St Andrew's is an impressive neo-Gothic Victorian church just south of Worthing station…read more The church was built by the well-known Victorian church architect Sir Arthur Blomfield in 1887-88, executed in the Early English Gothic style, of flint with stone dressings throughout. The chancel has a noteworthy screen and carved wooden reredos, as well as an impressive set of stained glass windows by Kempe. The adjacent hall and original vicarage are co-located and form an impressively uniform architectural grouping. Services are in the Anglo-Catholic tradition.

Spent my boyhood as a choirboy here when Fr. Meade was Priest. I always felt it was a beautiful…read morebuilding although some might think it is quite sombre by todays' type of building.

Just love this Church near Worthing! Maybridge Community Church is a growing friendly place to…read moreWorship with excellent teaching. There are lots of Worthing Churches so we are spoilt for choice but our family just found Maybridge suited our needs of a lively modern group of 'down to earth' people that are trying to live the Jesus life. The leadership are very transparent and that is very refreshing as the whole church community are involved in the prayerful way forward. Lots of things going on for children, youth, adults & senior citizens - Very involved with community projects. A perfect church? No, I don't think they exist, but certainly it's the best that we have experienced.

This is part of the church but has many different activities available including playgroups…read more They have a cafe with low prices which mean that if you are on a budget you can get a good deal on something to eat. There are computers available for internet access and a lending library of books. Midwives arrange appointments here. I love this place it's a little community place to take little ones.

Christ Church is a large, early Victorian church, set in the middle of a square in Grafton Road…read more History The church was built initially as a chapel of ease of Broadwater, the original settlement of Worthing, a mile inland. It was allocated its own parish in 1855 as a perpetual curacy, and a vicar was assigned in 1868. In 2008, it became part of the benefice of Worthing, Holy Trinity with Christ Church, which also includes the church of St Pauls. The building The church was built by subscription between 1840 and 1843, to designs of Chichester architect John Elliott. The first neo-Gothic church in Worthing, the initial designs were altered after strong criticism from the Cambridge Camden Society. The exterior is dominated by its robust, square west tower. The walls are of flint with dressings of brick, Caen stone and an early form of artificial stone. The design is a variant of Early English, with large lancets throughout, except for a the West tower window and East Chancel window, which are both in the Decorated style, and the nave clerestory, which has paired lancets with trefoil heads. The interior is whitewashed; the nave arcades comprise slender octagonal columns, leading to wide aisles. Fittings of interest include the traditional pews, with elaborate poppy-head finials, a large stone pulpit with blind decorated arcades with marble shafts, and mosaic reredos.

Sussex is well endowed with Saxon churches, and St Botolphs is one of the finest…read more Situated in the hamlet to which it gave its name, the church also serves the adjacent hamlet of Annington. Together, their population is today less than 50, but this large church gives away the fact that in earlier times this was a thriving port on the nearby River Adur. The church dates from 950 AD, and the nave is typical of the Saxon style: narrow, tall and long. Around 1250, a north aisle was erected, and three generous and elegant Early English Gothic arcades were inserted in the north wall. At the same time, the chancel was rebuilt, possibly replacing a Saxon apse, and the west tower added. However, as the river silted up and changed its course, the little town declined, and around 1450 the north aisle was demolished and the north wall closed up, although the three arcade arches are still clearly visible, both inside and out. Thereafter, little has altered: the south wall is the Saxon original, and includes a small Saxon window alongside newer (mostly mediaeval) insertions. The chancel arch includes a Saxon roll on its interior, unusual in that it does not follow the arch to the floor, but rests on two corbels, which have early Saxon decoration, made using a trowel. The chancel has some fine very early Gothic lancet windows, including two 'squints', to allow people outside the church (such as those excommunicated or with a disease) to watch the service within. The one on the north side is probably a 'Leper's Squint'; we know there was a leper's hospital in nearby Bramber in mediaeval times. The one on the south wall has a scratch sun-dial outside, possibly to denote the times of confession. There are also faint wall paintings above the chancel arch, the oldest of which may date from the Saxon period. Three bells dating from 1536 still ring out from the tower, hanging in their original wooden frame. There is a fine Jacobean pulpit, and a royal coat of arms from the time of Charles II. The heavy wooden door bears the date 1630 and the initials of the churchwardens. The church is well worth a visit - why not combine it with a walk along the adjacent Downs Link long distance footpath?

West Tarring is surrounded on all sides by the suburban sprawl of modern Worthing, but it much the…read moreolder and, originally, more important settlement. The village still retains its attractive original High Street, on which are several old pubs and a lovely 15th century half-timbered house, with a distinctive overhang (now the Parsonage Restaurant, and a grade II* listed building). It also contains the remains of an old palace belonging to the Archbishops of Canterbury (see separate review), now the Parish Hall. The origins of the town date back at least to 941AD, when King Athelstan gave the Manor of Terringes to the Church of Christ at Canterbury. Domesday mentions two churches, although nothing of these buildings survives. Today, the skyline is dominated by the fine tower and spire of St Andrews, one of only a handful of Grade 1 Listed buildings in Worthing. Reflecting its status as a peculiar of Canterbury, it is a huge church for such a small village. Saint Richard, Bishop of Chichester, took refuge here in 1245-1247, when he was temporarily banished from his See by Henry III. Although heavily restored by the Victorians, the five-bay Nave and aisles are essentially Early English Gothic from the 13th century, with lancet windows in both aisles and the clerestory. In the south aisle is a fine trefoil-headed piscina, preserved in fine condition by being plastered over in the Reformation rather than destroyed. In the 15th century, the present tower and chancel were built, both with fine Perpendicular windows. The spire covered in wooden shingles - was added in the 16th century. But the church's real glory lies in its woodwork: a fine 15th century chancel screen, complete with an impressive (and rather intimidating) row of spikes along the top, and a set of six misericords, with fine carvings underneath, including two bearded heads with flowing locks, and floral compositions. The Victorians continued the panelling around the chancel wall, but the very fine carved Communion Rail - described by Nairn and Pevsner in 'The Buildings of England' as 'perky' is Jacobean. Unfortunately, the original font was taken to New Zealand by the principal landowners in the 19th century, and the present one is a copy. However, the interior of nave is decorated by a complex mosaic decorative scheme of 1885, designed by the church architect William Butterfield. On my visit, I was made very welcome by the Rector and Churchwarden, very proud of their historic church. Outside, the attractive churchyard is full of 18th and 19th century tombs, many of high quality. The oldest and most poignant is a table tomb to one John Parson, dated 1633. A listed monument in its own right, it carries a short but painfully evocative verse: Young was his age Virginity his state Learning his love Consumption his fate It's a perfect antidote to some of the more sentimental Victorian epitaphs.