St Peter, Westhampnett, Sussex

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Location
(50°50′51″N, 0°45′4″W)
Site Location
Westhampnett
National Grid Reference
SU 880 061
Boundaries
pre-1974 traditional (England and Wales) Sussex now West Sussex
Diocese
medieval Chichester now Chichester
Dedication
medieval St Peter now St Peter
Type of building/monument
Report authors
  • Kathryn A Morrison
Photographers
  • Kathryn A Morrison
Visit Date
24 May 1998

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Feature Sets
Description

The church has a nave with a S aisle of c.1190, a N aisle of 1867, and a chancel which incorporates some Anglo-Saxon or Early Norman herringbone brickwork. The late 12thc. tower rises over the E end of the S aisle.

History

Westhampnett (Hentone) village and church are mentioned in the Domesday Survey. The manor was held by William from Earl Roger in 1086 and by two free men from Earl Godwin in 1066. It was assessed at nine hides. Later it was held by the family of Paynel, first occuring in 1269 and 1275.

The church was restored, the N aisle added and the E end of the chancel rebuilt by Gordon H. Macdonald in 1867-68.

Features

Interior Features

Arches

Nave arches

Arcades

Nave
Comments/Opinions

The S aisle and tower are Transitional in style, with some Norman features (e.g. scalloped capitals) and other Early English features (e.g. capitals with smooth bells and slightly overhanging or waterholding mouldings). The composite pier at Westhampnett has been compared with Boxgrove.

Bibliography

Historic England Listed Building, Legacy ID: 301481.

  1. I. Nairn and N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Sussex, Harmondsworth 1965.

Victoria County History: Sussex IV (Chichester Rape) 1953, 175-80.

Elizabeth Williamson, Tim Hudson, Jeremy Musson and Ian Nairn, The Buildings of England: Sussex: West, New Haven and London, 2019, 701.