Church of the Assumption, East Wittering

When the art historian Ian Nairn researched East Wittering for the Sussex volume of Buildings of England back in the early 1960s, the church stood ‘by itself half a mile inland’. Alas, no longer. The church is surrounded by indifferent houses and reached through a vile industrial estate. It is not even signposted.

The church itself is standard Sussex, a simple early Norman box with a 13^th century chancel, all heavily done over in 1875 except for the south door, which is what makes the Assumption worth a special visit.

It is a rather grand Norman arch with a strong chevron pattern with drops on the points, like a veil thrown over a bride’s head. A simple, strong and effective device as only the Norman masons knew how to get away with.

(Note - this entry did not appear in Fishbourne Parish Magazine)