Tuxlith Chapel
Church in West Sussex, England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tuxlith Chapel, also known as Milland Old Church, is a redundant Anglican church in the village of Milland, West Sussex, England (grid reference SU 825 282). It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building,[1] and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.[2]
| Tuxlith Chapel | |
|---|---|
| Milland Old Church | |
 Tuxlith Chapel | |
  Tuxlith Chapel Location in West Sussex | |
| 51.0478°N 0.8238°W | |
| OS grid reference | SU 825 282 |
| Location | Milland, West Sussex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Friends of Friendless Churches |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 18 June 1959 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Completed | 18th century |
| Closed | 1879 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Plastered stone rubble with ashlar dressings, tiled roof |
It has been stated that the church was built as a chapel of ease to St George, Trotton, in the 16th century.[3] However, there must have been an earlier building on the site because during conservation work a blocked window dating from the 12th century, and herringbone masonry in the north wall in Norman style were found.[2] The earliest surviving documentary evidence relating to the church is a bequest in a will dated 1532 to "the Church of Tyklyth".[2] The parish registers go back to 1581. In the 17th century a gallery was added, approached by steps from outside the church. During the following century a north transept was built. However, during the 19th century, due to growth of the local population, the building became too small for the size of the congregation, and a new church dedicated to St Luke was built to the west of it in 1879.[2]
The old church was used as a Sunday school until the 1930s, when it became unused and its fabric deteriorated.[2] It was listed as Grade II listed building in 1959, at which time it was described as being "disused and neglected".[1] The church was declared redundant in 1974.[2] It was one of the first churches to be owned by the charity, the Friends of Friendless Churches.[4] At that time the charity was only a pressure group, but its constitution was changed so that it could instigate repair and renovation of the churches in its possession.[4] The charity holds a 99-year lease with effect from 1 January 1974.[5] After its acquisition the building was immediately made waterproof.[2] Money has since been raised for further restoration work, helped by the Friends of Tuxlith Chapel, a group founded in 1993. It is now used as a community centre, and it hosts concerts and meetings.[4] Improvements to the furniture of the church have been undertaken, including restoration of the pulpit in 1993, and a new altar designed by Sir Hubert Bennett.[2]
Tuxlith Chapel is constructed in plastered stone rubble with ashlar dressings and has a tiled roof.[3] Its plan is L-shaped, consisting of a chancel with a north transept and a north porch, and a nave with a south porch. On the south wall are stone steps which led up to the former gallery.[1] On the west gable is a bellcote.[3] On the sides of the east window are Commandment Boards containing the Creed and the Lord's Prayer.[6]
Contrasting it favourably with St Luke's Church, its 19th-century replacement, architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner described it as making "a very telling contrast between true piety and 19th-century religious advertisement".[7]
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