St Mary, Bepton, Sussex
I Location
- Site Location
- Bepton
- National Grid Reference
- SU 855 183
- County
-
traditional:
Sussex
now: West Sussex - Diocese
-
medieval:
Chichester
now: Chichester - Dedication
-
medieval:
not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St Mary - Type of building/monument
- Parish church
II General Description
-
-
Church Plan
A restored late 12thc. or 13thc. church comprising a single-cell nave with a plain S doorway, a square-ended Victorian chancel and a W tower. It contains a plain Romanesque font.
V Furnishings
1. Fonts
(i)
-
-
Font, from N
Situated to W of S doorway. A plain lead-lined tub (cylindrical) font with an integral cylindrical stem and plinth, raised on a square plinth of later date. There are broad chamfers at the base of the bowl and top of the plinth; the rim is slightly chamfered. The surface bears vertical chisel marks. A repair on the E side of the rim indicates the removal of a lock.
Dimensions
| circ. | 2.17 m |
| ext. diam. | 0.69 m |
| int. diam. | 0.51 m |
| h. (excl. square plinth) | 0.615 m |
| h. (incl. square plinth) | 0.925 m |
VII History
There was a church in Bepton in 1086.
VIII Comments/Opinions
According to the VCH, the font is modern: this seems unlikely
IX Bibliography
- P. Leicester, St Mary's Church Bepton, West Sussex. A Short Guide to and History of the Church and Church Community, Midhurst (church guide), n.d.
- J. Morris and J. Mothersill (ed.), Domesday Book: Sussex. Chichester 1976, 11, 15.
- I. Nairn and N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Sussex. Harmondsworth 1965, 101 (no mention of font)
- Victoria County History: Sussex. 4 (Chichester Rape) 1953, 42-43 with plan.
- A. K. Walker, An Introduction to the Study of English Fonts with Details of those in Sussex. London 1908, 44-45.