England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
West Chiltington St Mary

The Parish

The parish of West Chiltington lies in western central Sussex roughly 9 miles northeast of the town of Arundel. West Chiltington is located about 2 miles east of the A283 which connects Pulborough with the A24 (London to Worthing) road. West Chiltington jas two distinct centres of settlement, the old village lying to the north grouped around the church and the newer, and larger, settlement of West Chiltington Common which commenced in the 1920s and has grown larger than its older neighbour. Whilst West Chiltington is a mid-sized and compact village around a crossroads of lanes, the settlement at West Chiltington Common is a typical modern sprawl across what was former common-land. Wealden parishes are rarely dominated by arable farming but West Chiltington was an exception with old gazetteers describing over 80% of the parish acreage as set to crops. West Chiltington sits on a minor watershed, eastern streams heading for the River Adur and the sea at Shoreham whilst westward ones make their way to the Arun and the English Channel at Littlehampton. West Chiltington village sits on a sloping site between 45 and 60 metres above the sea whilst that on the Common is between 10 and 30 metres, land rises northwards to a local spot of 80 metres at nearby Woods Hill. Wealden parishes are typically larger than is normal for a lowland parish, West Chiltington was no exception, covering over 3,400 acres it would have supported a population of about 750 parishioners, with the growth of West Chiltington Common today's population is much higher. In Domesday times West Chiltington was an altogether more modest place, largely held by William be Braose with a smaller holding with Earl Roger of Shrewsbury its collective assets amounted to a mere 6 ploughs and the usual meadows and woodland.

The Church

St Mary's church sits at the heart of the older village of West Chiltington on the western side of Church Street and roughly 150 metres from the main crossroads. This is a church of definitely antiquity, Pevsner dates the nave and chancel walls to the 11th century and since it is mentioned in Domesday Book perhaps that fabric is pre-Conquest. The Norman Romanesque style used is typical of the period. As early as the 12th century an aisle was added to accommodate the growing congregation. Also of the 12th century is the northern doorway, despite renewal in a light 19th century restoration. It is, however, the attractive central tower and spire which distinguishes St Mary from so many village churches, Pevsner is moved to describe as like "a French village church". Whilst today's woodwork carries a date of c1600 the strengthening of the supporting arches is styled to the 12th century too so it is likely that this feature has had multiple incarnations. Outside the gates of the churchyard is a small parking area, often full, but a small sign points to a proper car park further down the street for extended visits. The church sits on a pad of flat ground with a sharp fall to the south of the church which does somewhat remove the favoured aspects from the photographer's arsenal.