St Mary
Magdalene, Wartling
Container is similar to a 35mm film canister. Please bring your
own pencil.
Wartling is mentioned in the Domesday Book, when there was a
chapel there. The current church, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene
and linked with that at Herstmonceux, was built in the 13th
century, probably on the same site as the chapel had been.
Wartling's name was originally Werlinges which translates from the
Saxon to "the settlement of Wyrtel's people". In the Domesday
survey, it had a population of 280, land able to support 18
ploughs, woodland for 200 pigs, three salt workings, and a chapel.
The chapel was mentioned as being given to the College of Hastings
by the count of Eu. On the wall in the church are two very rare
iron tombstone heads.
During the Second World War many defence pill boxes were built
in the area, to protect from invasion through the Pevensey Marshes.
One of the first Radar stations was located at manxey level. To the
east of the church, the R.A.F. had a radar control bunker during
the Cold War which was used to direct fighters onto targets by
radio.
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