History of Graffham Church

Sussex was the last area in Britain to become Christian. St. Wilfrid landed at Selsey and began the conversion in about 680 A.D. Graffham so far inland may not have heard the Gospel for another 100 years. The village almost certainly consisted of only a few families of shepherds whose only pasture would have been the Downs (open down land before the Napoleonic wars). The early settlement was probably around where the Church is now. The first Church was undoubtedly wooden like the houses. When replaced with a more solid structure it would most certainly have been built on the same spot.

The building, as it now stands, varies considerably from the original, but retains four pillars and connecting arches in the middle of the nave from the later Norman times. All the outside walls date from the 1870s when the Church was completely rebuilt as a memorial to Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, who was Lord of the Manor and a son of William Wilberforce, famous for his anti slavery campaigns. The architect responsible for the "new look" was G.E. Street, with an unenviable reputation for most of his work, but St. Giles is one of his happier inspirations. The Church here retains that atmosphere of antiquity so often lost in a drastic restoration, and it would seem that the original building was in need of more than ordinary repair!!

The BELLS. The tower and spire, which Street had not touched, became unsafe, and were taken down in 1885. The tower was rebuilt in 1887 and the spire added in 1889. After the tower was taken down the original bells sat in the Churchyard for a while during which time one disappeared. As the two remaining bells were cracked they were recast, and rehung with a new smaller third bell.In 1900 a fourth larger bell was added. These were augmented to six in 1984.

The LYCH GATE was built to celebrate the Millennium and was consecrated by the Bishop of Horsham on the 24th June 2000. Money for this was raised by the whole community.

INSIDE THE CHURCH

Interesting survivals from earlier times include THE FONT which is early Norman. There are a number of very similar ones in West Sussex all within ten miles. Our West Doorway is medieval, as are the pillars of our arcades.

The Church REGISTERS began in 1655, although there are Considerable gaps in the Marriage Register. All the old records are now held in the Public Record Office in Chichester.

The KNEELERS were designed by Mrs. Miranda Covington, with the designs all inspired by objects in the Church. Under her guidance a group of stitchers worked for 2 years to complete the project.

NOTABLE INCUMBENTS

John SARGENT held the family livings of Graffham and Woolavington from 1805-1833. His four beautiful daughters all married clergymen who made themselves famous in the mid 19th century.

EMILY married Samuel WILBERFORCE, who was first Bishop of Oxford then Winchester. He became Lord of the Manor on his father in law's death. They are buried behind St Peter's Church.

MARY married Samuel's brother, Henry William. They were among the early Secessionists who joined the Church of Rome.

CAROLINE married her father's curate, Henry MANNING, who became Rector of Graffham and Woolavington for seventeen years, then Archdeacon of Chichester. After Caroline's death he too went over to Rome and became famous as Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. While at Graffham Manning was very involved with the Oxford movement and with NEWMAN. Caroline Manning is buried at St Peter's Church, Seaford College Chapel. When Cardinal Manning died they found under his pillow his wife's prayer book which he prayed from everyday.

SOPHIA married George RYDER, son of the Bishop of Lichfield. They were the first of the family circle to join the Church of Rome

LAVINGTON PARK, where the Wilberforce family lived is now, after considerable alteration in structure and changes of ownership, Seaford College, a Public School. The little Church of St. Peter's Woolavington also within our parish, is now the School Chapel.