A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



former belong to the first half of the fourteenth century ; Tangmere is possibly 

 a century earlier. At Yapton an interesting skeleton framework of oak has 

 been constructed, in the early part of the fourteenth century, within the 

 older tower, which had shown signs of failure, to take the weight of the bells. 

 There is a somewhat similar oak staging within the stone tower at Lyminster. 



Akin to these constructions are the rare instances of a timber arcade to 

 an aisle, found at Selmeston, in the neighbourhood of Lewes, dating from the 

 early part of the fourteenth century ; also the nave of the Hospital church 

 of St. Mary, Chichester. 



The four-gabled pre-Conquest tower of Sompting a design unique in 

 England, though commonly met with in Germany is crowned with a timber 

 spire, the framework of which is probably coeval with the tower. It is now 

 covered with shingles; Rickman describes it (circa 1848) as * slated ' i.e. 

 roofed with small Horsham slabs. 



Apsidal terminations have never been popular or numerous in Sussex. 

 Bishop Ralph, following the Norman fashion, planned the new cathedral at 

 Chichester with a great apse to the quire, and smaller ones to the Lady 

 chapel, quire aisles, and transepts, all of which have been replaced by square- 

 ended terminations, although traces of the apses remain. Lewes Priory 

 church and its infirmary chapel had apses, and one of these belonging to the 

 latter remains fairly perfect, with its altar, to a few feet above ground. Battle 

 Abbey church had a triple apse to its quire (traces of which remain in 

 the crypt beneath the high altar), and others to the transepts. 



The remarkable pre-Conquest church of Worth still retains its apsidal 

 plan ; while very perfect late eleventh- and early twelfth-century examples 

 remain at North Marden, Up Waltham, and Newhaven. Both Old and 

 New Shoreham churches had originally apsidal east ends and transept chapels. 

 Keymer church (rebuilt) had an early apse ; and the foundations of an apsidal 

 chapel on the eastern face of the flanking tower at Eastdean (East Sussex) 

 can still be seen above ground. The semi-hexagonal, or straight-sided, apses 

 (late thirteenth century) of Bayham Abbey church and the Greyfriars' 

 church, Winchelsea, are interesting instances of the same idea, revived at a 

 later period. 



Minor features in planning remain to be noticed. The broad nave and 

 the narrow aisles the latter being chiefly intended originally for processional 

 purposes are typical of the earlier churches (twelfth and thirteenth centuries). 

 In such cases the nave and aisle, or aisles, were usually all under one long 

 roof with eaves only five or six feet above ground a very practical construc- 

 tion, both as regards the weather and economy of stone and walling materials. 

 Cocking, Sidlesham, Mundham, South Bersted, Yapton, Climping, Lymin- 

 ster, Bury, and Amberley, in West Sussex, and Berwick, Burwash, Bishop- 

 stone, Icklesham, Playden, and Beckley, in East Sussex, are typical examples 

 of this treatment. Yapton may be instanced as retaining the original 

 windows in its low aisle wall. In other cases as at Felpham, Rustington, 

 Lancing, and Ifield (West Sussex), and Heathfield and Beddingham 

 (East Sussex) a break is made in the roof at the point where it reaches 

 the nave walls, so as to allow of the formation of a row of clearstory 

 lights ; but sometimes, as at Felpham, this occurs only on the north or 

 less-exposed side^ 



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