Holy Trinity, (Bosham)

Denomination:

Anglican.

Internet:

A Church Near You (Church of England site for this church).

Address:

High Street, Bosham, West Sussex.

Grid reference: 480400, 103900, View on: Google Maps, Open Street Map, Streetmap, National Library of Scotland Map, Magic Maps

Incumbents:

Church of England Clergy Database.

List of Vicars of Holy Trinity Church

Registers:

Earliest Register: 1557.

Baptisms:

There are no baptisms in the OPC database.

1557 - 1899 - Look up service offered

IGI Batches: C070161 (1557 ~ 1875, 1679 ~ 1693); E070161 (1557 ~ 1875, 1679 ~ 1693).

Burials:

There are no burials in the OPC database.

1557 - 1899 - Look up service offered

No burial IGI batches known.

Marriages:

There are 1469 marriages in the OPC database.

1557 - 1899 - Look up service offered

IGI Batch: M070161 (1557 ~ 1875).

Monumental inscriptions:

There are no monumental inscriptions in the OPC database.

Images:

The old Roughwood Churches Album has images and notes about this church.

There are 32 images of this church in the OPC database.

Building information:

Built: Unknown or not given.

Current use: Worship.

Harrison's description (1911):

HOLY TRINITY. Restored in 1865 and 1893-5. Of the antiquity of this little fishing village there can be no doubt. There are traces of Roman occupation, Saxon colonisation, and Danish invasion.

Canute had a palace here. A rude stone coffin, containing the skeleton of a child, was discovered near the chancel arch in 1865, and is supposed to be that of a daughter of Canute. This was replaced and the site marked by a tile bearing the Danish Raven. The Manor of Bosham subsequently passed into the possession of the Earl Godwin, and it was from here that Harold started on his ill-fated excursion to Normandy which placed him in William's power. On the Bayeaux Tapestry is a representation of Harold and his men riding to the church.

There are good reasons for supposing that the church was built on the site of a Romano-British one of basilican type; some are of the opinion that the bases of the chancel arch were part of the original building. Mr. Baldwin Brown says ("The Arts in Early England," p.330): "These slabs (at base) are commonly attributed to the Romans, but it is not easy to see what part of the Roman building they would have formed. The truth is that they bear no resemblance to known classical features, while they are, on the other hand, characteristically Saxon."

Of other Saxon work in this church, the tower at the west end is the most important. Note the tower arch, and triangular-headed doorway, now a window over it; also the absence of any entrance from without. This doorway may have been the entrance to a wester gallery. The nave is of Saxon character, but the aisles are additions. In the tower arch and triangular-headed window may be seen long-and-short work. In Norman times the chancel was lengthened, of which work a window in N. wall and portion of piscina on S. wall remain; and N. aisle added. In the 12th century the chancel was again extended to the splendid five-light lancet E. window with detached Purbeck marble shafts, and the S. aisle added. In N. aisle are a pillar piscina (Nor.) and aumbry. The small circular windows above the piers of the N. nave are Norman. Font, late Nor. There are other piscinae (six in all) in the church. There is a beautiful recessed tomb in the chancel with effigy of a girl in recumbent posture (date Ed. I). Note carved oak in choir seats and corbel heads of old chancel roof. The crypt is E.E. and may have been intended for a tomb. The oak chest has a lock with four hasps and a portion of old chain by which it was attached to the wall. In a glass case is preserved an old pitch-pipe. There is a fine canopy tomb near the S. door. Saxon string courses may be seen outside on W. tower and over Priests' door, and in the W. wall is a window with a baluster shaft. The porch doors are old, and in S. doorway are incised crosses. Reg. 1557.

Documents:

There are no documents about this church in the OPC database. If you have one, please contribute a transcription!

Publications:

There are 2 books about this church in the Sussex OPC Bibliography.

There are 9 articles about this church in the OPC Sussex Archeaological Collections Index.

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