Worth Church
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St. Nicholas Church, more commonly known as Worth Church, is an Anglican church in Worth, a village in Crawley, England. At one point, it had the largest (geographical) parish in England
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[edit] History
The church is of Saxon origin, and parts of it probably date to between 950 and 1050 AD. It was built in what, at the time, was a forest. The reason for building a church here is unknown, but the area may have had good hunting grounds, and royal or noble visitors to the grounds would need a place to pray in comfort. As it was a large church isolated in the forest, it is unlikely it was just for local needs. After the Norman conquest of Britain in 1066, the church was given by William the Conqueror to his son-in-law, William de Warrenne, whose coat of arms is still visible in the stained glass windows of the church. In the 14th century, the church was passed from the de Warrenne family to the Fitzalan family, who lost it in 1415 to Nevills, Earl of Abergavenny.
[edit] The Restoration
In 1986, workmen were treating roof timbers of the church for protection against vermin, when a fire broke out. The fire brigade quickly put out the blaze, saving the main building, but the roof timbers were severely damaged. This rendered the building unstable, however, which resulted in much scaffolding being put up, which in turn required pews and flooring to be removed. The roof was redesigned, and the walls were strengthened. New floors and pews were fitted. The new pews, unlike the pre-restoration ones, are easier to move, giving the church more flexibility. The restoration cost around £510,000, and by 1988 it was complete.
[edit] The Church Today
Worth Church is still a fully operational church, just as it was in the 11th century. It still performs ceremonies such as weddings and christenings, and attracts around 400 and 200 people every Christmas and Easter respectively.
[edit] Sources
- Worth Church, Sussex (ISBN 0-9513451-0-9)
- http://www.crawley.gov.uk/
