This is an attractive little church, most agreeably approached across the field that separates it from the footpath alongside the tidal reaches of the Arun.  It consists of just a chancel and a nave, with the additions of a S. porch, a cross-gabled N. vestry and a low western belfry, so its interest lies more in its antiquity than the scale or grandeur of its architecture.  However, its origins appear to lie in early Norman times rather than the late Saxon, as the notes in the church claim, for the walls are of characteristic Norman thickness and there is no evidence of long-and-short work at the angles of the building, or, indeed, of any specifically Saxon features.

 

Externally, the church is lit to the north and south by a series of round-arched windows of two apparent dates, as shown by their different sizes.  There are two small windows of presumed eleventh century date in the N. wall of the nave, and two taller windows, still round-arched which are probably twelfth century. The N. and S. windows in the chancel, which are round externally but have pointed rere-arches, are probably Norman-Transitional work of c. 1200. The three-light E. window to the chancel, with reticulated tracery, is a Decorated insertion of c. 1330, and the two-light W. window to the nave, with a straightened reticulation unit in the head, is probably early Perpendicular.  The S. porch (illustrated left) is a delightful seventeenth century addition in brick (Ian Nairn dated it 1637 in The Buildings of England without giving his source), distinguished by its excellent Dutch gable.  The low N. vestry is Victorian.  The weatherboarded belfry with pyramidal roof, now painted white, is impossible to date by visual inspection from the ground, but the church guide says that one of the bells is inscribed with the name “Robert Ridre”, who is believed to have been at work from 1351-86.  The inner doorway to the porch is pointed and flat-chamfered, with the appearance of Early English work.

 

Inside the church, the chancel arch is by far the most significant feature.  (See the photograph, right, viewed from the chancel.) This is very thick and unmoulded, but it rests on imposts decorated with a repeating cross-shaped ornament, like embryonic dog-tooth.  The imposts have hollow-chamfered under-edges and the jambs beneath are entirely plain.  There is a round-arched recess in the chancel N. wall (below left), of uncertain function, which is probably contemporary.  The recess in the nave E. wall, to the right of the chancel arch, probably once held a side altar, but here it is the period of its origin that is difficult to tell.

 

Other features in the building include the very crude font with a plain Romanesque (i.e. Saxon or Norman) square bowl. Fragments of wall paintings include the remains of a 'Doom' painting high up on the nave east gable, and the 'Agony in the Garden' still discernible on the south wall.  Old woodwork may be limited to the braced collar-beam nave roof and the  two tie beams to the west which support the diminutive belfry.  The octagonal pulpit is interesting and unusual but may only be Victorian.