St.Mary's
Newick
It is possible that there may have been a small church in Newick in
Saxon times, perhaps of wood, close to the house of the Thane (or
Squire).
Records reveal that there certainly was a church in Newick at the
end of the 11th century. The oldest part which can now be seen is
the South Wall, on either side of the porch, extending from the
tower to the first buttress.
Near the roof of the south porch is the only remaining Norman
window.
The porch dates from about 1400. The remains of the 'cattle chain'
may be seen on the back of the front arch on the left side as you
enter.
The tower was built in the early 15th century, almost certainly
from stone quarried from Founthill. The parapet was added about a
century later.
The west door and window above are Tudor. The clock is early 18th
century, reconstructed by Edward Funnell of Brighton 1867.
The bells are a ring of six. The tenor or largest, cast in 1867,
weighs over five cwt.
The nave was originally quite short with four narrow windows which
in Norman times were unglazed.
In the 13th century, when the chancel was built, these windows were
replaced by larger ones.
The church was substantially unaltered from the 13th century until
the year 1836, when a north aisle was built (half the length of the
present one). The aisle was lengthened fifty years later.
The church was enlarged in 1886/87. The chancel was taken down from
its original position and rebuilt, about its own length to the
East.
The nave was lengthened to meet it, the north aisle was extended
and the organ chamber, choir and clergy vestries built.
The pulpit is Jacobean (early 17th century).
The sounding board is said to have been used for some time as a
table top.
Parish registers go back to 1558, the year in which Elizabeth I
acceded to the throne, with the first twenty years or so in
Latin.
The Barn is a grade 2 listed building and dates from the late
seventeenth or early eighteenth century.
It was known as the Norman Barn because a barn had stood on the
site since Norman times.
The barn and adjacent cart lodge were purchased and converted
between 1981 and 1986, providing a useful facility for the church
and village.
This material was taken from "St. Mary's Church, Newick - History
and Guide" which contains a much fuller account of the church,
inside and out. Copies are available in the church for a small fee.
There is access to the church car park between 0800 and 2300
hrs.
At the above co-ordinates you will need to find a small plaque
which has two dates referring to the Richards family. 18AB -
19CD
The cache can then be found a short distance away at
N50 58.(C-A)(C-4)(A-1) E000 01.(A+B-3)(D-2)(D-A+2)
The cache has a log book but no pen, so please bring one with
you
If any body would
like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you
could let Sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the
Church numbers and names to avoid duplication
 Bring a pen or pencil |
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