A History of St Leonard’s Church, Horsham, West Sussex.
Like so many other towns in the 20th century Horsham found it necessary to expand so the district of Horsham New Town replaced the rural character with many new streets and buildings. Consequently a large red-brick Church with a red tiled roof was erected in Art Deco style at the corner of Cambridge Road and Clarence Road. The church was designed by architects Godman and Kay and built
in 1939 just before the Second World War. Godman and Kay were quite interesting
architects who appear to have dominated Horsham in the 1920s and '30s., from
designing the Councils first Council houses in 1919 through to the War
memorial, Drill hall, Capitol cinema and much else besides. The original design called for a spire and railings around the
grassed areas, but these were not provided as the metal was needed for the
war-effort. It has taken 70 years for a spire to be added, albeit of a modern
design.
The church consists of a red brown multi facing brickwork laid in Flemish bond with
snapped headers to a hipped roof bearing Norfolk pantiles (red profiled
interlocking clay tiles) with half-round ridges and third round hips. At the
east end of the church lies a half-octagonal apsidal Chancel.
The north
elevation faces north-east along Cambridge Road. Here single-storey ancillary
accommodation with flat roof and brick parapet flanks the central main entrance
tower, and which now has a shallow pitched metal roof and perforated steel
spire. There is a projecting plinth section in the external wall at low level
some 8 courses or so above general ground level running around the
building.
Above and behind
the ancillary accommodation may be observed a row of clerestory windows which
are clear glazed and have semicircular heads with leaded light effect trim to
the outer pane. The windows are in groups of three defining three bays to either
side of the central tower.
The main entrance
consists of a large opening with semicircular arch in three stages. The outer
stage consists of a two-ring rough arch of headers. The inner stage comprises a
recess of brick tiles set in a herringbone pattern and radial lines, with a
single ring inner arch over the third stage consisting of a stepped two ring
arch. Within this hang double leaf
panelled hardwood timber doors with a semicircular head. At either side of the doors there are wrought
iron floral decorations and above the doors there is a stainless steel cross.
Above the cross there is a single window opening consisting of a narrow
rectangular window. On the east and west facing elevation of the tower there is
a small window with semicircular head overlooking the flat roofs.
There are a series
of narrow windows consisting of opening casements with rectangular heads and
leaded light effect trims to the outer pane along the entire elevation. They
form a symmetrical arrangement to either side of the main entrance and tower set
within three bays subdivided by pilasters. The space between the windows and
jambs is formed by special V shaped bricks creating a series of vertical
indents. All the window openings have special V shaped brick surrounds to the
jambs creating sharp vertical recesses. The window heads and sills are formed by
a row of canted headers.
The central bay
has four windows and there are three windows to the outer bays on either side.
This arrangement is repeated to both wings of the ancillary accommodation. The
pilasters dividing the bays have canted quoins and tops which stop short of the
moulded parapet by three courses of brickwork.
The east facing
wall of the ancillary accommodation has a single panelled hardwood timber door,
up to which lead two steps. There are two wrought-iron handrails, one either
side of the door. The central brick panel of the apse facing Clarence Road
incorporates a cross feature formed from special V shaped bricks. The other
facets of the apse on all sides have a central tall window with a semi-circular
head illuminating the sanctuary.
The structure was designed as a combined Church and Hall and was named St Leonard’s, though some would have liked St Andrew’s. The cost was £6000 – half was contributed by the Parish of Horsham and half by the Diocese through the Sussex Church Builders. The cost included chairs, pews, etc., but the first organ was not purchased until 1956.
Unlike domestic and commercial buildings, Art
Deco Churches in this country are quite rare.
It is not a style much associated with religious buildings probably because the
20s & 30s were not a period of church expansion. Curiously enough, however,
some former Art Deco cinema buildings are now utilised as churches. It has to
be said though, in the medium of brickwork, as opposed to the
alternative reinforced concrete Art Deco churches, I can only think of 3
others in the country – All Hallows, Suffolk (designed by Munro Cautley); St
Alban the Martyr, Larkhill; and St George the Martyr, Brentwood.
We have a gem here in Horsham,
although alas, a gem that had seen the ravages of time, and sadly to say, 70
years of neglect. It is only within the last 10 years that the entire interior
has been reordered, but it has been modernised, with much of the Art Deco
features being removed – the tulipwood pews, the proscenium and stage in the
hall (which would have done the Capitol theatre proud), and much else beside.
However, much thought was put into the redecorating and the resultant works
very much had 21st century
functionality in mind. In talking to the people involved, I do believe they had
no idea that they had a building of such structural importance on their hands.
However, the original architects must have
seemed old-fashioned to be building in the late 1930s a perfect example of the
Jazz Modern enthusiasm of the 1920s. The clouds of war were already gathering,
and the architecture which would follow the peace of 1945 would be quite
different, a deliberate rejection of what was seen as the ossifying
conservatism of the likes of Art Deco. How unfashionably decorative St
Leonard’s must have seemed then!
And yet, externally, it is not an ornate church,
despite the little tower with its cross. It has the same gritty
quasi-industrial quality of a 1930’s power-house, - there is a soundness and
symmetry about the way those red bricks build to their big-boned roof, with
bold angles and geometric juxtapositions.
How did the architects
come to design an Art Deco building here in the first place? Well, I don’t
think they did really. The may have been using the language of Art Deco, but
they were still thinking Medieval. - witness the clerestory above the ground-floor.
I just love it, and here
it is in our own back-yard, unpretentious, unassuming, and - unknown.
The appeal fund for the building of the
church was launched and maintained by Mr Coultham, Parish Church Warden, and Mr
Robert Walton, whose recollections of the district at that time observed that “for many years the church owned land at the
corner of Cambridge and Clarence Roads known as St Saviour’s Church Site, but
when it came to be built upon for some reason the name was changed.”
The dedication service took place just
before the outbreak of the Second World War. In the porch is a tablet with the
inscription “To the Glory of God and in
the service of man this Church and Hall as dedicated for pious and charitable
uses by the right Reverend Bishop Walter Carey, D.D. July 24th 1939”.
In 1979, when Ms Winifred Connard produced a
small pamphlet on the history of St Leonard’s Church for the occasion of the
Ruby Anniversary of the dedication, she made enquiries as to how the site of
the church was obtained, with Thomas Eggar & Sons, the Church Solicitors.
The reply, via Mr C L Hodgetts, Solicitor to the Bishop of Chichester, Registrar
of the Diocese, stated that “St Leonard’s Church was not a consecrated
building, the site being vested in the Chichester Diocesan Fund and Board of
Finance, and the Deeds were held by Messrs Fitzhugh Eggar & Port,
Solicitors, of Brighton.”
A letter of enquiry to these latter
solicitors, was answered in Feb 1980, stating that “The land which is the
site of the Church was purchased by private individuals as Trustees in 1899
immediately prior to the making of both Cambridge and Clarence Roads. Canon
Evan Daniel was one of the Private Trustees. In 1905 some surrounding land was
acquired and the land already owned by the Trustees was referred to as St
Saviour’s Church Site.
The site of the Church was conveyed to
the Diocesan Board of Finance in 1933 and was expressed to be held for the
benefit of the Parish of Horsham with no designations of any Saint’s name.
There is marked on the deed in pencil (St Saviour) but this is not conclusive.
In
1940 some surrounding land was vested in the Board of Finance but the plan does
not show any name. By 1956, however, we have a plan showing that the name had
been changed.”
Out of
this came the mystery of the name. The intention being that it was to be called
St Saviour’s; a suggestion by some parishioners-to-be, that it should be St
Andrew’s, and the final dedication upon completion of the building as St
Leonard.
St
Leonard – who was he?
Those
interested in this church may be surprised
to know that this was not the first church in Horsham to bear the name of St
Leonard. There was, before the Reformation, a chapel in St Leonard’s Forest,
supposedly built on the site of a cell where a hermit named St. Leonard had
dwelt, of which some information is given in the Rev. Edmund Cartwright’s history of the Rape of Bramber. Cartwright stated: “The earliest notice that has been met with (of this chapel) is in the
Taxation of Bishop Langton in 1320, when it is excused payment on account of
its poverty. In 1400 W. Ashendon was presented to the chapel of St
Leonards-juxta-Horsham, by the king, during the minority of Lord Mowbray. In
the Augmentation Office this chapel is only noted twice. ‘The free chapel
of St Leonard, near Horsham, no incumbent, for the priest did give up the same
to my Lord of Norff.’,(Norfolk) a lytil time before his attaynder.’ ‘Capella
S’cti Leonardi per annum, claire volet, ixli, xiiijs,
iiijd.’(£9.14s.4d.)”
However,
other documentary evidence tells us that the chapel was standing as early as
1215, and it
seems likely that it gave its name to the forest, rather than vice-versa, as it
had been founded by c.1208. The
chapel survived until the mid-16th century, when it was dissolved shortly
before 1547 by the Duke of Norfolk. It was
not a chapel-of-ease, because the incumbent of the parish church at Beeding, in
which most of St. Leonard’s Forest lay, apparently had no jurisdiction over
it. Instead, it was described as a
free-chapel or chantry belonging to the successive lords of St Leonard’s Forest, the Braoses, the
Mowbrays, and the Howards, who presented its chaplains. At the
Crawley Exhibition, in 1865, a venerable old key was shown, said to have
belonged to the chapel in the forest. No trace has survived of the building. The
site is supposed to have been in an enclosure of about one acre, some two miles
outside Horsham, sited either on what became the bay of Hawkins pond, or not
far from the parish boundary near the Horsham-Colgate road leading to Pease
Pottage.
Horsham
abounds with references to St Leonard, his name being given to the Church,
road, forest, and pub. But who was he?
The Victoria County History states that “the connexion with St. Leonard evidently
postdates the Norman Conquest: the saint, a forest hermit, was French, and was
especially favoured by Benedictines, such as those of Sele priory in whose
parish the forest lay. It seems likely that the forest took its name from the
chapel dedicated to St. Leonard which was evidently built by the lords of the
forest, the Braoses”. But there has always been a question whether the French St Leonard could really be our
Patron Saint. There seems to be
no apparent connection between St. Leonard of Noblac, who lived all his life in
France, and the St. Leonard of Sussex who was said to have lived in the forest
as a hermit, and became the subject of a number of legends over the centuries. The lilies of the valley that grow in St. Leonard’s Forest were said to
have sprung up where the Saint’s blood fell on the ground, after a bloody
battle in which he slew the dragon.
Another legend that was later attached to him
was first postulated by Andrew Boorde in the 16th century, who wrote
of the absence of nightingales in St. Leonard’s Forest, apparently at the
request of a hermit who found that their song disturbed his prayers; “The
bird wyl syng round about the forest, but never within the precinct of the
forest”. The water bailiff who wrote a description of
the course of the Arun in 1636 ascribed this legend, with some diffidence, to
St. Leonard, rather than to an unnamed hermit;
“I have enquired of many old
Inhabitants, yet as far as I could ever learn, an Nightingale heard to sing, if
at all, never since (if the Tradition be true) she was by St. Leonard, for her
unseasonable disquieting of his devotions, interdicted”. Howard Dudley added a little more colour to
the story in 1835 when he said “The
celebrated St. Leonard also, through whose efficacious prayers ‘The adders
never stynge, Nor ye nightingales synge’ in its gloomy mazes is often the theme
of the cottagers’ fireside conversation”. Cartwright gave the saint’s day of the
local St. Leonard as 17 November, (the day on which St. Leonard’s fair was held
in Horsham) while the saint’s day of the French St. Leonard was 6 November –
thus suggesting that there might be some evidence of a local St. Leonard, as well as the French saint.
In the course of my researches I came across a little
known book entitled “St. Leonard of
Sussex”, by The Rev. Arthur C. Crookshank, Vicar of Ditchling from 1940 to
1958, which seemed to provide the answer to this question.
In the preface he said “It is strange that the Life of Saint Leonard of Sussex has never
before been written. He alone of the
Sussex Saints has left his name on the map, for part of the Weald is still
called St. Leonard’s Forest. Nor is
there any lack of records from which to obtain the incidents of his life”. Crookshank claimed that St. Leonard lived in
Sussex in the 11th century, some 500 years after the French saint,
and was responsible for building Worth Church. Yet despite the detailed picture
that he built up of the life of St. Leonard, he was unable to provide proof
that he was ever more than a legendary figure.
So, let us examine what has been said about the two saints in more
detail.
St. Leonard of Noblac or of Limoges (c.
AD 485-559), was a French nobleman in the court of Clovis, the first king of
France, and the story of his life is reasonably well documented, although the compiler
of the Oxford Dictionary of Saints
concluded his article on Leonard of Noblac with the words “Leonard’s historical existence is probable, but unproven”. He was converted to Christianity along with
the king by Saint Remigius, Bishop of Reims, and secured the release of a
number of prisoners. He entered a monastery at Micy near Orléans, under the
direction of Saint Mesmin and Saint Lie. Then, he became a hermit in the forest
of Limousin, where he attracted a number of followers. Saint Leonard was noted
for his sanctity even more than his nobility. Through his prayers, the French queen
was said to have been safely delivered a son, and, she rewarded him with royal
lands at Noblac, near Limoges, where he founded the abbey of Noblac, around
which a village grew, named in his honour Saint-Léonard-de-Noblac..
The French saint, St Leonard of Noblac
In the 11th century his cult spread rapidly.
Bohemond, a charismatic leader of the First Crusade, visited the Abbey of
Noblac, where he made an offering in gratitude for his release from prison.
Bohemund’s example inspired many similar gifts, enabling the Romanesque church
and its visible landmark bell tower to be constructed. St. Leonard’s cult spread through all of
Western Europe: in England, no fewer than 177 churches are dedicated to him.
Leonard was venerated in the Low Countries, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany,
particularly in Bavaria, and also in Bohemia, Poland, and elsewhere. Pilgrims
flocked to worship at the tomb of Saint Leonard in the church at Noblac, and it
became a stage on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella. Leonard became
one of the most venerated saints of the late Middle Ages. His intercession was
credited with miracles for the release of prisoners, women in labour, and the
diseases of cattle. He was linked especially to the Benedictine order. As the
Abbey of Sele, which owned part of St. Leonard’s Forest in the Middle Ages, was
a Benedictine house, this is generally thought to explain why the French saint
is linked to this part of Sussex. His feast day is observed by the church calender on 6th November.
But what of Saint Leonard of Sussex? According to
Crookshank’s account, Leonard was born in 1046 at Chidham in Sussex, the son of
a man called Cobnor, and a British woman named Una. Cobnor was said to be a son of the Danish
King Canute, by his first wife, Aelgifu, who was the sister of Werna, priest of
Worth. Canute was said to have met Aelgifu after the Danes subdued Sussex and
he set up his court at Bosham, and lived with her in a house he built for her
at Chidham. What evidence is there to
prove or disprove this story? Shortly
after his father Sweyn Forkbeard’s invasion of England in 1013, Canute did indeed
marry a Saxon noblewoman called Aelgifu (known as Aelgifu of Northampton), but
she was the daughter of Aelfhelm, a Saxon ealdorman from Mercia, rather than a
yeoman’s daughter from Sussex. After the death of his father in 1014, Canute
was driven back to Denmark by a restored King Aethelred, the former Anglo-Saxon
king, and it took another Danish invasion of England in 1015 and fourteen
months of hard fighting in many parts of England to establish his rule. He was eventually accepted as king of all England
after the deaths of Aethelred and his son Edmund in 1016. Canute proved to be a strong and successful
king whose twenty-year reign restored peace and prosperity in England after a
very troubled period, and he also consolidated his control over Denmark, Norway
and part of Sweden. Having been baptised
as a Christian and visited Rome in 1027, Canute gave splendid gifts and land to
many religious foundations.
The hermit, St Leonard of Horsham at his devotions
Canute had two sons by Aelgifu of
Northampton, Sweyn Knutsson, who was fourteen years old when Canute sent him to
rule Norway in 1030 as a co-regent with his mother, and Harold Harefoot, who
became King Harold I of Denmark and England, ruling from 1035 to 1040. But this marriage between a Danish prince and
a Saxon noblewoman was not well regarded by many people in England at the
time. When Canute finally established
his sovereignty, he decided for political reasons to marry Emma of Normandy,
the daughter of Duke Richard the Fearless and widow of King Aethelred, in order
to seal his conquest of England and complete the process of pacification. This
marriage took place in July 1017, and is mentioned by Crookshank. Emma’s sons by Aethelred, Edward and Alfred
Atheling, the heirs of the Anglo-Saxon royal house of Wessex, went into exile
in Normandy at the time of their mother’s remarriage, and remained there as a
potential source of opposition. Emma was a powerful woman who later
commissioned her own biography, the Encomium
Emma Regina, to exonerate herself from criticism for failure to support her
son Edward in an abortive invasion in 1036, which aimed to overthrow Harold
Harefoot. However, there is considerable confusion in the existing accounts,
because, in England, it appears that Emma was usually known as Queen Aelfgifu,
the same name as Canute’s first wife.
The frontispiece of the 11th century Liber Vitae
The frontispiece of the 11th
century Liber Vitae, the register and
martyrology of the New Minster and Hyde Abbey, Winchester, shows Canute,
identified as “Cnut Rex” and Emma,
here named as “Aelgyfu Regina”,
placing a large cross on the altar of the New Minster. There even seems to be
some doubt whether or not Canute’s second marriage involved the repudiation of
his first wife, Aelgifu of Northampton, since she too appears to have remained
an influential figure. She was sent to
Norway with her son Sweyn, as co-regent, in 1030. Frank Stenton thought that she was probably
the real ruler of England for part, if not all, of her son Harold’s reign. She was said to have held
Wessex for her son Harold from her base in Winchester, but escaped to Bruges in
1037.
Little of this wider picture is reflected in
Crookshank’s life of St. Leonard, which is focussed entirely on his life in the
forest. According to Crookshank, Leonard was kept in ignorance of his ancestry
for the first ten years of his life and worked as a swine-herd during his
childhood. It was his uncle Werna, the
priest of Worth, who eventually told Leonard the secret of his birth, for
Leonard’s parents had both died during his infancy and he had been committed to
his great-uncle Werna’s care. It was
because of Werna’s influence and example that Leonard embraced the religious
life. Crookshank also claimed that
Leonard was responsible for rebuilding in stone the then wooden church at
Worth. He was said to have discovered an old Roman quarry near Worth which
provided the stone, and the building work was financed by the sale of lands
that Leonard had inherited in Chidham.
His grandmother, Aelgifu came into the story when she returned from
exile in Denmark to look after Leonard in the forest for a while, but the dates
and places Crookshank gives do not correlate with the known facts of the real
Aelfgifu’s life.
Revd. Arthur Chichester Crookshank.
So what do we know of the author, and how
can we judge his work? Arthur
Chichester Crookshank was born in Eastbourne in 1888, the youngest son of Edgar
March Crookshank, J.P. for Sussex. His
father bought the Saint Hill estate in East Grinstead in 1889, and
Arthur grew up there.
He went to St.
Christopher’s School in Eastbourne before being commissioned as a 2nd
Lieutenant in the army in 1910. He
served in the Royal Field Artillery throughout the First World War, reaching
the rank of Major before the end of hostilities. In 1919 he became Commandant of the Royal
Field Artillery Cadet School at Exeter, but retired from the army in 1921. It
was almost certainly because of his wartime experiences in France that he
decided to embrace a more spiritual life during the 1920s. St. Leonard of Sussex was published while he was training for the
Anglican ministry at Bishop’s College, Cheshunt in 1928.
Arthur Crookshank was known to have a rather
dry sense of humour, as his photograph would suggest, and this is apparent when
he says in the Preface that “this work
might have been expanded to twice its present size by filling the pages with
footnotes giving references to Domesday Book, Bede, The Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle, Cart. Rot. Sax. and so forth;
not to mention the Roman writer Op. Cit.,
and the female historian Caetera Desunt. But such things are for Professors and very
superior folk. The aim has been to make
his life the life of a real person without embroidery or invention, and not the
chemical analysis of a handful of dry dust”. He probably had his tongue in
his cheek when he called Cobnor’s two supposed brothers “Elsinore” and “Itchenor”
(both place-names rather than family names)
- this was perhaps an in-joke for
students of literature. Crookshank dismissed the legend of the nightingales
disturbing St. Leonard’s devotions as one of many “ridiculous stories” about the saint, and claimed that “only what
has been set down here is authentic and true”.
Yet he included the tale of St. Leonard killing a dragon in his
story – and even made the dragon able to talk, as there is a long conversation
between him and St. Leonard in which the dragon taunts him about what he has
achieved during his life! This sits rather uneasily with other passages
where he describes the effects of the Battle of Hastings on some of its
participants and the efforts of the Norman conquerors to establish their rule
over the whole country, with reference to the Domesday Book. Crookshank ended his story by saying that on
St. Leonard’s hundredth birthday in 1146, he and his hermit’s cell were found
to have disappeared, leaving only “a
scented plot of lilies of the valley” as the evidence of his existence.
So in the
end we have to conclude that Crookshank’s book was simply a colourful retelling
of the old legends, with background material drawn from historical sources and
local references. It was clearly not
what it purported to be - the genuine life story of a real saint – so what was
its purpose? It was probably an attempt to recreate something of what life must
have been like in Sussex in the 11th century, intended to interest
local children in the history of their county. The very obscurity in which the
book has languished for many years is perhaps comment enough on this somewhat
misconceived work, which is half myth and half historical novel. This is not to
detract from its author’s undoubted scholarly knowledge - in later years,
Arthur Crookshank became a well-respected local historian of Ditchling, and he
was an active member of the Sussex Archaeological Society from 1922 until his
death in 1958. St. Leonard of Sussex was
simply an experiment that did not quite work.
However, his account of St. Leonard does give
rise to some interesting thoughts about the Anglo-Saxon church of Worth. At the time when the Domesday Book was
written in 1087, Worth was hardly even a village, since it consisted of only a
few houses. Yet the imposing church
there (dedicated to St Nicholas) was built in a much grander style than that of
all other Saxon churches in Sussex. The Domesday Book entry read: “There is a villein with half a plough. In
the time of King Edward it was worth 30 shillings, and afterwards 2 shillings,
now (in 1086) 20 shillings” Worth
appears to have been a small, poor, isolated settlement, perhaps hardly more
than a clearing in the forest. In the area around it of about 30 miles wide,
east-west, and 20 miles, north-south, only one other small settlement (Ifelt,
modern Ifield, some 3 miles to the west) was recorded in Surrey or Sussex in
the Domesday book; all around was merely forest. As a result of its isolation,
the actual parish of Worth was huge, and included the forests of Worth and
Tilgate, which covered more than 13,000 acres. The
question arises, why was so fine and large a church built in so small and
unimportant a place? Hardly to meet the needs of one villein and his family!
In fact, Worth, which in the 11th
century was in Surrey, in Reigate Hundred, was, before 1066, held by Oswol (or
Oswold) under King Edward the Confessor for half a hide,part of
the holdings of his wife Queen Edith, and an
outlier of the manor of Cherchefelle (in Reigate). Here perhaps we have the suggestion of a link
with King Canute, as Edith was related to his family through her mother, Gyffa.
It is not known who actually built Worth church, but E.A. Fisher, who has
written a classic work on the Saxon churches of Sussex, thought that it might
have been built by the King “(not
necessarily by the Confessor)” or by
“a member of his family”. It is interesting to note that Fisher
observed that “another possible founder
was the rich abbey of Chertsey, which owned, wholly or in part, 21 manors in
Surrey. Oswol who held Worth (and five other manors) under King Edward was a
brother of Wulfold, abbot of Chertsey, this family or personal connection may
have been of some long standing.” Clearly
Worth was a place of far more importance in its royal and clerical connections
than might have been suspected from the account in the Domesday Book.
As a postscript it may be added that at
Warninglid there is a place-sign which depicts a very un-priestlike warrior
with a spear below which appear the words “Werna
Gelad”, obviously an attempt to explain the etymology of Warninglid; Werna or
Wearda being the name of the warrior
(a contracted or simplified form of Weardbeorht)
and Gelad meaning path.
Possibly this was the inspiration for Crookshank’s “Werna, the priest of Worth” who is otherwise unknown?
The Revd Edmund
Cartwright, who wrote the History of Bramber rape (The Parochial Topography
of the Rape of Bramber in the Western Division of the County of Sussex Vol 2,
Part 2 publ. J B Nichols 1830), gave the Saint’s day as 17th November – the day on which the St Leonard’s fair was always
held in Horsham – and I quote from page 334 of his work:
“ On 17th of
November, being St Leonard’s day, a fair was formerly held in the forest, but
now removed to a piece of waste land on the north side of the town”.
Dorothea Hurst in her
History and Antiquities of Horsham, published 1889, also mentions this fair
on page 34, where she says:
“On the 17th November
a fair was formerly held in the forest, but this is now removed to the town; it
is chiefly for Welsh cattle.”
This fair which was actually held for three days on 16th, 17th,
and 18th November, was changed by the new style Calendar (1752) to
27th November, and thenceforth held for one day only. It was held on
the north-east part of Horsham Common, bordering St Leonard Road until 1813,
and was always known as St Leonard’s Fair. When in that year the Common was
enclosed the Fair was moved to the East end of the town and was held in some
private meadows near there.
The reason saying that 17th
November is St Leonard’s day stems from the Charter for the Fair, dated 3rd
August 1233 which declares:
“For William de Breus’
The King (Henry III) to the Sheriff of Sussex greeting. Know ye that we
have granted by our Charter confirmed to William de Breus’ for us and our heirs
that the said William and his heirs may have for ever one fair at his Manor of
Horsham every year continuing for three days to wit in the vigil and in the day
and in the morrow of the Translation of St. Leonard except that fair be to the
hurt of neighbouring fairs and therefore we order you that you cause the
aforesaid fair to be proclaimed and held as is aforesaid. Witness myself at
Westminister, the third day of August in the xviith year of the reign.”
Please note - vigil
[eve], day, and morrow being the key. The fair was held on 16th,
17th, and 18th November, so St Leonard’s day therefore, by
inference, must be on the 17th!
The lectionary for the church calendar
gives the date 6th November for the Feast of St Leonard, but qualifies
the entry by providing a clarification – “St
Leonard, hermit, 6th century”. Patently this refers to St Leonard
of Noblac, who lived at the time of the French king Clovis (AD 466-511), and not
St Leonard of Sussex, who purportedly lived at the time of King Canute (AD
1016-1035).
St
Andrew’s Mission Rooms
But back to our own church, what of the
third group of parishioners who wanted the church to be named St Andrews? Where
does their choice of patronage fit into the picture?
To understand this, one has to go back to
the late 19th century. Under the care of the Parish Church, there existed a
Mission at the eastern end of town, known as The Barrington Road Mission Room.,
We have a reference in the Sussex Daily News for 1886, that the Chairman of the
Horsham PCC had reported “that a room had been secured in the Barrington
Road which was to be used as a mission place, and the Rev. Hudson Shaw had
already got to work.”. Barrington
Road lies in the East end of town and runs between Station Road and Depot Road,
and the The Mission Room lay on the left hand side of the road as one travels
from Station Road, and stood beside Messrs Pannett & Sons’ builders works.
The old St Andrew's Mission Rooms in Barrington Road.
This mission did sterling work in the East
end of town, providing divine services each Sunday at 6.30pm, and other
charitable works amongst the working classes who lived in the surrounding
roads, Looking through the Deanery Magazines for the period 1890 to 1914 gives
very little about this mission except for one charming entry dated January 1894
which provides an insight to its involvement with the community. It reports
that “an entertainment, for funds in aid of this room,was held on Thursday
December 14th,. The programme was very varied, consisting of songs, readings,
and instrumental music. Miss S. Bostock
greatly delighted the audience with her violin playing, and Miss E. Hodgson
introduced her strange and wonderful ‘Gigalera’. A dialigue between Mrs Young
and Miss E. Hodgson was much enjoyed. We have to thank Miss Maunsell and Mrs J.
Bostock for their songs, and Miss Rogerson for her brilliant pianoforte solos.
Mr W. H. Anderson, it need hardly be said, was heartily welcomed, and so were
Messrs Pannett & Gardner.”
The author has a copy of the Horsham parish
Magazine for 1915, listing the Barrington Road Mission.
As time progressed, population growth in the
east end of the parish put greater & greater pressure upon the Revd John
Bond, then Vicar of the Parish Church of St Mary’s to make provision for
bringing the sacraments, for their convenience, to the inhabitants residing at
a distance from St Mary’s church. In order to regularly tend to their spiritual
welfare, in 1917, a licence for “the
performance of divine Worship, to preach the Word of God, and to administer the
sacrament of the Lord’s Supper” was applied for, and granted by the then
Bishop of Chichester, The Rt Revd Charles John, and a communion table and other
necessary furniture was set up in the Mission Rooms.
Licence for the performance
of Divine Worship in the Mission Room, Barrington Rd
The Vicar of the Parish Church detailed one
of his Curates to administer Communion at the Mission Rooms every Sunday
morning, and this continued for some 32 years, and one of these curates, the
Revd Woodhall, involved himself deeply with the life of the community.
Shortly after the commemcement of the
provision of communion at Barrington Road, the name was changed to The St
Andrew’s Mission Room. In the October 1926 Parish Magazine, a Mr A. M. Leefe
wrote that he was “glad to announce that we hope to keep our Harvest
Festival on Sunday October 10th. There will be a celebration of Holy Communion
at 8am, and evensong at 6.30pm. Mr Clarke of St Mark’s has kindly promised to preach
the sermon. We shall be very grateful for gifts of fruit, vegetables, corn,
flowers, and bread for the decoration, which should be sent at 2 o’clock on
Saturday afternoon.”
The author has managed to find sets of
accounts for the years 1931, 1933, and 1939:
The room was still used for worship in 1939
as it is listed in a local trade directory of that date. Small wonder then,
that the congregation of St Andrew’s wanted the Saint’s patronage to continue
at the new building in Cambridge Road when they had to move over in 1939.
Some of the choirboys at St Andrew’s were
Geoffrey Manvell, Laurie White, John and Raymond Mitchell, George Wrighton, and
Colin Brightwell. The sidesmen were Basil and Victor Turner and Mr Charles
Muzzell who later went on to be Churchwarden at St Leonard’s. The St Andrew’s
choir went on an outing to Guildford Cathedral in 1938 when the Cathedral was
just the foundations. Revd Woodhall went with them.
Another priest who helped out during the
transition from St Andrew’s to St Leonard’s was Rev Kenneth Ralph Prebble who had a dog named Hector. Rev Prebble
was born in 1914 and went to St Edmund’s Hall, Oxford; there he obtained a 3rd
class batchelor of Arts in Modern History in 1936. He went on to Ripon Hall,
Oxford in 1938. He was ordained a deacon in 1939 and a priest in 1940 at
Chichester. He was a curate in Horsham between 1943 and 1947, during which time
he married a local lass, Mary Hoad before moving on to become a curate of St
Luke, New Brompton, Kent for a year during which time he finally achieved a
masters degree.He was vicar of Northcote between 1948 and 1954 before he and
his wife emigrated to New Zealand where he took up an appointment in St Paul
City and Diocese of Auckland 1954-1974. He became vicar of Wellsford in 1974
which living he retained until 1979. In 1965 he was elevated to the venerable
position of Archdeacon of Hauraki.
Another of the priests was a Canadian – Rev F. E. Tomlin who went back home in
1939. He “nursed” the infant church for 2 or 3 weeks after its dedication from
25th July to August 6th 1939,- his last
service being the 6.30pm Evensong on Aug 6th.
A Mrs.Shier was the last
organist at the Mission Rooms (1935-1939), and she was then asked to continue
at St Leonard’s church following the latter’s opening and the closure of the
Mission Rooms, which she did, until her untimely death in April 1947. She was
followed by a Miss Taylor, who remained organist until Sept 1965.
Miss G Taylor, organist 1947-55
Just
before I turn to the successive Priests in charge of St Leonards, I must remind
the readers that a trust fund had been set up to help for the construction of
the new church. The author has also tracked down the accounts of this fund and
figures for 1931 and 1933 appear herewith.
In 1938 this fund was
closed, and the sum of £421. 3s. 4d was passed to the Hon Treasurer of the New
Church Fund
At the beginning of this article, I showed a photograph of the dedication plaque which is situated in the vestibule of the church. The following photograph is of the corresponding entry at the beginning of the very first register for St Leonard's.
Incumbents of St Leonard’s Church, Horsham.
Priests-in-Charge
Revd. John D. C. Fisher 13 Aug 1939 02 July 1944
Revd. Michael G. F. Farnworth 02 July 1944 21 July
1946
Revd. Michael L. Williams 25 July 1946 10 March 1954
Interregnum: March 1954 to Sept 1955 (services conducted by two curates, Revd Edwin L W Bell 21 Mar-30 Nov 1954, and then Rev Herbt A Hamnet from 1 Dec 54 to 22 Sept 1955).
Revd. Herbert A. Hamnett 22 Sept 1955 10 Feb
1957
Revd. Donald A. Johnson 10
Feb 1957 02 Nov 1959
Interregnum: November 1959 to June 1960 (services conducted by Revd R.
Hepper, retired).
Revd. John Michael Walker 4 June 1960 15 Nov 1964
Interregnum: November 1964 to June 1965.
Revd. Howard W. Giddings 25
Jun 1965 01 Jan 1967
Revd. Peter H. Addenbrooke 22
Apr 1967 22 July
1973
Revd. Keith Hyde-Dunn 08
Sept 1973 30 Oct
1977
Revd. Ernest S. Green 06 Nov 1977 07 April 1985
Interregnum 1985-1987 ( run by
Sister K Potts, with services taken by Revd J. G. Nicholls, curate of Horsham
Parish)
Revd. John M. Clark 27
July 1987 Nov 1988
(died in post)
“The Long Interregnum” 1988-1994 (services conducted by Curates from
Parish Church – Primarily Revd. Graham Piper from March 1993).
Curate-in-Charge
Revd. Geoff Pickering 06
Nov 1994 10 Aug
1997
VICARS
Revd. Stephen J. W. Normand 23
Oct 1997 10 May 2001
Interregnum May – Nov 2001
(run by Mrs Margaret Symonds, reader, with visiting clergy)
Revd. Peter J. Apted 06 Nov 2001 26 Sept 2009
Interregnum 2009-2010 (run by
Mrs Margaret Symonds, reader, with visiting clergy, primarily the Revd. Bernard
Sinton)
Revd. Harold Hughes (“Hadge”) 17 Nov 2010 18 August 2013
Interregnum 2013-2014, (run by Mrs Margaret Symonds,
reader; with visiting clergy, primarily Revd. Jo Elvidge, Revd Natalie
Loveless, and Revd David Evans)
Revd Natalie
Loveless 06 October 2014 date
(Please note that The Revd. Ernest Green never got to enjoy the post of “priest in charge”. Initially he “covered” during the long interregnum following Revd K Hyde-Dunn’s departure (1977-1983), but remained looking after St Leonard's flock following the installation of the Revd George Glew as Priest-in-charge of St Mark’s and St Leonard's on 22nd May 1983.)
Rev John Douglas Close
Fisher (Aug 13th, 1939-July 2nd, 1944).
Revd Fisher was born in 1909; He studied at
the late School of Saints College, Cambridge, where he obtained a 2nd class
Batchelor of Arts degree in 1931; He then studied at the Litchfield Theological
College in 1936 and ordained deacon in 1938, and priest in 1939 at Chichester.
He was a curate in the Horsham parish between 1938 and 1944 and assigned to St
Leonard's as priest-in-charge in 1939; His first service at St Leonard's was
taken at the 9am Holy Communion on August 13th 1939, and he remained
priest-in-charge until 1944, his last service being the 6.30pm Evensong on July
2nd. After leaving Horsham, he went to Brighton until 1947, Burwash Weald
1947-1951, and then Vicar of St Martha’s, Preston, Sussex, 1951-1958 during
which time he was also Proc Conv Chichester; then Rector of Aldrington 1958-67;
Vicar of Cuckfield 1967-77, when he retired. However, even in retirement he was
kept busy, acting as priest-in-charge of St John’s Church, Hove between 1977
and 1981. In 1966 he became Canon and Prebendary at Chichester Catherdral, which post he retained until 1984.
Entry in the Church register for Revd. Fisher's first service.
...and entry for his last service.
In response to an advertisment in the local paper I had placed, for info on St Leonard's I had the following letter from Helen Richardson. Helen wrires:
“My mother, Doreen Sparkes, saw the article
in the West Sussex County Times about you writing a history of St
Leonard's Church. Mum attended this church for a few years at the
beginning of WWII and it is where she met my father. We have written down
her memories - unfortunately her memory sometimes lets her down and it has
taken a week or two to put this recollection together - well she is 87. I have
also attached some photo's of the '21 Club' which my father took - we
still have the negatives. She can remember the names of most - but sadly
not all of those in the photos. I hope these are of some
interest to you. Should you have any queries for Mum do let me know and
I'll try and get answers for you. Good luck with your book,"
Her mother's memories accompanied this letter (& photos) and I reproduce them herewith:
“I was born at 6, Highlands Road, Horsham on 22/2/1922 – all the twos! I started attending St Mary’s Parish Church in the Causeway with my
friends Kathleen Page and Daphne Knight when I was a teenager. We used to sit at the back of the cross pews
and one day in about 1939 we were approached by Cannon Lee and asked if we
would help out at Sunday School on Sunday afternoons at the new church - St Leonard’s - with the
children who had been evacuated from London.
So we went along and we would each take a group of children into one of
the side rooms and teach them stories from the bible – I don’t know whether
they learnt anything, but at least we tried.
Mr Fisher, the priest in charge at St Leonard’s, started what was
called the ‘21 Club’ for young people to enjoy dancing and chatting. Stan Redford, who had a local dance band,
used to play the piano for the dancing and this is where I met my future
husband Geoffrey Sparkes – his only dancing
involved the palais glide. We used to go
out as a group on walks and bike rides– a favourite destination was the Heather
Tea Gardens at Colgate – but this might have been because it was run by Denis Streeter’s
(one of the other members) auntie.
I left the Sunday School on 15th March 1942 – I was
presented with a prayer book ‘Beyond The Alter’ with a transcription written in
it – ‘from the teachers and scholars of St Leonard’s Sunday School, Horsham in
appreciation of faithful service’.
I remember the church as being brick built and the inside was divided
into two by a big wooden folding door.”
Back row - left to right:
Audrey Keen, Revd Jones, Nelly
Goacher, Kath Page, Revd Fisher, Doreen Griffin, Mariane Keen, Jean Griffin (Mum's
sister) and Geoffrey Sparkes.
Middle Row: Nancy Sharp, Lucy ?,
Ruth Stedman, Joyce New, ?
Front Row:
Denis Street, Billy Thornton, ?
Weeks, Joe Stedman, John Winch, Ray Brown.
Back row - left to right
Audrey Keen, Nelly Goacher,
Kath Page, Doreen Griffin, Mariane Keen, Jean Griffin (Mum's sister)
Middle Row
Nancy Sharp, Lucy ?, Ruth Stedman,
Joyce New, ?
Front Row
Revd Jones, ? Weeks, Revd Fisher,
Denis Streeter, John Winch, Ray Brown.
Taken in one of the side rooms - mostly the back of heads.
I had another letter in the post recently, from a Sheila Weller (nee Grace) who informs me that she grew up in Clarence Road in the 20's-40's and remembers seeing St Leonard's built on a piece of open ground on the corner of Cambridge Road during the 30's.
In her letter, she goes on to say:
"In the mid 40's I joined the youth club there, run by the Revd Fisher. We met every Thursday evening & danced to the music of Oscar Carter & his band. During the evening, Revd. Fisher conducted a short service in the church from which the Catholic members of the club were excluded. Meny of us were working for Confirmation.
Then one evening when Revd Fisher was away we were all waiting outside for Canon Lee to come to let us in. One boy found he had a key which fitted the lock so he opened up and in we went. A short while later in came Canon Lee in a towering rage shouting at us for going in & he turned us all out - for ever! That was it! No more Youth Club - ever! So we were left with just Saturday evening with the A.T.C. at their premises in Denne Road."
As it was wartime, one did not have films to take many photographs, so it
is sad that very little remains for the reader today to gain a better image of
community life back then. Worthy of note, however, it is interesting to mention that the Women’s Group used also to meet in the kitchen for
their weekly meetings and they would knit squares, scarves, socks etc for the
forces, and they became known as the “Sewing Party”. This became a regular meeting, and lasted well into the late 1960's, although the venue was moved from the kitchen into the church hall by the early 1950's. They met regularly on Tuesdays at 2.30pm.
Rev
Michael Godfrey Frankland Farnworth (July 2nd, 1944-July 21st, 1946).
Revd Farnworth was born in 1918, and
went to Selwin College, Cambridge, where he obtained a Batchelor of Arts degree
in 1940. He went on to Westcott House, Cambridge in 1940, and was ordained
deacon in 1942, and ordained priest the following year at Lewes for Chichester.
He was appointed Curate in Horsham parish between 1942 and 1947, during which
time he was made priest in charge of St Leonards Church. His first service at
St Leonard’s was actually the same service in which Revd Fisher said farewell,
6.30pm Evensong July 2nd 1944; His last service was the 6.30 Evensong July
21st, 1946. Whilst at St Leonard’s he continued to study and obtained a Master’s
degree in 1946, before moving on to Storrington where he remained until 1950.
He became Chaplain to the Forces in 1950 in which post he remained until 1972
when he became a Team vicar of the Blakeny group parish, at Hindringham &
Binham (with Cockthorpe) until 1977 when the group ministry was broken up and
he continued as Rector of Hindringham until 1984, the year he retired.
Register entry for Revd Farnworth's first service, 2nd July 1944.
Register entry for Revd Farnworth's last service, 21st July 1946.
Revd Farnworth & the organist, Miss Taylor, with choir outside St Leonards
A party to celebrate Victory in Europe outside St Leonards, 2nd July 1945.
Rev
Michael Leonard Williams (July 25th, 1946-March 10th, 1954.)
Revd Michael Williams attended Pemb.
College, Cambridge where he secured a B.A. in 1928, and then an MA in 1934. He
went on to Wells Theological College in 1940; He was ordained to the deaconate
in 1941 and priested in 1942. He was first a curate in Chichester Diocese at
the Church of St John the Baptist, Bognor Regis between 1941 and 1946 and then
in which latter year he moved to Horsham parish. Although Revd Williams was not
inducted as priest-in-charge until Thursday 25th July 1946, his first service
was actually the 6.30pm Evensong on 16th June. He assisted Revd Farnworth for
about one month before the latter left. His last service was 3pm Evensong on
March 10th 1954. Throughout his time with St Leonards, he resided at No 10
Arthur Road.
Register
entry Revd ML Williams 1st service 16th
June 1946
Register
entry Revd ML Williams last service 10th
Mar 1954
It is interesting to note, whilst examining the old registers, that the order of services had settled down to a regular pattern. On Sundays, Holy Communion with address was held at 9.15am., also at 7am on 2nd and 4th Sundays; A family service for parents and children was held at 3pm, and Evensong with sermon at 6.30pm. On weekdays, Holy Communion was held on Thursdays at 9am.
The Very Revd Geoffrey Hodgson Warde, Bishop of
Lewes on the occasion of
the Dedication of the Font June 29th 1950 (St
Peter’s Day).
I had an interesting letter from Alex Cloke, who wrote:
“I was one of
the altar boys from age 13 to 19 confirmed by the Bishop in 1950 and stand
directly behind Mr Mussell. The boys from left to right are as follows; the
first I cannot remember, (it was 60 years ago), but next to him is Bill Gates,
Charlie Hills (fair haired) who went to Australia, and John Bowers. The one to
the right of the Minister who I believe was the Bishops Chaplain is John Young,
then me, Don Garman who went to South Africa, Allistar Carmichael and on the
end, Geoff Hedger who played the piano and who unfortunately died just
recently.
The occasion was the dedication of the font and as his father had died
quite suddenly the Minister of the church, the Rev Michael Williams was absent.
It was all very sad because it was a very important event in the life of the
church and fundraising had gone on for years. The Minister on the left is Revd
Rodney Smith from Holy Trinity, the Vicar (Canon Lee), the Bishop, Mr Mussell
and lastly Brian Masters, a lay reader in training.
The reason I have the photos is because I went to the Rev Michael
Williams funeral at Woodingdean and his house keeper gave them to me.
Unfortunately there were so many I eventually disposed of them. Needless to say
I now regret that decision.”
Fliers for Dedication of the Font, St Leonard’s 29th June 1950
The new font, bedecked in flowers at the dedication service 29th June 1950
Register entry
for dedication of font 29th June 1950
This font, which I have since been given to understand was made of Caen stone. (a light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in north-western France
near the city of Caen. It is a fine grained oolitic limestone formed in shallow
water lagoons in the Bathonian Age about 167 million years ago. Caen stone was used
extensivly in Canterbury cathedral. It was also used at Reading Abbey, but the most famous building in Caen stone built in
Norman times is the Tower of London).
Unfortunately, the font met an ignominious end during the 2008 refurbishment when, thought to have been made only of concrete (a utility product of the 1939-45 War period when building materials were virtually unobtainable), it was smashed up and its remains included in the back-fill of the basement area.
June 1953, St Leonard's Church Coronation celebrations.
St Leonards Choir
Boys & Revd. M. L. Williams, 1954.
(Miss G. Taylor, the organist, stands to the right at the rear of the group).
Back row - left to right: R. Cull,
C. Fretter, C. Meadus, M. Etheridge (holding processional cross), K. Garman, J.
Wisley, G. Dursdon, Miss G. Taylor (Organist).
Middle Row: M. Smith, D. Miles, M.
Beckwith, The Rev. M. L. Williams, R. Beckwith,
R. Moore, L. Palmer.
Front Row: D. Hiscock, N. Grace, D. Garman.
It was Reverend Williams who
reorganised the choir and under his leadership, together with the organist Miss
G Taylor, they grew from strength to strength. Some of the Members of the choir
were R Cull, C Tretter, C Meadows, M Etheridge, K & D Garman, J Wholey, G
Dursdon, M Smith, D Miles, M & R Beckwith, R Moore, L Palmer, D Hiscock, T
Clark, and H Grace. They would visit the local hospital at Harvest time and at
Christmas and sing to the patients. Once a year they would be taken on an
outing.
St Leonard’s choir c
1946-54, with Revd M L Williams and Mr Watts, temporary organist.
The
choir, similar date range Revd M L Williams and organist, Miss Taylor.
St Leonard’s Choir c1950’s, singing to patients at Horsham Hospital.
One of St Leonard's parishioners, Joan Young, passed me a photograph of her brother John from when he was a server (altar-boy) during the 1940s-1950's.
...and another parishioner, Elizabeth Beckwith, has passed me a photograph of her late husband, Michael, from when he was a choir-boy during the same period of time.
Revd Williams died, aged 49, in early April 1956, and the following month an obituary in the parish magazine reported:
"All the St Leonard's people were especially sorry to hear od the sudden death of Revd. Michael Leonard Williams. About 20 of us attended his funeral at Woodingdean and heard a fine tribute paid to him in an address by the vicar of Brighton. St Leonard's held its own Memorial Service on April 15th. By his death many of us here lost a well-loved friend."
Rev
Edwin Lucius Wyndham Bell (March 21st- Nov. 30th, 1954).
Revd Edwin Bell was born in 1919 and
studied at Worcester College, Oxford obtaining a Batchelor of Arts 3rd class
degree in Modern history in 1941. He went on to Westcott House, Cambridge and
was ordained deacon in 1943, and ordained priest the following year. He was
curate in St John the Baptist parish, Croydon between 1943 and 1950 (in charge
of St George, Waddon from 1947), and then was a Chaplain in the Forces between
1950 and 1954. He briefly held post as curate in Horsham parish in 1954 when he
was put in charge of St Leonards Church as a temporary measure until a new Priest-in-charge was found, so his was very much a caretaker role in the life of St Leonard's. His first service was the 09.15am
Eucharist on March 21st, 1954. His tenure was short-lived however as
the register shows his last service was 11.00am. Private Communion on November
30th that same year, when he went on become vicar of Bapchild with Tonge
until 1963 (He was priest-in-charge of Murston 1954-57, and his remit also
extended to Rodmersham in 1957). He went on to become Vicar of St Paul,
Maidstone in 1963, where he remained until 1978. He then became
priest-in-charge of Nonington with Barfrey, and also of Wymenswold, (also in
Canterbury diocese), between 1978 and 1985 in which latter year he retired.
Register entry Revd Edwin LW Bell 1st service 21st Mar 1954
Register entry Revd Edwin LW Bell last service 30th Nov 1954
There are not very many photographs of the interior of the church at this period of time, but one has come to light recently dated on the back of the photo, July 1954, so it falls bang in the middle of Revd Bell's time. It is an interesting photo because it is the only one I have seen so far which shows St Leonard's originally had a pulpit (extreme right hand side of photograph)
Rev
Herbert Arnold Hamnett (September 22nd, 1955-February 10th, 1957).
Revd Herbert Arnold
Hamnet was born in 1922. He went to Kings College London where he graduated
with a B.Sc. in 1949. He went on to Queens College Birmingham in the same year
and became a deacon in 1951. He served his title at the Church of St John the
Baptist, Greenhill, Harrow, becoming ordained as a priest in 1952. He moved to
Horsham in 1954 where he served as a curate assisting Revd. Bell at St Leonards, and then taking over the running of the church from 1st December 1954 steering the spiritual life of the church during the ensuing interregnum. Eventually, he was inducted as
Priest-in-Charge at the 7.30pm Euchristic Service on September 22nd, and despite the bad weather it was attended by over 150 people. His last service at St Leonard’s
was the 9.15am Sung Eucharist on February 10th 1957 whereupon he continued as
Curate within the parish, spending much of his time at St Marks. In 1960 he
became Rector of Yapton with Ford, Chichester diocese where he remained until
1987 when he retired. Throughout his time with St Leonards, he resided at 18,
Wellington Road.
Register entry for the Induction of Revd H A Hamnet as Priest-in-Charge 22nd Sept 1955.
Revd
Donald Arnold Johnson (February 10th, 1957-November 2nd, 1959)
Revd Donald Arnold Johnson attended
Lincoln College, Oxford and obtained a B.A. Hons degree in 1951, and went on to
Cuddesdon College the same year. He was ordained to the diaconate in 1953, and
priested the following year at Chichester. He was Curate of Henfield from 1953
until coming to Horsham as a curate in 1955. He was inducted as
Priest-in-Charge at S Leonard’s church at the 6.30pm Evensong on February 10th,
1957. His final service was 8pm Holy Communion Service on All Souls Day
November 2nd, 1959. He then moved to the vicarage at Oving Parish, near
Chichester, (with the added responsibility for Merston) where he remained
between 1959 and 1968, during which time he was also Dom. Chaplain to the
Bishop of Chichester, a post he held between 1959 and 1969. In 1968 he went on
to become vicar of Hellingley and Upper Dicker.
Revd. Johnson.
St Leonard's Choir, Revd Johnson, and Miss Taylor.
The St Leonard’s congregation bade an
official farewell to Revd Johnson after Evensong on Sunday November 1st
when a large congregation, including members of the other churches in the
parish was present. Mr Muzzall, the chapel-warden, presented Mr Johnson with a
cheque for £24 and thanked him for his ministry at St. Leonard’s. Following his departure, Revd Johnson wrote a
letter of thanks, in which he said: -
“Dear
members and friends of St Leonard’s. It is with deep gratitude that I write to
thank you all very warmly indeed for your most generous parting gift on the
occasion of my leaving for Oving. The gift itself is a tremendous help , and my
wife and I value enormously the kind
thoughts and wishes which it expresses. What a pleasure and support, too, to
have the company and support of so many friends at the induction service on
November 8. I know the members of my new parish appreciated the interest of,
and were glad to welcome, the party from Horsham. It has been a privilege to be
on the staff of the parish of Horsham, and to have shared in the worship and
corporate life of St. Leonard’s. I very much appreciate the kind words of the
Rev. H. A. Hamnett and Mr C, Muzzall on my last Sunday there, and my wife and I
will always treasure the many friendships we have made, and be grateful for the
many kindnesses which we have been shown. It is our prayer that the work and
witness of St Leonard’s may prosper and increase as the years go by. God bless
you all. Yours very sincerely, Donald A.
Johnson.”
It is interesting to note that following
his departure, the Revd S. R. Hepper, who lived in retirement at Bognor, kindly
undertook to come and officiate at the Sunday services during the interregnum.
Photograph of Revd Johnson and a few of the congregation. Mr Muzzall, the chapel-warden can be seen standing in the doorway.
Revd John
Michael Walker (June 4th, 1960-November 15th 1964)
Revd J. M. Walker
By the Summer of 1960, a
successor had been found to the Rev. D. A. Johnson, and a very warm welcome was
made to the Rev & Mrs M Walker.
Rev John Walker attended Qu.
Coll. Birmingham and was ordained deacon in 1957 and priested the following
year at Southwark. Between 1957 and 1960 he was Curate of Ruddington, and moved
to Horsham parish in the last of these years.
His first Sunday, very appropriately,
was Whitsunday. It was the custom in this parish for the Vicar to “institute”
the priest-in-charge to the daughter church, at a service similar in character
to the institution of a vicar, though without the legal part. Consequently,
such a service of institution was held at St Leonards Church on Sunday 4th
June 1960 at 7.30pm.
Rev. Walker's first Service, Sunday 4th June 1960.
Rev. Walker soon began to tackle both
the spiritual and the pastoral aspects of the church which he felt important, in
order to not only combat the rise in delinquency amongst the youth of the
times, but also to provide them with alternative activities, as a means of
concentrating their minds away from raves, cinema and TV.
By March 1961, two new youth
organisations had been started-up, the Youth Fellowship, and the St Leonard’s
Guild.
The Youth Fellowship was intended
for children attached to the Church and who were between the ages of 12 and 15;
Activities included day trips, and similar outings, and also regular “Camping”
– popular venues were campsites at Oving and Pagham.
Youth Fellowship outing, Summer 1962.
The St Leonard’s Guild was formed
mainly under Mr Graham Dunsdon’s inspiration and guidance, to promote a spirit
of Christian Brotherhood between Church members of the 15 to 20 age group who
had been confirmed. Activities included
day trips and also model making – particularly that of radio-controlled
aeroplanes. The Guild also excelled at sport, particularly the game of
stoolball at which they became very proficient, and won several prizes in the
local league.
Members of St Leonard's Guild playing Stoolball in Horsham Park.
Rev Walker was also guided to
form a 3rd organisation, “The Over 60’s Club”, as a result of his
concern for, and ministry to, the elderly people in the parish. He had observed
that, as elsewhere, many of them were lonely and unable to get out very much,
and no longer having relatives nearby. The aim of this new club was to provide
for them just those things that they lacked at home; the gift of friendship, an
outside interest, and that all-important sense of belonging to a community. The
new club started on 12th May 1961, and met each Monday afternoon
from 2.30 to 4pm for informal activities in St Leonard’s Hall for a weekly
subscription of 6d. Outings were also regularly arranged, including Mystery
drives, and Annual Seaside holidays also planned. In fact the first seaside holiday
(in 1962) was to Devon.
Members of the Over 60's Club.
A 4th organisation was also
re-introduced, that of the Young Wives Group. The original group was formed of
many ladies from the Comptons Lane area, and was absorbed into St Mark’s Church
with the object of concentrating their efforts in the area of town from which
they came. The new group was to be formed out of those who live in the vicinity
of St Leonards, particularly mothers who
had children in the Sunday School or Youth Fellowship. The Young Wives Movement
was sponsored by the Mothers’ Union with the object of providing a contact
between the Church and those who were on the fringe, or even outside, its life
and influence. This new group which was launched on the 6th June
1961, met each month on the third Tuesday in St Leonard’s Hall at 8pm.
All these organisations annually
built “floats” to participate in the Horsham Carnival, often winning prizes for
their efforts. In 1960, The St Leonard’s Sunday School entered a float entitled
“The Signing of the Magna Carta 1215” which won 1st prize in its
category. Here Rev Walker can be seen with Mr Michael Burt as King John.
Rev Walker & Mr Michael Burt with 1st prize, Horsham Carnival, July 1960.
In the following year the Young Wives also won
1st prize in their class with a float called “Joining God’s Family”
which depicted a Christening. The Youth Fellowship also won a prize for their
float.
Under Rev Walker’s guidance, the
English Hymnals and Prayer Books were replaced by the new Ancient & Modern
Revived Hymnals, and the Prayer Book for Family Services. An altar cloth &
underlay, gifted by Holy Trinity, was installed, and the blue hassocks were
recovered in red to match the new altar carpeting. The church was completely
redecorated. New choir pews were also acquired and the church floor sanded and
polished. A new English lectern Bible was provided in November 1961 at a cost
of £3, and in the following May new altar curtains were purchased at a cost of
£6.8s 10d. A new cushion was acquired for
the Bishop’s chair, together with a new Wafer box, and a new processional cross
for the St Leonard’s Silver Jubilee celebrations. He also reorganised the St Leonard’s Choir and
I have managed to find a photograph of Rev Walker with Miss Taylor, the
organist, and several of the choir members, amongst whom are Richard Beckwith,
Graham Dunsdon, Richard Hilder, Barry Voice, and an older lad with the surname
Stringer, but whose first name escapes me.
Rev Walker & the organist, Miss Taylor, with some of the Choir.
THE RIGHT REVEREND ROGER WILSON, who recently died aged 96,
was Bishop of Chichester from 1958 to 1974 and before that spent nine years as
Bishop of Wakefield. On 14th October, 1962, He paid an Episcopal visit
to Horsham parish and conducted a Communion Service at St Leonard’s Church.
Here is the entry in the church register:
9.15am Sung Euchrist, Sunday 14th October 1962. Bishop Roger officiating.
Also, there is a photo from the
same day, of Rev Wilson and Bishop Roger, taken in the grounds of Horsham
Vicarage, together with Revs. S Matthews, P Gillingham, M Cochraine, E Lewis,
and S King.
14th Oct 1962 Rev Walker, Bp Wilson, Rev Matthews, Rev Canon Gillingham (Vicar), Rev Cochraine, Rev Lewis, and Rev King in garden of Horsham Vicarage.
However, The biggest social event
ever held in Horsham was when the Rolling Stones played in the 1960s for Camida
Promotions. The Gig was held on Saturday, August 3rd 1963, at St.
Leonard's Church Hall, between 7.30 and 11pm. The Police were absolutely
delighted, it was said, because for the first time that year they knew exactly the
whereabouts of every youth in the town! The Hall was packed to overflowing.
Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones. © County Times Newspapers.
Memories of the night the Rolling
Stones came to Horsham was published in the 26 April 2007 edition of the County
Times, where Horsham rockers described the unforgettable night they shared a
town stage with living legend Mick Jagger.
An on-line report may be found at http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/memories-of-night-with-the-stones-1-822543
I reproduce the article here in its entirety:
“They took a trip down musical memory lane with Horsham beat group
Peter and the Hustlers, the town teenagers who shared the bill with brand new
fresh faced outfit the Rolling Stones at St Leonards Hall, in Cambridge Road,
on August 3, 1963.
The first Sussex group to record a chart hit, Peter and the Hustlers,
later The Beat Merchants, toured with '60s stars Jean Vincent, Lulu and The
Honeycombs and played alongside international supergroup The Beach Boys on BBC2
music show Beat Room in 1964.
The Horsham boys sold over one million records in the US with So Fine,
used as a B-side for the Freddie and the Dreamers smash hit You Were Made For
Me which took the number one spot state side.
Horsham residents Geoff Farndell, bass, Vic Sendall, drums, Pete Toal,
vocals, Gavin Daneski, rhythm guitar and harmonica, and Ralph Worman, lead
guitar, opened the Horsham music night days after the unknown Stones released
their first single Come On.
A contract for the gig was recently unearthed, revealing Brian Jones,
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and friends were handed a one off payment of £50
between them for their one and a half hour set.
Peter and the Hustlers reached number 41 in the UK charts with their
first single Pretty Face just a month after appearing with the Stones in
Horsham. They were featured on top TV music show Thank Your Lucky Stars in
October 1963, and turned pro in June 1964. The band folded in September 1966.
Geoff, 60, was the youngest member of the band on the night, at the
tender age of 16. He said: "We were only school kids at the time. "We
were very taken with the Stones. They were only kids themselves. Our style
changed immediately there and then. It was a great night. We were excited and
it was their first week in the charts. We were delighted to be playing with a
band in the top 30. We knew they were musically very good, but I don't know if
we thought 'they are going to be the biggest rock stars on the planet', because
we thought we were going to be the biggest rock stars on the planet! All the
momentum we had eventually disappeared and we ended up going our own ways. I
remember Mick was quite nervous on the night. He wasn't bounding about the
stage like he does now at the age of 110 or whatever he is. I am still a big
fan of the Stones. You can't help watching them now and thinking maybe that
could have been us."
Vic, who has been friends with Geoff for over 45 years, said: "I
can remember the curtain opening and Mick came out and flicked that hair of
his. It wasn't really that long, it just looked like he hadn't been to the
barbers for a couple of months. I thought 'I like this'. It was so unusual.
They were very different and we'd never seen anything like it before."
Pete Toal, who moved to Australia in March 1965, said: "I'll try
and remember as much as I can but it was 44 years ago! Peter and the Hustlers
were more or less the only band of any note in Horsham at the time and as such
got to play at the St Leonards Hall fairly regularly. We must have been
financially successful for the organisers as they were able to afford to bring
other bands in to share the bill with us. That meant an hour and half for each
band instead of the usual three for us. Being the resident band, we played
first and put our heart and soul into our performance as we didn't want the
guest band out doing us. Boy were we in for a shock. It's really strange, the
locals were very loyal to us and didn't exactly go nuts about the Stones. We,
however, were completely blown away. You have to understand that at this time
we were playing numbers like Do You Wanna Dance and playing instrumentals
Shadows style. Mick was a knockout with his long hair and his gyrations. We
were clean cut. The music was so different to what we were doing. It was
driving R&B with Mick sometimes on maracas then on the blues harp. Since
leaving England, I often thought about telling my friends here about the time I
played with the Stones but thought 'Who's going to believe that?' Now I'm getting some long overdue
creddo!"
On 13th July 1964,
being in the St Leonard’s parish, Rev Walker accompanied HRH Princess Alexandra
when she attended Horsham to formally open Oakhill House Care Home. Situated
close to the centre of Horsham, Oakhill House had been carefully designed to
provide a safe and secure environment for elderly people with dementia care
needs. Accommodation included bright and comfortable lounge areas and a dining
room, as well as pleasantly decorated bedrooms, many with en-suite facilities.
The warmer months allowed residents to enjoy the delightful gardens, a great
place to welcome family and friends. Here is a picture of HRH talking to Rev
Walker.
HRH Princess Alexandra & Rev Walker, formal opening of Oakhill House Care Home.
In November 1964, Mr Muzzell
retired from office as Priest’s warden, in which capacity he had served for 25
years, and prior to that at the St Andrew’s Mission in Barrington Road.
Rev Walker left to take up a post
at Storrington & Sullington, his last service being at the Parish Church,
6.30 Evensong on November 15th, 1964. He remained at Sullington and Storrington
between 1964 and 1970, and in the latter year went on to become vicar of
Peasmarsh. Throughout his time at St Leonards he resided at No. 43, Brighton
Road. Here is the entry for his final service in the parish register.
6.30pm Evensong 15th November 1964 Rev Walker's final service at St Leonard's Church.
Between 16th November
1964 and 24th June 1965 there existed an interregnum (period of time
where there was no priest in charge.) The two Chapel Wardens (Mr Muzzell and Mr
Sawyer) and the organist (Miss Taylor) carried on their duties as normal, and a
curate was sent weekly from St Mary’s to officiate at the three Sunday services
( 9.15am Sung Eucharist; 10.30am Children’s Service; and 6.30pm Evensong), and
also at the Thursday 10am Holy Communion service. On the 1st Sunday
of each month, there was held an alternative arrangement of services (8am Holy
Communion; 9.15am Sung Eucharist; 10.45am Family Service; and 6.30am Evensong).
It was at this point that a very
serious consideration was given to suggestions that St. Leonard’s and St Marks
should combine but after a lot of groundwork had been covered, it was decided
to leave them as separate entities.
An announcement was made in March
1965 that a new priest (the Revd Giddings) had been found, but would not take
up his post until the end of June. St Leonard’s House, 43 Brighton Road, was
sold, and one of the new houses which were being built opposite the end of
Clarence Road was purchased as a replacement. This move was considered
pragmatic as it was closer to the church and more modern for the new incumbent
to live in.
During Lent, it was found that
the clergy team was very short-staffed, so the congregation of St Leonards
joined the congregation of St Mary’s for their Wednesday evening services, and
the Revd S. Matthews preached a Lenten Series at the 9.15 Holy Communion.
In May, 40 members of the St
Leonard’s Over 60’s Club spent a week’s holiday at Llandudno, North Wales –
another successful trip, following on from the previous year’s success when a
full coach of 52 members went to Torquay for a week.
Revd Howard William Giddings (25th June 1965 – 1st
January 1967).
The only photo available of Revd. Giddings was a rather poor one dating
from the late 1970’s. There is a contemporary photo (shown further below) but is even less clear and impossible to enlarge.
Born 7th October 1930 in Bedford, Howard Giddings attended Kings
College London and Warminster graduating as an Associate of King’s College in 1961;
Ordained Deacon in 1962, and priested in 1963 at Durham; Curate of St Chad
Stockton-on-Tees, 1962-1965; Horsham (in charge of St Leonards), 1965-1967; After
he left Horsham, he went on to become a Chaplain in the RAF 1967-1983; then Incumbent
at Birch with Layer Breton and Layer Marney, Chelmsford 1983-1986; Priest-in-charge Lincoln St Mary-le-Wigford
with St Benedict etc. Lincs., from 1986 until his death on 23rd
January 1989 aged 58.
Unfortunately, we do not have many records at St Leonards about Revd.Giddings. We do know that he did not come to St Leonards until the end of June
1965 and that prior to his arrival in the [parish, the old vicarage at St Leonard’s House, 43 Brighton Road, was sold,
and one of the new houses which had just been built opposite the end of
Clarence Road, and which was still referred to as Plot 42, South Grove Estate,,
was bought instead. It was thought that the new house would be closer to the
church, and more modern for the family to live in.
The Institution of Revd Giddings as priest in charge of St Leonards
Church was held on Friday 25th June 1965, at 8pm followed by a
Social in the Hall when everyone had the opportunity of meeting Mr. & Mrs
Giddings personally.
One letter does survive from this time, which served as a thank you for
his reception – Revd Giddings wrote:
“Now that the upheaval of moving house
very nearly the length of England is over, I can find a moment to write and say
how pleased we both are at having been invited to come and join the team at St.
Leonards. My wife and I have been looking forward to coming to Horsham for some
months now, and hope to meet as many people as possible in the next few weeks.
Although we have just come from North-East England, we are not strangers to the
south, by any means, and feel sure that we shall settle in very quickly. We
were very touched by the several welcomes we have received - and we were especially grateful for the kind
gift of groceries, home-made cake and flowers left in the house the day we
arrived. We would also like to say how much we appreciate having such a lovely
home in which to live. We are well aware of the generosity and hard work on the
part of lay people in the parish who have made this possible. We hope that the
years ahead will provide us with opportunities to show our gratitude in practical
ways. Incidentally our cup of happiness has literally been filled to
overflowing by the house-builder – he presented us with a bottle of Champagne
when we moved in!”
Revd Giddings' first service was at 9.15 am, on Sunday 27th
June 1965. His first task was to rearrange the services on the First Sunday of
each month. The main service of Holy Communion was moved from 9.15 to 10.30a.m.
The reason for this was to try to meet the needs of families with young
children. It was hoped that parents would come and worship, bringing their
youngsters with them no matter what age. It took the form of a Holy Communion,
but presented in a way acceptable to all ages. Parents who had not been
confirmed were also most welcome. The Sunday School also took part and also the
Confirmation candidates. For parents who wished to use it, a creche was
provided for babies, but no-one was to mind any noise should parents prefer to
keep their children with them. This was a breath of fresh air, because up to
this point the old adage “children should be seen and not heard”, particularly
in a church environment, was considered the norm. Revd Giddings observed that there
was no substitute for the whole family taking part in worship together, and he
hopde for a large number of parents and children at this service each month.
The first one proper took place on Sunday, 3rd October 1965 at 10.30 am.
In the Summer of 1965, Miss Taylor decided to retire from the post of
Organist at St. Leonards. After so many years of devoted service the decision
has been a hard one for her to take. However, the prospect of making her way to
and from the church in all weathers for another winter was too much for her to
contemplate. – The new organist, Mr Martin White, son of Mr Alan White who was
well-known in the parish as a lay reader, took up post in October. At the St
Leonards Autumn social on October 29th Miss Taylor was given a portable
transistor wireless as a token of the congregation’s affection and best wishes
for a happy retirement. The presentation was made my Mr Richard Beckwith, who
as a former Choirboy under Miss Taylor well represented all the people of St
Leonard’s who have known her over the years. Miss Taylor wrote; “May I express my thanks to the many kind
people at St Leonards for the gift I received on retiring from the post of
organist. A gift much appreciated.”
At this time, under the guidance of the new organist, the decision was
made to go in for a Mixed Choir at St Leonards, and there was much anxiety to
get this under way as soon as possible, so as to be in full voice by Christmas.
An appeal was put out for young ladies, and male tenors and basses., and there
was a very good response to the appeal.
in the early part of 1966, an open mixed Youth Club was started
up on two nights a week. It was felt
that St Leonards church could not only make best use of its very good
facilities but perform a useful piece of social service in the eastern part of
town. For this purpose, they decorated and furnished the kitchen and end room
at St Leonards as a coffee bar. The choir vestry was be similarly turned into a
pleasant quiet room, available for discussions and relaxation. The Hall was
thus left available for indoor games and dancing.
The over 60’s club had continued the tradition of Annual one-week
trips, and in 1965 they went to Llandudno, North Wales. 40 members and friends
left in sunshine on the 8th May when the Revd Alfred Jones kindly wished them
Godspeed, they returned at 6pm on the 15th May all looking bronzed and having
thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of Wales. Revd. Giddings may be observed standing at the rear of the coach.
The following year (in 1966), they went
to Swanage. 36 members arrived back on the 5th May after their week’s
holiday in the sunshine.
As usual, both the St Leonards Sunday School and the Over 60’s
Club entered floats in the Horsham carnival in July 1965 and to everyone’s
delight, both carried away first prize in their class of float. The Sunday
School presented a tableau depicting the arrival of St Augustine, bringing the
Gospel to England in 597 A.D., and the Over 60’s presented Charles Dickens Old
Curiosity Shop. It was reported in the County Times that the costumes were
First Class and were shown to good advantage by the very fine scenery and
lettering.
Alas, Revd Giddings had to leave St Leonards in January 1967
to take up an appointment as Chaplain in the R.A.F. and his last service at St
Leonards was the 6.30 pm Evensong on 1st January.
[to be continued]