St Mary Magdalene

The church incorporated most of the features of an original church, which had been a focal point of Bersted since the mid 13th century. No architectural remains have been found, but some stones bearing a Saxon stonemason's mark were discovered and built into the north wall of the chancel over the vestry door.

With the building of the present church, four large buttresses were added outside to strengthen the old church's tower, and, inside the tower, the outer and larger arch was filled in. Italian style frescoes were painted on the pillars and you can still see the traces of one of them (depicting St Christopher bearing Jesus over water) on the third pillar in the north aisle. The faint marks of a Mass clock may also just be seen at the east end of the south aisle. It is thought that the chancel was added in the 15th or 16th century, and at some stage internal galleries were built, where congregations would once have sat to worship, looking down on the rest of the church from above.

The church has undergone several stages of re-ordering.

All the windows are the work of James Powell and Sons of Whitefriars, London. The three light east window replacing a two light one and depicting two incidents in the life of Mary Magdalene: her conversion and the appearance of Jesus to her after His Resurrection. A further Powell window was placed at the east end of the south aisle in 1905.

The distinctive bulge in the shape of our steeple has been caused by the king post being bent slightly in the middle. The interior of the spire is entirely of heart of oak, on which 12,000 oak shingles were fastened. 

The original organ in the west gallery was presented to the Vicar in 1849 by the parishioners. The keys could be pushed out of sight, and it could be played like a barrel organ by handle with a limited selection of hymn tunes. In 1881 a new organ was installed by Walkers, and the present one was installed by them in 1955.

The current font, from 1898, replaced one from the 13th century. Its oak cover with wrought iron handles was presented by Sunday School teachers and children in 1900. Fragments of an old font, possibly from an earlier church, can also be seen.

Dating from about 1200, this oak chest behind the back pews was originally intended for holding the priestly vestments, but was used between 1538 and 1827 to store the church registers, meticulously kept since 1564.  

Three bells are contained in the belfry, one dating from 1610, one from 1614, and one from much later, in 1833. The tenor bell weighs in at well over half a ton.

Churchyards might at first sight be perceived as rather dull places, but in fact the inscriptions on headstones and monuments can tell us a great deal about life in our parish in former times. Some are intriguing and amusing, not always intentionally and of course they can offer key information for family historians. There are tales, too, to be told of the churchyard.  In the 18th and early 19th centuries, Bersted was described as 'a haunt of smugglers'. This was almost a cottage industry and involved virtually all ranks of society, even the vicar.