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Coombes Church

 

Coombes Church was reopened on Christmas Day
after 2 years work
The repair work is finished (see below).

The church is now open daily from 9.30 am - 4.30 pm.

Holy Eucharist is offered on 2nd Sunday of the month 9.00 am.
Even song is 4th sunday of the month in summer.


Harvest festival -September 27th 3.00 pm
Christmas Day - 8.45 am
Christmas carols -Dec 27th 3.00 pm
Easter Day Eucharist is at 8.45 am in the morning.
Rogation Sunday 3.00 - walk on the downs.

Coombes Church is a Saxon church built in the 11th century and the chancel was built in the 13th and 14th century. The dedication of the church is unknown.

It is famous for its Frescoes (murals), being some of the most important in the country. They were made around 1087 with some, the most modern, in 1753. These were whitewashed over and rediscovered in 1949. These frescoes include 'The Nativity Cycle', 'The Lion of St Mark', 'Christ giving the keys to Peter' and 'the journey into Egypt with the donkey led by St Joseph'.
The church had its own rector, who lived in the rectory across the field until 1900. We now share a rector with North Lancing and hold regular services. Rev' Roger Russell

Over the last two years, thanks to a large grant from English Heritage and grants from charities and trusts, together with the efforts of the faithful small congregation and the generosity of friends, major repairs have been completed.

In 2007 the bell-cote was rebuilt and the weather-vane now shines out newly gilded, and topped with a cross based on one carved by crusaders inside the church. The bell, dated at 1100 or even earlier and possibly the oldest in Sussex, was repaired and re-hung. and once again rings out to mark services. A large part of the roof was re-laid and weak old timbers strengthened. Inside ceiling panels were renewed and the nationally important wall paintings, dating also from around 1100, received pains-taking attention.

But the bad new was that when the roof of the east end of the church was uncovered, the timbers were found to be rotten and unsafe.

Late Summer 2008 saw the second phase of repairs. The Chancel roof had been re-built with new timber, and together with the rest of the roof, beautifully re-laid with Horsham stone and tiles. Inside the ceilings have been repaired and plastered, and the cleaning and conserving of the wall-paintings completed. Now they have all been cleaned, they look better than we have ever seen them, thanks to the expert care of Ann Ballantyne, our conservator.

It has been a long haul, and it was particularly pleasing that we were able to be back worshipping in church on Christmas morning and for a packed Carol Service the following Sunday afternoon.

Thanks from everybody at Coombes goes to our architect and contractors, who have done a wonderful job. Also to English heritage and all our generous friends who have made it possible to repair and preserve this national treasure. My own thanks to our churchwardens and treasurer and all on the farm for their help and co-operation.
Fr Roger


The Rev’d Roger Russell, Rector,
The Vicarage
Manor Road
Lancing Tel: 01903 753212


 

Coombes Church Restoration 2007 - 2008


The restoration of Coombes Church was carried out during 2007 and 2008. The work involved the re-building of the bell-cote and the repair and re-hanging of the 12th century bell, the re-laying of the nave and chancel roofs and the insertion of a new timber roof structure in the chancel. The stonework of several windows has been repaired and the exterior of the west wall re- pointed. Most importantly the structural work, as well as the lime-washing of the walls and ceilings, provided the opportunity for a complete cleaning of the wall paintings which are the glory of this small Downland church.

The Rector, Churchwardens, and PCC of Coombes Church, wish to thank all the local people who have supported this project. At the same time the work could not have been carried out without the backing of English Heritage whose grants largely financed the work. We are immensely grateful to them and to the national and local trusts that also provided further significant assistance. They were:

The Allchurches trust
The Alan Evans Trust
The Garfield Weston Trust
The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
The John and Ruth Howard Trust
The Mercers’s Company
Viridor Credits (Landfill)

We should also like to record our appreciation and especial thanks to our Architect, Richard Crook, of John D Clarke & Partners, the wall painting conservator, Ann Ballantyne, and to the contractors, Bramber Construction, J.H. Payne & Partners, and Clarke Roofing.


If you can help Coombes Church
please send a donation to

Coombes Church , Church farm, Coombes, Lancing,
Sussex BN15 0RS

We get extra help if you GIFT AID IT .....Thank you


The restoration Project

The two year restoration project at Coombes Church was completed just before Christmas, 2008. The Rector, the Reverend Roger Russell, and the Parochial Church Council, and all those who know and love this little church, want to thank all those who have given their support to this major undertaking.

The restoration could not have been considered without the guidance, as well as financial backing, of English Heritage from its South East office in Guildford. Even so the PCC has had to raise a substantial sum. We were lucky to win the backing of a number of major trusts and grant-making bodies. Generous grants came from the Allchurches trust, the Alan Evans Trust, the Garfield Weston Trust, the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, the John and Ruth Howard Charitable Trust, the Mercers’ Company, and Viridor Credits (Landfill) Ltd as well as one anonymous local donor. The church has also been fortunate over the years in the steady giving of its many small donors. The PCC is hugely grateful to everyone who has made the work possible and, in addition, to the two contractors, Bramber Construction Ltd (2007)and JH Payne’s of Hailsham (2008). Special thanks are also due to Richard Crook, of John D Clarke and Partners of Eastbourne, the PCC’s architect, whose skilful and sensitive direction of the project has contributed so much to its success.

The total cost of the work was in the region of £250k. What it has achieved is the rebuilding of the small bellcote at the west end, the restoration of the 12th century bell, the re-roofing of the whole church, including the Horsham stone roof on the south side, the structural replacement of the chancel’s timber roof, and the complete cleaning of the 12th century wall paintings and the lime-washing of the walls and ceilings. This task, interestingly, was carried out by Anne Ballantyne, who assisted Clive Rouse when the Coombes wall paintings were discovered more than fifty years ago. In addition there has been some repair to the stonework of the windows on the south side. The opportunity has also been taken to install lightening conductors for Coombes.

Of course with an ancient building of this standing it is never certain what other works may be needed in the future. All the same, as things now stand, we feel that Coombes should not require major work for many decades. Those who know the church well will be aware that serious work has been done. New visitors may well wonder what has changed! The answer is that modern restoration prides itself on respect for every period of a church’s history. The highest praise we can give it is to say ‘nothing much seems to have been done’. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are fortunate indeed to have had such outstandingly skilled people working on this remarkable church and carrying out this little miracle of restoration.


COOMBES CHURCH by Rev' Roger Russell

The church had its own rector, who lived in the rectory across the field until 1900. We now share a rector with North Lancing and hold regular services. Rev' Roger Russell

Coombes Church is a little downland treasure. On the slope of the Downs at Church Farm, it has served the people of this tiny parish for nearly a thousand years. But now the church’s small congregation and friends face a massive challenge to make sure it will continue as a place of Christian worship and spiritual peace.

There are less than forty people living at Coombes, just sixteen households. The parish shares a rector with Lancing, but is financially independent and responsible for the up-keep and repairs of this ancient church.

The bell-cote at the west end of the roof was constructed in the early 18th century when the west end of the church was shortened, perhaps after a collapse. It is thought that once there was a tower at the west end. Over the centuries the weight of the bell-cote has caused the roof to sag badly, and bell-cote has had to be shored up.

The bell is the second oldest in Sussex, dated around 1150. It is believed to have been made in Normandy.
It is our dear hope soon to hear it ring again.

The church also contains very important wall paintings of around 1100 depicting the gospel story of the birth of Jesus. Re-discovered only in 1949, these are rare survivals from the time when our churches were richly decorated, and taught the Gospel to those who could not read through pictures.

 

CAN YOU HELP
THIS LITTLE GEM OF A CHURCH?


The Rev’d Roger Russell, Rector,
The Vicarage
Manor Road
Lancing Tel: 01903 753212

Coombes Church Bell
Will you help the second
Oldest bell in Sussex to ring again?
Coombes Church bell
The turret in need of repair This bell - cast in France
around 1150 – needs
re .hanging; its turret has to
be rebuilt; and
The end of the Church
Roof urgently needs
repairing.
The whole work will
cost nearly £200,000
The crown at the top of the bell
  English Heritage has promised
Us generous Help,
But we have to
raise a large sum ourselves
CAN YOU HELP ?  
 

Send donations to Coombes Church, Church Farm, Coombes, Lancing .Sussex BN15 0RS

We get extra help if you GIFT AID IT .....Thank you

 

Our Special Weekend
is August 8th 9th 2009

In aid of Coombes Church
Join in "The Coombes Art weekend".

 

Coombes Church Flower Festival

Photography by Sandy Petty 2002©

- click on each individual image to view at larger size -


Coombes Church
Coombes Church

 

Coombes Church , Alter
Coombes Church

 

Coombes Church
Coombes Church

 


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