East Wittering – St Anne

The old church of East Wittering (The Assumption) stands north of the present village, near what is now an industrial area.  The village expanded along the shore and in 1958-59 a new church was built there.  This took over gradually from the old church, culminating in its redundancy in 1983.

The new church owes its dedication and much of the money needed for its construction to the sale of the site of the bomb-damaged St Anne, Upperton Gardens, Eastbourne (1 p7).  It was designed by H Sherwood  (ibid) on a conventional plan of nave and chancel.  Over the entrance is a boarded tower and the side elevations consist of a large mansard roof containing long windows in dormers. The low brick walls below have small paired windows.  The chancel has no east window, allowing room for a recess behind the altar, which is lit by large side-windows.  The broad chancel arch has a segmental head, though the recess has a flat ceiling.  The nave is similar and is in effect a single space, with side walls divided into bays by timber supports for the mansards; the resulting spaces are, in effect, rudimentary aisles.  At the west end is an organ gallery.  In 1986 (church website) a chapel was added on the north side with long narrow windows flanking the altar.

Fittings

Crucifix: J Skelton (Elleray (2004) p23)
Font: C19 octagonal with panelled sides.  Said to be from St Anne, Upperton Gardens (ibid).
Glass:
1. (Small windows in the south nave and north chancel) Bold designs by J Baker  (ibid) in intense jewel-like colours, c1959.  Those originally in the north chapel were moved here when it was built
2. (North chapel, east window) P Hallward, 1951, removed here from the old church and consisting of single figures let into the long narrow east windows (www.stainedglassrecords.org taken on 11/2/2013).
Statue: (Exterior of tower) St Anne by Y Hudson (BE(W) p373).
War memorial: (Brought from the old church) Though modest, it is a rarity in recording that no-one from the parish was killed in World War I and that all who served came back safely.

Source

1. F W Steer: Guide to the Churches of East Wittering (Sussex Churches no 47), 1973

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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