Treyford: Historic Church

''Scheduled Monument' part 1 by historian David

Johnston

But as time went on, the trees grew higher and the undergrowth thicker round St. Mary of Treyford, ancient the church gradually crumbled. Its five {?fine} memorials fell to dust, its rich windows, and altar paintings faded before wind and rain. The present rector of Elsted, the Rev. W.W. Whistler said: “Mrs. Harcourt's whim has left us a problem that may never be solved.

On 1st May 1938, an article by The Rev. William Whistler, appeared in the Sunday Express:In the forties of last century (1840's) there lived at Treyford the all powerful and self-willed Mrs. Vernon Harcourt. She owned the largest estates in the neighbourhood and was patroness of the local churches.

One day the rector of Elsted who included Treyford and Didling in his benefice, timidly approached Mrs Harcourt to inform her that the churches of Elsted and Treyford needed restoring.

“I won't do that,” decided Mrs. Harcourt. “We shall have another church, a much bigger one, with the highest steeple we can build. We shall erect it between the two other churches.”

“But, Madam,” pleaded the rector, “it will mean that the parishioners will have to walk miles to come to church.”

“If they really want to worship they will come,” was her reply. And so in 1849 the Old church of St. Mary Treyford was locked for good. The large new Treyford church, with its steeple overtopping all buildings for miles, was opened.

“The new Treyford church is too large and is inconvenient for all the surrounding parishes. Most {many} of the people have to walk two miles to reach it. The result is that there is generally only a handful of people there...'

On the 21st July 1934, a local meeting of the Sussex Archaeological Society visited the Old Treyford church, where the Rector and Mr Walter H. Godfrey acted as conductors. The Rev. A.A. Evens wrote an account of this excursion in Sussex Notes and Queries:-

The old Treyford Church stands on what must be a prehistoric tumulus, circular and of a considerable height, so that the spot must have been long hallowed before a Christian church was built. Very often, old churches have been placed on spots long consecrated with human worship. The church dates from the thirteenth century, having been erected in the early English Style. There are however, architectural features apparent which indicate that a still earlier church existed on the site and was incorporated with the later structure:-

Part two continues in next month’s issue.

David R.G. Johnston: Sussex author, historian, photographer and artist. www.davidjohnston.org.uk email: johnston.david.rg@gmail.com