A happy ending for a church with no name

In an idyllic rural setting on the South Downs, in a loop of the river Arun, St Mary's is a beautiful place to stumble upon. The church is in the simple shape of a cross and remains virtually unaltered since medieval times; its calm and peaceful atmosphere evokes centuries of prayer.

Until recently, the church was known as North Stoke Church. But in 2007, archaeologists researching the church records in the archives at Kew, discovered a letter dated 1275 from a bishop to King Edward I, naming the church as St Mary.

Though not large, its simplicity and elegant proportions give the impression of height and space. Light floods in through the clear glass of the beautiful Medieval windows to illuminate the interior. Traces of wall paintings dating from the fourteenth century include flowers, leaves, and scrolls, showing that the church would have been a blaze of colour and decoration in the Middle Ages.

Some very early and rare stained glass remains from the beginning of the fourteenth century, including figures that may represent the Virgin Mary and King David. There is some intriguing stone carving, including a sheep's head above a recessed stone seat on the west wall - an appropriate symbol in sheep-rearing country - and a quaint little hand. On the outside wall, facing south, is carved a medieval mass dial which was used before the days of clocks to calculate when church services should begin.

North Stoke Guide

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For more information and photos: www.stmarynorthstoke.org

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