St Andrew, Alfriston, East Sussex - 14th February 2004

St Andrew's was founded around 1360 and is an exceptional example of the architecture of that period and unlike so many ancient churches was built all at the same time and has had no major additions.  Due to its size and soaring arches it has become known as the "Cathedral of the Downs".

The church is 115 feet in length and the width at the crossing is 70 feet. Quite why such a massive building was erected in a village of a few hundred souls is rather a mystery.

Adjacent to the church is the Clergy house, which was built at almost the same date as the church.

Back to the church, which is built in the shape of a Greek cross of local flints, with greensand stone forming the quoins and facings.  The knapped flint work is remarkable for the thin joints and its stability - hardly a crack anywhere after six centuries!

The roof was originally covered with Horsham stone, however, owing to its great weight, was removed and replaced with clay tiles.  The central tower has a shingled spire which was restored in 1905 and re-clad with chestnut shingles in 1966.  There is no staircase to the tower parapet, to obtain access requires ladders, traversing a transept roof and entering through the belfry.

Here are two views of the nave, with the bell ropes dangling over the crossing visible in both!  The tower is supported by lofty arches of great beauty, with unusual piers which are semi-octagonal and fluted.  At one time all the stonework of the piers, capitals and borders of the windows was covered with plaster and whitewash.  Hussey, writing in 1852, records that this was removed by the "totally unassisted work of the parish schoolmaster and highly creditable to his taste and zeal."

The current Victorian floor tiles in the nave are laid directly onto the soil underneath.

Here is a picture of the piscina and sedilia. 

The windows in this building are of particular interest as they show how gradual the change was from the Decorated to Perpendicular style. Windows of both styles are found in all parts of the building, so were clearly being built at the same time.

The main windows reflect the soaring proportions of the arches.  Those in the chancel and north transept are in their original condition with their flowing tracery.  The stained glass in the east window is by James Powell and dates from 1904. At the centre is the risen Christ, clothed in Eucharistic robes.  On the left are St Alphege and St Andrew who is holding a diagonal cross.  On the right, St WIlfrid preaching and St Nicholas with the small bags of gold which legend says he used to save three girls from prostitution.

Here is a picture of the ancient glass in the tracery of the north window of the north transept.  The figure of St Alphege (on the right) is the only surviving ancient glass in the building. The figure of St Andrew alongside was made in 1877, but is so well done it bears comparison with the ancient glass.  Alphege, who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1006, is also portrayed in the East Window where he holds an axe, the instrument of his murder by marauding Danes in 1012.  The reason for his connection with Alfriston is unknown.

This is the window in the east wall of the north transcept.

There is an extremely attractive window depicting the legend of St Christopher in the south wall of the chancel. It was designed by Maxwell Balfour, not by Herbert Goodall as stated in the church guide and elsewhere.  I am very grateful for Jennifer Cross for pointing out this error to me.

The inscription in the east window in the south transept window reads:

"To the glory of God and in memory of Martha Major who died 8th April 1912 the windows in this transept were given in the year of our Lord 1914."

Here are the windows from the south transept, the southern then the eastern.  The glass was designed by C. E. Kempe and one of his assistants, W. E. Tower, in 1914.  Kempe often signed his designs with a wheat sheaf and Tower signed his with a wheat sheaf on which was imposed a tower, which can be seen in the lower left corner of the south window.  The south window illustrates the stem of Jesses ("There shall come forth a shoot from the stem of Jesse...", Isaiah 11:1) - portraying David, Solomon and many Old Testament characters leading up to the tracery with the Annunciation to the Blesses Virgin Mary ("The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David...", Luke 1:32).

The east window of this transept shows a resurrection scene with three women and the angels by the empty tomb; in the background two disciples are walking away.  Above music is produced by angels playing viol, tambour and lyre, a fourth singing.

The font is situated immediately in front of the blocked north door.  It was moved from a position by the altar rail which it had occupied until 1870.  The font consists of a plain square bowl, mounted on a pedestal with octagonal shafts, and may be older than the church.  The organ was installed in its present position in the chancel in 1902.

This hatchment of the Vincent family hangs on the south wall of the nave.  Richard Vincent was buried in 1733 and his wife in 1734.

This coat of arms hangs on the north wall of the nave.  It is the Royal Arms of George I dated 1725.  When Charles II came to the throne he ordered that the Royal Coat of Arms be hung in every church and this was originally set above the first roof beam of the chancel.

Here is a view taken from the footpath from the high street to the church - this is the north side of the church.

The tower contains six bells which are rung from the floor of the chancel crossing.  The heaviest 'tenor' bell was cast by William Wodeworde of London in about 1390.  Bequests in two wills, both dated 1543, were made for the repair of the bells (there were only four at the time):

William Osbourne writes "To ye castyng of ye broken bell I wyll cis. Viid." and Mylys Batman, "I bequeath towardes the castyng of the third bell iis."

Another of the old bells, which was the fifth of the ring, is dated 1587 and may be seen under the gallery stairs.

The Commission on the State of Churches in 1686, records that at Alfriston one bell was cracked and another wanted a clapper.  Twelve years later, the second and fifth bells, originally dated 1698, were both re-cast at Alfriston by John Wood, a well-known bell founder.  The agreement between the church wardens and John wood for the recasting of a bell is still preserved at Berwick.  He was to recast the bell and make new brasses for all four bells in the steeple, for £5 10s. 0d., the church wardens to provide fuel at the Parish Church of Alfriston. John Wood already had a furnace at Alfriston, where he was engaged in recasting the fourth bell of the Alfriston peal.

The second bell was made for Berwick Church and was sold to Alfriston in 1811, which gave rise to the couplet: "The parson was poor, and so were the people, so they sold their bell to mend their steeple."

The following note appears in the church registers:

"Mem. Be it remembered by all good men and let it suffice as an instance of generosity worthy of their imitation; that Mr John Ade, Yeoman of Alfriston, did of his own free gift present to the said parish the first bell in the peal of that Church, the same having undergone a complete repair this 12th day of December, 1811, Thomas Norris, minister."

The bells were re-hung in an iron frame in 1928.  Here is a table containing information about the bells - extracted from the church guidebook.

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