Madehurst: Church, Earthworks and Landscape

This overview focuses on specific cultural-historical and landscape topics: the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene and the earthworks in Madehurst Wood. It also covers the Stag Lodges at Dale Park and Fairmile Bottom. If you are looking for a hotel in Madehurst, these different topics can help you identify your interests for your stay: ecclesiastical architectural history, archaeological features, a distinctive building detail or landscape types. The sections separate these aspects so you can compare the relevant information directly.

The Building History of the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene

The Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene is a Grade II* listed building. Its building history encompasses several clearly distinct dates. The first official mention dates from 1140: at that time, William De Caisnet transferred the church to Lewes Priory. Later, around 1220, ownership of the church at Madehurst was transferred to Tortington Priory near Arundel.

Different phases can also be identified in the building itself. The round-arched west doorway from the 12th century is the oldest surviving part. The tower and nave date from the early 14th century. In 1864, Sir Thomas Jackson extensively remodelled the medieval church, adding an aisle. These dates refer to different events: transfers, surviving architectural elements and a major remodelling. This makes it possible to follow the building’s history without treating every date as the date of a single construction phase.

Earthworks in Madehurst Wood

The earthworks in Madehurst Wood offer an archaeological perspective on the past. The site is well preserved and largely undisturbed. Its most distinctive feature is a linear earthwork consisting of a bank and ditch, extending for more than a kilometre. Its unusual form makes it archaeologically significant in a national context. The length gives a specific measure of its extent; the bank and ditch describe its form. Its state of preservation is another important aspect of the site.

Stag Lodges at Dale Park and Fairmile Bottom

The Stag Lodges at Dale Park are topped with figures of seated stags. This is a striking architectural detail. The history of the estate’s ownership is a separate matter: Dale Park was acquired by Sir George Thomas in 1780. A design feature and a dated event in the history of ownership thus offer distinct points of interest.

Fairmile Bottom comprises chalk grassland as well as yew and beech woodland. These are different landscape elements: a type of grassland and two types of woodland. Unlike the church chronology and the earthworks, the focus here is neither building dates nor the form of a monument, but the composition of the landscape. When planning your travel interests, you can consider this natural aspect as a separate focus alongside architectural history and archaeology.

Discover more destinations: Findon, Rustington, Barnham, Horsham, Chichester, Littlehampton, East Grinstead, Shoreham-By-Sea.

For the broader travel overview: West Sussex.