St. Mary the Virgin, North Stoke
Description
This 12C church is in farmland high on the South Downs above the River Arun. It is associated with Haughmond Abbey in Shropshire through its Fitzalan founder. Its lightness and unusual serenity derive from its setting and its exceptional architecture. It is completely unspoilt. Some fragments of 13C stained glass (the oldest in Sussex) depict the Virgin Mary. In 2007 the church's lost dedication to St Mary was rediscovered in a mediaeval letter in the National Archive at Kew and the church was rededicated in December 2007. It is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.
Standard opening times: daylight hours
Location
North Stoke, Amberley, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9LS, United Kingdom
Classification
| Member? | Place? | Path? | Resource? | Link? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y | Y | N | N | N |
Directions
Grid reference: TQ019108
By car – B2139 to Houghton Bridge (as Amberley Railway Station), then up the lane (east side of bridge) signposted North Stoke (about 2 miles). Church right at the end.
By public transport (rail/bus) - Main line from Victoria to Bognor/Chichester/Portsmouth. Alight at Amberley, then as ‘By Car’. Coastal trains connect with this line at Barnham.
On foot - As above. An even more scenic route exists from Arundel via South Stoke along the Arun Valley and up to North Stoke, but one of the bridges across the Arun will be closed until July 2009.
Facilities
Park without difficulty in the lane near the church. There are no lavatories at Church.
Toilet facilities can be found at The Bridge Inn, which also serves meals and snacks on the B2139 by Amberley Railway Station.
Submitted by:
Janet Aidin,
The Old Rectory,
Wiggonholt
Pulborough
West Sussex
RH20 2EL
Tel: 01798 872531
Email:
Further Information for Submitted by:
Secretary of the Friends of St. Mary the Virgin,
North Stoke (North Stoke by Amberley, Arundel, West Sussex