Parish Church of St Mary de Haura

Tis truethere is a feeling of rest here. One can sense the history of the building and the surrounding area. Situated very nicely to explore all round Shoreham and close to loads of places to eat!!. Used to do quite a bit of sketching around here with friends and have always enjoyed the town and coasttline. The view from the tower is terrific, if you’re ok with heights. if not, don’t look over the edge!

This is a classic church. What I mean by this remark is that when one thinks of a church this is what one imagines. The stained glass windows dazzle when the sun rays shoot through them. The stone work is tastefull.
The atmosphere is welcoming. There was church volunteers milling about like it was there second home.
The grounds was full of flowers and gravestones that blended in. It didn’t feel like a place for the dead but a place to rest.

Shoreham has two churches, both ancient. New Shoreham, as its name implies, is the younger of the two. But the moniker ‘New’ belies the fact that the church is over 900 years old, founded in 1103 by a Crusader returning to England from the first crusade.
Unusually dedicated to ‘St Mary de Haura’ (St Mary of the harbour), this is a landmark church: from a distance, it looks like a Cathedral.
Closer inspection reveals that half the church has disappeared, however: the original Nave became a ruin when New Shoreham’s economy declined, and was demolished in the 17^th century. What is left is the crossing and chancel, but this is still impressive. The lower part of the tower and transepts date from the original church, in true romanesque style.
The Chancel was rebuilt around 1180, and demonstrates beautifully the transition from Romanesque to Gothic: the north aisle columns are rounded and octagonal in Norman (romanesque) style, whereas the south aisle is pure Early English Gothic. Overall, this is a beautiful and dramatic space.
Other items of interest include the original Norman font, two lovely 15^th century floor brasses and — just to demonstrate that it’s not a new problem — a quantity of 17^th century graffiti carved into the stone-​work!
The church is a venue for regular choir concerts and for events during the Adur festival. There is more information on the church’s excellent web-​site.