Data copyright © Sussex Archaeological Society unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Jaime
Kaminski
Sussex Archaeological Society
Barbican House
169 High Street
Lewes
BN8 1YE
Reflecting the general trend over much of Britain, the population of the Sussex parishes of Barcombe and Hamsey rose significantly throughout the nineteenth century. Clearly there were concerns that the locations of their ancient churches made it difficult for them to serve the developing communities. In both parishes new churches were built in what had become more densely populated areas. In Hamsey, the new church at Offham was dedicated in 1860 and the ancient church remained in use as a mortuary chapel. The change appears to have caused little local controversy perhaps because the rector was a member of the Shiffner family, by 1840 the greatest landowners in the parish. Although from as early as 1836 there had been plans in Barcombe to build a new chapel to the north of the parish, St Bartholomew's at Spithurst was not dedicated until 1880. That simple statement masks a story of parochial controversy that had wracked the parish community for over 40 years. The differing responses to similar circumstances reflect the underlying contrasts between the two communities. Hamsey was essentially a downland parish with an influential resident landowner, whereas Barcombe, a more complex and essentially Wealden community, lacked a dominant individual with sufficient power to implement change on his own terms.