2015

TQ0213 : Amberley - St Michael - Font

taken 9 years ago, near to Amberley, West Sussex, England

Amberley - St Michael - Font
Amberley - St Michael - Font
This square-topped font dates originally from the late C12th, though it has been heavily restored. Each face of the main marble bowl has four round-topped arches forming an arcade. These arches are of unequal width, and I would suggest that the font was probably locally crafted rather than by the experienced stonemasons that produced the finer fonts. Apparently this font has suffered greatly over the years and was described as being "in twelve pieces in 1864" but has been restored with replacement shafts and central support.
Amberley - St Michael & All Angels

The church of St Michael and All Angels in Amberley, West Sussex is thought to have been started in the early C12th, with the nave and chancel arch dating to about 1150.
The chancel and tower are about 100 years younger (mid C13th). The site was in ecclesiastical ownership as far back as the C7th however, so there was probably a much earlier Saxon church on this site, most probably originally constructed of wood. Nothing of this earlier putative church has been discovered to date however.
The current church has some fine Norman features such as the zigzag decoration on the curve of the chancel arch and some round-topped windows in the nave. The triple lancet East Window in the chancel is typical of the Early English phase of Gothic architecture which followed the Romanesque style of the Normans. The three lancets of this window are perhaps quite unusually widely spaced.
The roof of the nave is somewhat unusual, sloping from an apex above the nave down in a single sweep to encompass the southern aisle.
Within the church is a square, late C12th font, although this was substantially repaired in the Victorian era, and some interesting, if somewhat faded, wall paintings from the C14th.
The church is Grade I listed by English Heritage, though at present its listing LinkExternal link is very scanty. Much more information on this church can be found here however LinkExternal link

Amberley :: TQ0313

Amberley is a village in the Horsham District of West Sussex.
Situated at the foot of the South Downs. The village is noted for its many thatched cottages.One of the attractions in Amberley is Amberley Working Museum.
Amberley has its own railway station on the Arun Valley Line, with regular services to Bognor Regis, Portsmouth and London.
To the north of the village is the tidal plain of the River Arun, known as Amberley Wild Brooks. This wetland area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest which floods in winter and is known for its wildfowl. Amberley also has a castle, which is now a Hotel, next to which is a Norman Church, the Parish Church of St Michael.
Wikipedia: LinkExternal link


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TQ0213, 322 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Rob Farrow   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Saturday, 1 August, 2015   (more nearby)
Submitted
Tuesday, 4 August, 2015
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! TQ 0278 1319 [10m precision]
WGS84: 50:54.5424N 0:32.3701W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! TQ 0278 1319
View Direction
East-northeast (about 67 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Supplemental image
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