Bootnecks
St Peter's Church Southeast near Lewes East Sussex
The small flint church with round tower with Norman windows and shingled conical roof was conferred on the abbey of Hyde, Winchester, in A.D.966 by King Edgar. A facsimile of the charter can be seen in the church. The round west tower (one of three in sussex, the others being at St.Michael's, Lewes, and Piddinghoe) and the nave belong to a simple Norman building, probably of early date. A window of early form was uncovered in the North wall of the nave at restoration in 1916, and at the same time foundations of a former North and South aisle and chancel were discovered. A pre-conquest church evidently stood on the site, but there appears to be no architectural evidence of it. There are an interesting series of 13 Century wall-paintings, first noticed in 1916 and since restored. Those on the North wall depict scenes from the life of our lord (mid 13 Century), and those on the West wall a Christ-in-Majesty above other subjects (late 13 Century) which are difficult to read, and four consecration crosses. The modern chancel arch of wood has pieces of the rood-screen, which shows original colouring on the East face, incorporated; the restored late Norman font; a locker with Sussex marble shelf in the North wall of the chancel; good examples of 17 century alter-rails; an inscribed bell dated 1280, the third oldest bell in Sussex and a scratch-dial on a piece of re-used stone low down of the South East buttress.
St Peter's Church Southeast near Lewes East Sussex
The small flint church with round tower with Norman windows and shingled conical roof was conferred on the abbey of Hyde, Winchester, in A.D.966 by King Edgar. A facsimile of the charter can be seen in the church. The round west tower (one of three in sussex, the others being at St.Michael's, Lewes, and Piddinghoe) and the nave belong to a simple Norman building, probably of early date. A window of early form was uncovered in the North wall of the nave at restoration in 1916, and at the same time foundations of a former North and South aisle and chancel were discovered. A pre-conquest church evidently stood on the site, but there appears to be no architectural evidence of it. There are an interesting series of 13 Century wall-paintings, first noticed in 1916 and since restored. Those on the North wall depict scenes from the life of our lord (mid 13 Century), and those on the West wall a Christ-in-Majesty above other subjects (late 13 Century) which are difficult to read, and four consecration crosses. The modern chancel arch of wood has pieces of the rood-screen, which shows original colouring on the East face, incorporated; the restored late Norman font; a locker with Sussex marble shelf in the North wall of the chancel; good examples of 17 century alter-rails; an inscribed bell dated 1280, the third oldest bell in Sussex and a scratch-dial on a piece of re-used stone low down of the South East buttress.