Located on the B3125 leading from the A24 past Partridge Green to the Steyning By-pass , Ashurst is a small village consisting of a few houses on the main road, together with a collection of a few more houses on the lane leading east to the A24. The church, dedicated to St James and very picturesque, was locked on the day of my visit.
The Church houses a vamp-horn, one of only five in the country. It measures 3 foot in length and seven inches across the bell end and is made entirely of tin. Painted green it bears the inscription 'Praise him upon ye strings and pipe, 1770 Palmer Fecit'. There are several explanation for it's use, but it was probably used to amplify the voices of the choir. Other suggestions include it being used to call the people to church from the tower, calling the cows home or to summons assistance in time of danger.
The author Margaret Fairless Barber, who wrote 'The Road Mender' under the name Michael Fairless, is buried in the churchyard.
The final picture is of the north side of the church.
Ashurst (West Sussex) should not be confused with Ashurst (Kent).
Digital photographs
Visitors to this album since June 2003
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