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I Location

II General Description

The Anglo-Saxon origins of Bishopstone church are visible in the long and short quoining of the nave and S porticus, and two windows in the W wall of the nave. A scratch dial set over the S doorway is also thought to be Anglo-Saxon. It is inscribed: +EADRIC.

In the 12thc. the porticus was converted into a porch by punching a doorway through the S wall, and a doorless W tower was added. Around the same time the Anglo-Saxon nave was extended eastwards, providing a chancel of the same dimensions as the nave. The N aisle, on the evidence of its arcade, seems to date fromc.1200, but there are four small Norman-style windows in its N wall. The aisle has a catslide roof and continues E, alongside the chancel. The chancel arch is Early English, ofc.1200. The single-bay presbytery at the E end of the chancel has waterleaf capitals and probably dates from c.1175. Although a vault was intended from the outset, the present rib vault dates from 1849. Further restorations were carried out in 1885.

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) S doorway, S wall of S Porticus/Porch

This doorway was punched through the S wall of the Anglo-Saxon porticus in the first half of the 12thc. It occupies a shallow, gabled projection, and the thickness of the opening is treated as a barrel vault. The doorway itself is round-headed and has a single order. The rather eroded archivolt is carved with frontal lozenge chevron. The imposts are plain, simply comprising an upright above a slightly hollow chamfer. The scallop capital on the W has plain cones, but the shields are carved with curvilinear designs (nebule?) representing volutes. The carving is sharpest on the E face. The W side of the E capital, which has a cushion form, is very worn. The shield on the S face is carved with volutes, and the cone is decorated with pointed leaves. The monolithic en delit shaft on the W jamb is very eroded, but clearly original. Most of the E column has been replaced, as have both bases and plinths. The doorway is of pale shelly limestone.

Dimensions

2. Windows

(i) W Tower

The W tower has four stages separated by set-backs, with an angle roll on all three corners of the second (where visible), third and fourth stages. The fenestration is as follows. First stage (i.e. ground-floor level): plain round-headed windows of c.1200 (cf: N and S walls of altar space) to S,W and E. Second stage: plain, narrow, early 12thc. windows to S, W and E (for corbel at apex of W window, see below). Third stage: plain, narrow early 12thc. windows to N and S; oculus with worn single billet surround on W. Fourth stage: early 12thc. twin bell openings on all sides. The E bell opening has a central shaft which carries a plain cushion capital. The others are plain, with central piers rather than shafts, although the S bell opening has a continuous quadrant roll surround. The W bell opening appears to be modern.

3. Exterior Decoration

c. Corbel tables, corbels

The corbels of the W tower are separated by flint facings and carry an ashlar sill which supports the shingled broach spire.

(i) W tower, E side (left to right)

SE Corner: A rounded form which seems to represent an animal head. The underlying shape appears to spring from the angle roll. Worn.

E1: Damaged.

E2: Human head.

E3: Damaged.

E4: Two human heads, one on each angle (cf: N2).

E5: Damaged.

E6: Saltire cross.

E7: Cushion.

E8: Damaged.

E9: Plain (modern).

E10: Damaged.

(ii) W tower, S side (from left to right)

SW corner: The rounded form seems to represent an animal head. The underlying shape appears to spring from the angle roll. Worn.

S1: Worn.

S2: Horse's head?

S3: Beakhead. An elephant-like head with cylinder in 'trunk'.

S4: Damaged. Possibly a single billet (cf N7). May have wheel pattern towards top.

S5: Damaged. Head?

S6: Crouching figure (sheilanagig?)

S7: Worn.

S8: Crouching figure (sheilanagig?)

S9: Damaged.

(iii) W tower, W side (from left to right)

NW corner: The rounded form seems to represent an animal head. The underlying shape appears to spring from the angle roll. Worn.

W1: Head.

W2: Worn.

W3: Head?

W4: Horse's head, with circular muzzle.

W5: Animal head.

W6: Animal head.

W7: Human head.

W8: Human head with protruding tongue.

W9: Cushion (modern).

(iv) W tower, N side (front L to R)

NE corner: The rounded form seems to represent an animal head. The underlying shape appears to spring from the angle roll. Worn.

N1: Human head.

N2: Two human heads, one on each angle (cf: E 4).

N3: Worn. Possibly carved with furled foliage.

N4: Quadrant roll.

N5: Quadrant roll clasped by band.

N6: Worn (head?).

N7: Single billet.

N8: Head with two circles in place of lower face.

N9. Flat billet (modern).

(v) W tower, W side, Corbel set over second stage window

This corbel has wide open jaws, and may represent Leviathan (Hell's mouth).

IV Interior Features

1. Arches

a. Chancel arch/Apse arches

(i) Chancel arch

The arch from the chancel to the altar space has a two-order, moulded, pointed arch with a dogtooth label, resting on earlier engaged semi-columnar shafts with scallop capitals. At the apex, outside the label, is a reset grimacing head, its teeth indicated by a row of zig-zag . The capitals of the inner order, S and N sides, are multi-scallop capitals with four cones on the main face and two on each side, all rising from tapering sheaths. The triple-scallop capital of the outer order, S side, is carved with three cones on each face, rising from tapering sheaths subdivided by ridges, with shields filled by palmettes. There is a groove on the angle of the capital. The necking (astragal) is beaded. The capital of the outer order, N side, is a double scallop capital similar to those of the inner order .

2. Arcades

a. Choir

(i) N and S arcades

Two blind arches S and N, those on N now opened up. The W arches have an angle roll and label with hollow chamfer; the E arches have lateral face chevron with a cogwheel edge, a roll, and three quirks. The central pier of both arcades has a capital. That on the S (h. 0.14m; w. 0.25m; d.0.115m) is carved with two broad, smooth leaves, which curl back upon themselves on the angle in the form of tripartite leaves. They are separated by an upright leafy stem in the centre of the main face. The necking is beaded. The N capital (h. 0.16m; w. 0.24m; d. 0.12m), possibly a 19thc. restoration, is carved with two full scallops on the main face, one full scallop on each side, and one on each angle. The sheaths are cusped.

4. Vaulting/Roof supports

d. Other

(i) Presbytery

The SE and NE corners of the rib vault of 1849 are carried on waterleaf capitals; the SW and NW angles are carried on scallop capitals. Much of the Norman detailing here is 19thc. (no photos)

5. Interior Decoration

a. String courses

(i) S side of altar space

The string course on the S side of the altar space is carved with single chevron with pellets.

V Furnishings

1. Fonts

(i)

The large square stone font is said to date from the 12thc., but was not recorded. It stands on five shafts, a fat central shaft and four smaller angle shafts. These in turn stand on three superimposed square plinths or steps.

2. Tombs/Graveslabs

(i) Grave slab, displayed on S wall inside W tower

The top of the slab is damaged but this has not affected the decorated surface. It is carved with three interlaced cable roundels; the top roundel contains two birds, their breasts both facing L, dipping their beaks into a vase; the middle roundel contains the Agnus Dei; the lower roundel frames the head of a cross, the shaft and pedestal of which occupy the lower portion of the slab. The pedestal is stepped and incorporates a semi-circular repair. The shaft has a knop in the centre and again just below the head which has a central eight-petal rosette and arms which curl back over themselves in five rounded, fluted leaves. Material `an arenaceous firestone similar to that exposed in the cliffs near Southbourne' (SAC, 1849).

Dimensions

(ii) Grave slab fragment in S porch

See Loose Sculpture, below.

VI Loose Sculpture

(i) Grave slab fragment

In S porch. Grave slab fragment with stepped edge, carved with wheel-head cross. Polished surface, possibly Purbeck marble. Date uncertain.

Dimensions

(ii) Grave slab

In S porch. Grave slab or cross shaft fragment, carved with Maltese cross. Yellow stone unidentified (sandstone?)

Dimensions

(iii) Waterleaf capital

In S porch (last seenc.1990, now lost). Waterleaf capital carved on three faces, with smooth broad leaves which curl back over themselves at the angle and sprout pendant tripartite leaves with fluted surfaces.

(iv) Interlace fragment

In S porch. Interlace fragment noted by George Zarnecki in 1956 and described as follows: '15.5 ins high x 7.5 ins widest at base, cf: East Dean font'. Now lost.

VII History

In 1086 Bishopstone was, as its name implies, held by the Bishop of Chichester. No church is mentioned. In 1848 the grave slab in the W tower was discovered in the N wall, where it had served as lintel of a fireplace built into one of the pews. Vault of altar space, 1849.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The sanctuary arch (remodelled from impost upwards) dates from the same campaign as the arcading of the chancel.

IX Bibliography