St Peter
Preston Park, Sussex
In a small, wooded churchyard adjoining Preston Manor, this simple 13th century flint church makes a pleasing medieval contrast with its suburban surroundings.
The present church has a history dating back to Saxon times and earlier, (possibly as early as the 700s). There are striking similarities with other Sussex Downland churches nearby, such as Pyecombe and Clayton, in terms of construction and overall design.
All Saints is built in the vernacular flint which was widely used for building construction in Sussex in the Middle Ages, with sections of the present building dating from as early as the 12th century. The nave is 12th century Norman, the tower from the 13th century and the chancel from the 14th century. In 1898 a north aisle was created using brick and flint in its construction. All Saints was listed as Grade II* in 1952.
The original fabric of All Saints is showing signs of severe decay which is especially so in the chancel and the south wall as well as impacting on the condition of the Doom painting over the chancel arch. Work has begun to take the exterior back to the original flint and to finish with lime based plaster internally and lime based render externally. This will halt the deterioration in the fabric of the church and dramatically improve the appearance, both internally and externally. The external restoration will please many people, both the congregation of worshippers and local people, who value the church for many different reasons and particularly as they have seen the gradual deterioration of the church building over past decades.
Many other Sussex Downland churches were built of flint, and a number have been restored and taken back to their original flint. One example of this is Pyecombe Church, constructed in a similar way and at a similar time to All Saints. Its restoration has had a very positive effect for the church community and visitors alike.