Amberley Press) explores some of the great treasures of the county.
It comes from John Vigar, aged 64, who lives in Norfolk.
John explains: “I first wrote a book called Exploring Sussex Churches in 1986 and it sold very well. Since then I have written 16 books about architectural history and I was delighted when Amberley Press approached me to write the Sussex volume of their county series about Historic Churches.”
John presents a selection of the most interesting churches from across the county, covering every period and type of church, from late Anglo-Saxon churches such as Bosham, which appears on the Bayeux Tapestry, to Victorian churches such as the imposing St Bartholomew’s in Brighton. Alongside Sussex’s most well-known churches, unusual and lesser known churches are also included among the many ecclesiastical gems in the county.
“For many years I was regional development manager for the Churches Conservation Trust, the charity that cares for important historic churches countrywide and got to know the nine churches in Sussex that they look after – which range from the almost untouched medieval church at North Stoke near Amberley to the Italianesque St Andrew Waterloo Street in Hove.
"With hundreds of important churches to visit in Sussex it was difficult to whittle my list down to about fifty for the book. I chose those which, between them, give an overview of periods, sizes and, most importantly, atmosphere. I’m a firm believer in instinct and some churches just smother you with a feeling as soon as you walk in the door. That’s probably made up of a combination
John Vigar (contributed pic)
of sights, smells and sounds but whatever it is, that church has you hooked.
"Many Sussex churches are well known and on the tourist trail but I was also keen to promote churches that don’t get many visitors, either because of where they are, or because they’ve never really been talked about before. Churches like Tuxlith Chapel at Milland which was closed after a new and larger church was built next door, or the church at Streat with its oversize monuments and Victorian extension.
“I`m especially fond of the work of Sussex-born stained glass artist Charles Eamer Kempe whose firm produced over 7,000 windows worldwide in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, so have included several examples of his designs, together with the church at Ovingdean where he is buried.
“I have worked with historic churches for over 45 years and have visited more Anglican churches than any other living person – over 13,000 in England and Wales. This is my seventeenth book and the sixth I have written in the churches series for Amberley, having already completed the neighbouring counties of Hampshire and Kent.”
John is a trustee of the oldest church conservation body in the country, a member of the Academic Board of the Centre for Parish Church Studies based in Norwich and he is also on the Advisory Council of the Norfolk Churches Trust. He leads tours to churches around England.