St Mary, Compton, Sussex

I Location

Site Location: Compton
National Grid Reference: SU 777 147
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

The N arcade and chancel arch of the church are late 12thc. The N aisle has been demolished and the chancel was rebuilt in the 19thc. Romanesque sculpture is found on a capital in the blocked N nave arcade.

IV Interior Features

2. Arcades

c. Nave

(i) N arcade

: Nave, capital in N wall (interior)

: Nave, shaft in N wall (exterior)

The waterleaf capital of a blocked N arcade bay is visible both inside and outside the nave wall, to the W of the N doorway. The chamfered arch is also visible internally, and the cylindrical pier and its base externally. The leaves on the capital are flattening into stiff-leaf.

Dimensions

h. incl. necking

0.19 m

VII History

Mentioned in Domesday Book. N arcade and chancel arch were built in the late 12thc. The date of the demolition of the N aisle is not known. The chancel was rebuilt in the 19thc., retaining the 12thc. chancel arch.

VIII Comments/Opinions

IX Bibliography

Victoria County History: Sussex. 7 (Rape and Honour of Lewes). 1940, 92-93.