St John The Baptist, Clayton

A small 11th century, pre-Conquest, Domesday Book recorded Church, nestled at the foot of the north face of the Sussex Downs, on a pre-Roman road. Famous for the magnificent early 12th century “Lewes group” wall paintings rediscovered in 1893. The fresco centres around Christ in judgement above the chancel arch, with angels and apostles to his side. Lower down Christ gives the book to St Paul and the keys to St Peter. Around the walls there's the blessed and the damned at the last judgement, horsemen of the apocalypse, dead rising from their graves, the hexagonal city of God, angels with trumpets and, my personal favourite, an angel weighing a soul.

St Michael The Archangel, Litlington

On the east side of the Cuckmere valley, along the Wilmington Road which runs past the famous “Long Man” a giant hill carving, is the small village of Litlington, with its picturesque 12th century, flint walled Church. Remodelled in the 13th century and renovated in the 14th and 15th century. The Chancel arch was replaced in the 19th century. A Church to view as a time machine.


Coombes Church, Church Farm

Between Steyning and Shoreham-by-sea, with views across The Adur valley and up to Lancing College Chapel, is the little Coombes Church. Sitting behind Coombes farm this magical 11th century downlands Church has lost its dedication over the last millennia. Like St John’s in Clayton, Coombes Church has early 12th century wall paintings. The fresco again has Christ above the chancel arch with St Peter and St Paul. There are scences from Christs life including Joeseph leading Mary and Jesus on a donkey, Herod upon his throne and an Atlas like figure supporting the chancel arch. In the 13th century a tower and lancets were inserted, there's faint traces of paint from this period of figures and masonry patterns. In the nave are the remains of a 15th century St Christopher and 17th century painted texts. The font is probably from the 11th century, although it stands on a much later painted brick base.


St Giles, Horsted Keynes

St Giles is an 11th century cruciform church, probably of pre-conquest origins, certainly the doorway in the north aisle and the piers of the tower arches are of Saxon origin. In the 13th and 14th century there was extensive remodelling and again in the 17th and 19th centuries. St Giles has a lovely collection of C E Kempe glass windows that sparkle even on a grey day. On the north wall of the chancel is “The Little Crusader” a 13th century heart shrine. If a knight died abroad, a mummified body part was sent home for burial. It's speculated that a member of the local de Cahaignes family heart was in the box and now may be buried under the chancel. Records show the small figure was originally moveable and perhaps the recess was used as a liturgical tomb for Christ.

Mounted on the north chancel is a rather splendid 13th century Priors tomb slab and to the right of the high alter is the mediaeval Piscina, rescued from the collapsed chapel. In 1986 the former Prime Minister Harold Mcmillan died and was laid to rest in St Giles’s churchyard.


Church Of The Good Sheperd, Lullington

Known as one of the smallest churches in England, mainly because only the chancel remains, the Church of the Good Sheperd sits upon a ridge and commands beautiful views across to the village of Alfriston and out over the Cuckmere valley. Lullington was always a small and poor farming hamlet in the parish of Alciston and later the parish of Alfriston. Today there is less than a handful of houses in the area. Time has forgotten the original dedication of Lullington’s late 12th century church. Remodelling was undertaken in the 14th century but in 1686 a Bishop’s visitation recorded the church and steeple were down and the 1724 visitation reported only the chancel remained. In 1890’s the church was in a “scandalous state of neglect” but thankfully was restored with a replacement roof in 1895. Inside the tiny chancel is a square bowl 12th century font, said to have been found buried in a nearby garden


St Peters, Cowfold

Situated by a crossroads where the A272 and A281 cross, St Peter’s is shielded from the busy roads by old houses, facing inwards. The nave and chancel were constructed in the 13th century. In late 15th century a chapel and a tower with stair-turret and a timber framed porch was added A south aisle can de dated to 1530 from a bequest by Roger A Gate of £6 13s 4d. Like many of the busy Churches in 1876-1877 the south chapel was opened to the nave and chancel with arches and the chancel arch was replaced. St Peter’s has as magnificent, life-sized brass of Thomas Nelond the Prior of Lewes in 1414-1432, believed to have been moved to Cowfold during the dissolution.



Information taken from my observations, the various “History of...” pamphlets and booklets and the truly excellent website “Sussex Parish Churches” www.sussexparishchurches.org

The field recordings were made by myself over the winter of 2022-2023 using a second-hand Samsung microphone, purchased from Ebay, and a free app on my mobile phone. The field recordings were loaded into my laptop and “explored” with a little poetic licence on an older version of Ableton

This is a Lo-Fi, budget, hobby recording project with the aim of promoting well-being of mind and body through a gentle and relaxing listening experience, which is best heard on a pair of headphones. Rural churches and churchyards are peaceful, tranquil places soaked in history and surrounded by wildlife. Hopefully these recordings will capture some of the essence of the surroundings. Personally, I’m not a religious man but I do love a good church.

The kindest of regards

David Soulscorch