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Bailiffscourt Chapel

Bailiffscourt Chapel is a deconsecrated chapel in the grounds of Bailiffscourt Hotel, a luxury hotel near the hamlet of Atherington in West Sussex, England. Originally associated with the Norman Abbey of Séez, it was founded in the 11th century and rebuilt in its present simple Gothic form in the 13th century. It later fell out of use, but after Atherington's former church was destroyed by coastal erosion it was used again for public worship for a time—and as late as 1952 the building was again in use as a chapel of ease. Situated outside Bailiffscourt—a mock-medieval mansion built in 1935 by Lord Moyne on the site of an ancient manor house—on the only stretch of open seafront land for miles in each direction, the chapel is now used principally for wedding and civil ceremony blessings. English Heritage has listed it at Grade II* for its architectural and historical importance.

Bailiffscourt Chapel
The chapel from the southwest
50°47′56″N 0°34′45″W / 50.7990°N 0.5793°W / 50.7990; -0.5793
LocationBailiffscourt Hotel, Climping Street, Atherington, Clymping, West Sussex BN17 5RW
CountryUnited Kingdom
DenominationPre-Reformation church
History
StatusPrivate chapel
Founded11th century
Events1952: Recorded as being in use as a chapel of ease for parishioners in Climping parish
Architecture
Functional statusDeconsecrated
Heritage designationGrade II*
Designated5 June 1958
StyleGothic

History edit

The parish of Climping, sometimes spelt Clymping, covers a large coastal area next to the English Channel and the River Arun in West Sussex. The land, a combination of silty brickearth and alluvium, is prone to erosion, and large parts of the parish have been lost to the sea since the Middle Ages. The former villages of Ilsham, Cudlow and Atherington are now depopulated, their former churches have been destroyed, and their parishes combined with Clymping.[1]

The manor of Atherington existed at the time of the Domesday survey in 1086, by which time it was held by the Abbey of Séez in Normandy. The name later became Bailiffscourt because the manor was used by the bailiff who administered the abbey's landholdings in England.[1][2] The land on which the manor stood was an exclave of Littlehampton parish until the 19th century, but much of its associated estate was in Climping parish.[1] The original manor house was built in the 11th century[3] and originally had a chapel attached to it.[4]

 
The chapel has a large three-light east window.

The chapel was rebuilt in the late 13th century[2] using stones and rubble from the original building. It stood at the south end of the main (east–west) wing of the L-shaped manor house, and may have been freestanding rather than attached to the house.[1] Bailiffscourt Manor was subjected to rebuilding and remodelling several times, and the role of the chapel changed: by 1728 it may have been used as accommodation for servants, and it was later used as a dairy[1] and a storage shed.[3] Before this, though, it was apparently used as a "hamlet chapel" by the remaining villagers of Atherington, whose original church had been destroyed by the sea in the late 17th century along with most of its houses.[3]

In 1927, Lord Moyne bought Bailiffscourt Manor and its whole estate, thereby becoming a major landowner. Of the old buildings, only the chapel was retained, and between 1928 and 1935 the architect Amyas Phillips built a new manor house in a faithful interpretation of the 15th-century style.[1][2][3] Ancient buildings were transported from other sites in Sussex and elsewhere and rebuilt in the grounds surrounding the chapel.[3] Lord Moyne turned much of the land surrounding the manor house into parkland, which now forms by far the largest stretch of non-urbanised land on the coast between Brighton and Bognor Regis.[1]

The manor and chapel were moved into Climping parish in the 19th century and ceased being an exclave of Littlehampton, although it was still part of its ecclesiastical parish until the 20th century. In 1952, the chapel came back into religious use briefly as a chapel of ease to St Mary's Church, Climping: some services were held there on summer evenings.[1] In 1948, Bailiffscourt House became a luxury hotel,[1][3][5] now owned by HS Hotels (Historic Sussex Hotels) and operated under the name Bailiffscourt Hotel and Spa.[6] The chapel is now used for the blessing of weddings and civil ceremonies that take place at the hotel.[3][7]

Bailiffscourt Chapel was listed at Grade II* by English Heritage on 5 June 1958.[4] This defines it as a "particularly important" building of "more than special interest".[8] As of February 2001, it was one of 24 Grade II* listed buildings, and 960 listed buildings of all grades, in the district of Arun.[9]

Architecture edit

 
The simple chapel has lancet windows in the side walls.

The chapel is a simple Gothic building of the 13th century.[4] The single-cell rectangular structure is dominated by a large three-light east window in the form of a lancet with cusping.[1][2][3] Smaller single-light lancets remain in the north and south walls.[2] The exterior is built of flint, rough stones and cobbles, some of which came from the original 11th-century chapel, and the sloping roof is laid with tiles.[1][4] Inside, there are arches whose capitals are carved with foliage decoration[1] and a mass dial dating from the medieval era. This was found on the beach nearby, and had apparently washed up from the submerged remains of the old church at Atherington.[3] The ashes of Lord Moyne and his wife Lady Evelyn were originally interred in the chapel, but they are now in a tomb in St Mary's Church, Climping.[1]

See also edit

Notes edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Hudson, T. P., ed. (1997). "A History of the County of Sussex: Volume 5 Part 1 – Arundel Rape (South-Western Part) including Arundel. Climping". Victoria County History of Sussex. British History Online. pp. 126–147. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e Nairn & Pevsner 1965, p. 98.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Vincent 2005, p. 10.
  4. ^ a b c d Historic England (2011). "Chapel at Bailiffscourt Hotel, Climping Street, Climping, Arun, West Sussex (1233450)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  5. ^ . The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  6. ^ "Historic Sussex Hotels". Historic Sussex Hotels. 2010. from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  7. ^ . Historic Sussex Hotels. 2010. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  8. ^ . English Heritage. 2012. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  9. ^ . Images of England. English Heritage. 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2013.

Bibliography edit

bailiffscourt, chapel, deconsecrated, chapel, grounds, bailiffscourt, hotel, luxury, hotel, near, hamlet, atherington, west, sussex, england, originally, associated, with, norman, abbey, séez, founded, 11th, century, rebuilt, present, simple, gothic, form, 13t. Bailiffscourt Chapel is a deconsecrated chapel in the grounds of Bailiffscourt Hotel a luxury hotel near the hamlet of Atherington in West Sussex England Originally associated with the Norman Abbey of Seez it was founded in the 11th century and rebuilt in its present simple Gothic form in the 13th century It later fell out of use but after Atherington s former church was destroyed by coastal erosion it was used again for public worship for a time and as late as 1952 the building was again in use as a chapel of ease Situated outside Bailiffscourt a mock medieval mansion built in 1935 by Lord Moyne on the site of an ancient manor house on the only stretch of open seafront land for miles in each direction the chapel is now used principally for wedding and civil ceremony blessings English Heritage has listed it at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance Bailiffscourt ChapelThe chapel from the southwest50 47 56 N 0 34 45 W 50 7990 N 0 5793 W 50 7990 0 5793LocationBailiffscourt Hotel Climping Street Atherington Clymping West Sussex BN17 5RWCountryUnited KingdomDenominationPre Reformation churchHistoryStatusPrivate chapelFounded11th centuryEvents1952 Recorded as being in use as a chapel of ease for parishioners in Climping parishArchitectureFunctional statusDeconsecratedHeritage designationGrade II Designated5 June 1958StyleGothic Contents 1 History 2 Architecture 3 See also 4 Notes 4 1 References 4 2 BibliographyHistory editThe parish of Climping sometimes spelt Clymping covers a large coastal area next to the English Channel and the River Arun in West Sussex The land a combination of silty brickearth and alluvium is prone to erosion and large parts of the parish have been lost to the sea since the Middle Ages The former villages of Ilsham Cudlow and Atherington are now depopulated their former churches have been destroyed and their parishes combined with Clymping 1 The manor of Atherington existed at the time of the Domesday survey in 1086 by which time it was held by the Abbey of Seez in Normandy The name later became Bailiffscourt because the manor was used by the bailiff who administered the abbey s landholdings in England 1 2 The land on which the manor stood was an exclave of Littlehampton parish until the 19th century but much of its associated estate was in Climping parish 1 The original manor house was built in the 11th century 3 and originally had a chapel attached to it 4 nbsp The chapel has a large three light east window The chapel was rebuilt in the late 13th century 2 using stones and rubble from the original building It stood at the south end of the main east west wing of the L shaped manor house and may have been freestanding rather than attached to the house 1 Bailiffscourt Manor was subjected to rebuilding and remodelling several times and the role of the chapel changed by 1728 it may have been used as accommodation for servants and it was later used as a dairy 1 and a storage shed 3 Before this though it was apparently used as a hamlet chapel by the remaining villagers of Atherington whose original church had been destroyed by the sea in the late 17th century along with most of its houses 3 In 1927 Lord Moyne bought Bailiffscourt Manor and its whole estate thereby becoming a major landowner Of the old buildings only the chapel was retained and between 1928 and 1935 the architect Amyas Phillips built a new manor house in a faithful interpretation of the 15th century style 1 2 3 Ancient buildings were transported from other sites in Sussex and elsewhere and rebuilt in the grounds surrounding the chapel 3 Lord Moyne turned much of the land surrounding the manor house into parkland which now forms by far the largest stretch of non urbanised land on the coast between Brighton and Bognor Regis 1 The manor and chapel were moved into Climping parish in the 19th century and ceased being an exclave of Littlehampton although it was still part of its ecclesiastical parish until the 20th century In 1952 the chapel came back into religious use briefly as a chapel of ease to St Mary s Church Climping some services were held there on summer evenings 1 In 1948 Bailiffscourt House became a luxury hotel 1 3 5 now owned by HS Hotels Historic Sussex Hotels and operated under the name Bailiffscourt Hotel and Spa 6 The chapel is now used for the blessing of weddings and civil ceremonies that take place at the hotel 3 7 Bailiffscourt Chapel was listed at Grade II by English Heritage on 5 June 1958 4 This defines it as a particularly important building of more than special interest 8 As of February 2001 it was one of 24 Grade II listed buildings and 960 listed buildings of all grades in the district of Arun 9 Architecture edit nbsp The simple chapel has lancet windows in the side walls The chapel is a simple Gothic building of the 13th century 4 The single cell rectangular structure is dominated by a large three light east window in the form of a lancet with cusping 1 2 3 Smaller single light lancets remain in the north and south walls 2 The exterior is built of flint rough stones and cobbles some of which came from the original 11th century chapel and the sloping roof is laid with tiles 1 4 Inside there are arches whose capitals are carved with foliage decoration 1 and a mass dial dating from the medieval era This was found on the beach nearby and had apparently washed up from the submerged remains of the old church at Atherington 3 The ashes of Lord Moyne and his wife Lady Evelyn were originally interred in the chapel but they are now in a tomb in St Mary s Church Climping 1 See also editList of places of worship in ArunNotes editReferences edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m Hudson T P ed 1997 A History of the County of Sussex Volume 5 Part 1 Arundel Rape South Western Part including Arundel Climping Victoria County History of Sussex British History Online pp 126 147 Retrieved 26 May 2011 a b c d e Nairn amp Pevsner 1965 p 98 a b c d e f g h i Vincent 2005 p 10 a b c d Historic England 2011 Chapel at Bailiffscourt Hotel Climping Street Climping Arun West Sussex 1233450 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 26 May 2011 Bailiffscourt Climping West Sussex The Times Times Newspapers Ltd 11 July 2008 Archived from the original on 6 October 2008 Retrieved 17 February 2013 Historic Sussex Hotels Historic Sussex Hotels 2010 Archived from the original on 2 February 2013 Retrieved 17 February 2013 Your wedding your day our pleasure Historic Sussex Hotels 2010 Archived from the original on 15 February 2013 Retrieved 17 February 2013 Listed Buildings English Heritage 2012 Archived from the original on 5 January 2013 Retrieved 24 January 2013 Images of England Statistics by County West Sussex Images of England English Heritage 2007 Archived from the original on 14 October 2012 Retrieved 2 January 2013 Bibliography edit Nairn Ian Pevsner Nikolaus 1965 The Buildings of England Sussex Harmondsworth Penguin Books ISBN 0 14 071028 0 Vincent Alex 2005 The Lost Churches and Chapels of Sussex Seaford S B Publications ISBN 1 85770 303 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bailiffscourt Chapel amp oldid 1067737542, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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