St Peter, Ardingly, Sussex

I Location

Site Location
Ardingly
National Grid Reference
TQ 339 298
County
traditional: Sussex
now: West Sussex
Diocese
medieval: Chichester
now: Chichester
Dedication
medieval: not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St Peter
Type of building/monument
Parish church

II General Description

Ardingly church has a W tower (around 15thc.), an aisled nave (N aisle added 1887) and a square chancel, and dates largely fromc.1330. Evidence for an earlier church on the site comes from the cushion capital which was found in the N wall in 1887.

VI Loose Sculpture

(i) Cushion capital

Loose capital.

Loose capital.

Loose capital.

Loose capital.

Nave, N aisle, E bay, window-sill. A loose cushion capital with a fat necking, carved with a plain shield on all four faces.

Dimensions

h. 0.215 m
w. of sides 0.205-0.21 m

VII History

The capital was found buried in the N wall of the church in 1887, when the N aisle was constructed.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The capital may come from a window with a twin opening, a type usually restricted to church belfries and secular halls. It suggests the presence of a 12thc. tower at Ardingly.

IX Bibliography

  • I. Nairn and N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Sussex. Harmondsworth 1965, 397-398.
  • Victoria County History: Sussex. 7 (Rape and Honour of Lewes). 1940, 129-132.