This Church, united with Alfriston since 1927 stands on a hill above the Cuckmere Valley, almost hidden in a clump of trees. It has laid claim to being one of the smallest churches in the country, however it is in fact just a portion of the chancel of a much larger church, whose remains may be traced in the church yard to the west of the entrance.
The circumstances of the destruction of the church are not known, but according to tradition it was razed by fire in Cromwellian times. Today the church is only sixteen feet square and seats twenty, but on occasions, such as the Harvest Festival, the congregation is double that number and overflows into the church yard.
Here are pictures of the plain font and the harmonium located next to the altar. There is also a piscina in the sanctuary.
Excavations were carried out in 1965-66 to discover the extent of the original church. A detailed account of these excavations, by A. Barr-Hamilton, was published in Vol. 108 of the Sussex Archeological Collections, 1970. The historical plan is on display in the church, photographed below.
There are five windows, the one in the north side being 13th century, the remaining four 14th century. There are also traces of two low side windows of the fourteenth century in the remains of the walls outside the west end. The interior stones around each window are cut from basal chalk. The west end dates from the 19th century restoration.
The building dates from the 13th century and is Early English. It was originally a chapelry of Alfriston and for a time belonged to Battle Abbey. In 1251 it was transferred to Richard de la Wych (Saint Richard), Bishop of Chichester, who gave it into the care of the Dean and Chapter. Later, in the sixteenth century, it came into the Bishop's possessions again until the union of Alfriston and Lullington parishes in 1927.
The original dedication is not known, and the church was dedicated to the Good Shepherd on 10th September 2000.
The tower contains one bell, dated 1806.
Digital photographs
Visitors to this album since June 2003
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