As you are walking through the South Downs, it is worth making a brief detour to visit a fascinating, and beautiful, piece of church history.
Our first attempted encounter with the Church of St Mary the Virgin was while we were killing time before dinner at Houghton’s The George and Dragon. A sign pointed off the main road with just one word: church. We walked a way but the rain started and a desire for food caused us to turn back. The next day, as luck would have it, we reached the church. This time we came across it from another direction as our walking trail took us past North Stoke.
The church is quite simple. The construction is the shape of a medieval cross. It stands in relative isolation, surrounded by a small church yard. A sign reminds visitors to carefully close the church door to prevent birds getting in.
So what makes this church noteworthy? And why stop by?
The windows.
Some remnants of a 14th century stained glass window show several figures, believed to perhaps be King David and the Virgin Mary. They are some of the oldest surviving examples of stained glass in the country, and they are a charming reminder of bygone centuries. Careful inspection of the church walls also reveals faded traces of 14th century wall paintings.
Another fascinating little factoid about the church: it was long known as North Stoke Church until 2007 when historians discovered a long forgotten letter, dated 1275, which indicated that it was dedicated to St. Mary. Since then, it has been renamed the Church of St. Mary the Virgin.
The church is open to the public daily from 10am to 4pm. Take a break from walking. Marvel at a piece of medieval church history. And remember not to let in the birds.
