St. Nicholas' Church, West Itchenor
Encyclopedia
St. Nicholas' Church is the Anglican
parish church
of West Itchenor
, a village in the Chichester district
of West Sussex
, United Kingdom
.
, John of Greenford
and the Prebendary of Wightring to build a chapel
in Itchenor. Between 1180 and 1197, Bishop Seffrid II
allowed the chapel to be converted into a little parish church
with its own graveyard
. In 1935, The Parish of Itchenor was united with the Parish of Birdham
as a single benefice
. In 1986, the benefice of Itchenor and Birdham was united with the Parish of West Wittering. From there after, the Vicar
of West Wittering
was made the Rector
of the Benefice of West Wittering and Birdham with Itchenor, which is what the benefice is known as today.
The annals of the village indicate that string
or wind instruments
would have been used to accompany the singing prior to 1862. From 1862, church music at St. Nicholas' developed. A harmonium
was purchased in 1870 to take place of the string and wind instruments. In 1922 a small pipe organ
was acquired. The next step forward came in 1950, when a new electric blower was installed. In 1956, the building of a vestry forced the ageing 34-year old pipe organ to be moved. Due to its poor state, the organist of the church Margot Linton-Bogle, donated a small reed organ
- which was installed at the West end of the church. In 1961, Linton-Bogle donated a Jennings electronic organ. The organ was moved onto the newly-built gallery in 1964 (the site where the current organ stands today). In 1970, the organ's maintenance caused difficulties and Linton-Bogle donated a Compton pipe organ. It wasn't until 1994 when Margaret Thomas, then-Organist, donated the Viscount Jubilate 235
which is in use today.
Organists
Choir
Following the purchase of a harmonium in 1862, pews
were arranged in the chancel
for the new choir and Hymns Ancient and Modern
hymnbooks were purchased. This was the first organised choir in the church's history. The choir was provided with surplices
in 1903 and lamps were made available to the singing of Choral Evensong
. The singing of psalms
took place at Mattins
and was extended to Evensong in 1904. The organistship of Margot Linton-Bogle saw the choir expand, especially as more children joined. Following Linton-Bogle's death in 1987, the choir lost its younger members and fell into decline until it disbanded within a year. At present, an annual choir comprising residents of the village and parishioners is formed to perform at the church's Christmas Carol Service
. In 2010, a choir was set up for the first time in 33 years to sing the liturgy of Sung Matins, which occurs on the fifth Sunday.
Bells
Currently, there are three bells: The Treble, The Second and The Tenor. The Treble dates from 1530 whilst both The Second and The Tenor are from the seventeenth century. The bells were re-hung in 1988 by Whitechapel Bell Foundry
. Ellacombe apparatus
was installed, allowing the bells to either be swing chimed or hand chimed. The church bells chime before services, before and/or after weddings and funerals. The bells are usually rung by the churchwarden
s.
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of West Itchenor
West Itchenor
West Itchenor is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It lies north of the B2179 Chichester to West Wittering road 4.5 miles southwest of Chichester. The village lies on the shores of Chichester Harbour.The parish covers an area of 413 hectares...
, a village in the Chichester district
Chichester (district)
Chichester is a largely rural local government district in West Sussex, England. Its council is based in the city of Chichester.-History:The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the municipal borough of Chichester and the Rural Districts of...
of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History
In around 1175, Hugh Esturmy was given permission by the Bishop of ChichesterBishop of Chichester
The Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
, John of Greenford
John of Greenford
-Life:Some historians say John's ancestry is unknown, but others give it as the son of a canon, or priest. Although Greenford is a location in Middlesex, no contemporary record gives him the name, and it not known when the surname was first attached to John. He was a prebend of London, and Dean of...
and the Prebendary of Wightring to build a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
in Itchenor. Between 1180 and 1197, Bishop Seffrid II
Seffrid II
-Life:Little is known of Seffrid's ancestry, but given the unusual name he shared with Seffrid I, bishop of Chichester from 1125 to 1145, the two were probably related. He probably studied law at Bologna, for there was a Seffrid the Englishman at Bologna at the proper time, and Pope Celestine III...
allowed the chapel to be converted into a little parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
with its own graveyard
Graveyard
A graveyard is any place set aside for long-term burial of the dead, with or without monuments such as headstones...
. In 1935, The Parish of Itchenor was united with the Parish of Birdham
Birdham
Birdham is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located on the Manhood Peninsula, about three miles south west of the city of Chichester...
as a single benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
. In 1986, the benefice of Itchenor and Birdham was united with the Parish of West Wittering. From there after, the Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of West Wittering
West Wittering
West Wittering is a small village and civil parish, on the Manhood Peninsula, in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It lies near the mouth of Chichester Harbour on the B2179 road 6.5 miles southwest of Chichester and has a sandy beach with what has been described as excellent...
was made the Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the Benefice of West Wittering and Birdham with Itchenor, which is what the benefice is known as today.
Music
OrganThe annals of the village indicate that string
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
or wind instruments
Wind instrument
A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator , in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into a mouthpiece set at the end of the resonator. The pitch of the vibration is determined by the length of the tube and by manual modifications of...
would have been used to accompany the singing prior to 1862. From 1862, church music at St. Nicholas' developed. A harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
was purchased in 1870 to take place of the string and wind instruments. In 1922 a small pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was acquired. The next step forward came in 1950, when a new electric blower was installed. In 1956, the building of a vestry forced the ageing 34-year old pipe organ to be moved. Due to its poor state, the organist of the church Margot Linton-Bogle, donated a small reed organ
Reed organ
A reed organ, also called a parlor organ, pump organ, cabinet organ, cottage organ, is an organ that generates its sounds using free metal reeds...
- which was installed at the West end of the church. In 1961, Linton-Bogle donated a Jennings electronic organ. The organ was moved onto the newly-built gallery in 1964 (the site where the current organ stands today). In 1970, the organ's maintenance caused difficulties and Linton-Bogle donated a Compton pipe organ. It wasn't until 1994 when Margaret Thomas, then-Organist, donated the Viscount Jubilate 235
Viscount (musical instrument manufacturer)
Viscount International SpA is a musical instrument manufacturer based in Mondaino, Italy. The brand Viscount was registered in 1969 by Marcello Galanti, but the company was established in the late 19th century by his forefather Antonio Galanti. After 1969 Viscount’s primary focus has been on...
which is in use today.
Organists
- 1870-1952 ?
- 1952 Margot Linton-Bogle
- 1973 Trevor Chater
- 1987 Margaret Thomas
- 2009 William Wallace
Choir
Following the purchase of a harmonium in 1862, pews
Pew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
were arranged in the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
for the new choir and Hymns Ancient and Modern
Hymns Ancient and Modern
Hymns Ancient and Modern was a hymnal in common use within the Church of England. Over the years it has grown into a large family of hymnals....
hymnbooks were purchased. This was the first organised choir in the church's history. The choir was provided with surplices
Surplice
A surplice is a liturgical vestment of the Western Christian Church...
in 1903 and lamps were made available to the singing of Choral Evensong
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
. The singing of psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
took place at Mattins
Matins
Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
and was extended to Evensong in 1904. The organistship of Margot Linton-Bogle saw the choir expand, especially as more children joined. Following Linton-Bogle's death in 1987, the choir lost its younger members and fell into decline until it disbanded within a year. At present, an annual choir comprising residents of the village and parishioners is formed to perform at the church's Christmas Carol Service
Nine Lessons and Carols
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a format for a service of Christian worship celebrating the birth of Jesus that is traditionally followed at Christmas...
. In 2010, a choir was set up for the first time in 33 years to sing the liturgy of Sung Matins, which occurs on the fifth Sunday.
Bells
Currently, there are three bells: The Treble, The Second and The Tenor. The Treble dates from 1530 whilst both The Second and The Tenor are from the seventeenth century. The bells were re-hung in 1988 by Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
. Ellacombe apparatus
Ellacombe apparatus
Ellacombe apparatus is a method for performing change ringing of church bells requiring only one person. Unlike the traditional method, where the bells are spun 360 degrees to sound them and one person is needed for each bell, instead the bells are kept static and a hammer is struck against the...
was installed, allowing the bells to either be swing chimed or hand chimed. The church bells chime before services, before and/or after weddings and funerals. The bells are usually rung by the churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
s.
Rectors
- 1363 Roger Lyndon
- 1363 Robert de Brendbirgthen
- 1415 Richard Estan
- 1415 John Seyll
- 1438 Richard atte Okes
- 1438 Thomas Hogge
- 1502 Robert Kirkelond
- 1502 William Prestall
- 1527 Robert Kisleive
- 1541 Robert Frost
- 1541 Thomas Hewetson
- 1550 John Spyncke
- 1555 Stephen Parker
- 1556 Oliver Chype
- 1561 Thomas Secker
- 1598 Philip Timmins
- 1599 Roger Smith
- 1613 Robert Meakon
- 1615 Thomas Smith
- 1616 John Cartwright
- 1625 Robert Johnson
- 1640 John Knight
- 1662 William Sergeant
- 1674 John Radford
- 1676 Humphrey Day
- 1699 Thomas Kelway
- 1722 Robert Hulbert
- 1735 Thomas Darwent
- 1736 John Marewood
- 1771 Thomas Sampson
- 1800 William Williams
- 1825 Robert Tredcroft
- 1847 Stenning Johnson
- 1865 Alfred Fuller
- 1879 George Heath
- 1902 Francis Haines
- 1916 Albert Tansey
- 1934 Victor Dunphy
- 1952 Maurice Elliott
- 1955 R. Wright
- 1968 Roy Goodchild
- 1974 John Stewnette
- 1976 Philip Barry
- 1981 Kenneth Woolhouse
- 1986 Trevor Smyth
- 1994 John Williams (until Nov '11)
- 2011 TBA