Tours of St mary de Haura

Tours of St Mary de Haura - possible again at last

Have you ever wondered when and why part of the magnificent 900-year-old church in our town centre collapsed, with some of the ruins still visible today?

Or perhaps you may be curious to know why it is now a Grade 1 listed building for architectural as well as for historical reasons. Now is your chance to find out the answers and hear lots of interesting facts and myths about the church which is still an integral part of our local community. The church of St Mary de Haura is truly remarkable. The earliest documentary evidence of its existence is 1103. It was in the early decades of the 12th century that Philip de Braose, a knight who had been on the 1st Crusade and the son of one of William the Conqueror’s leading barons, completed the church for ‘New Shoreham’ as the settlement to the South of ‘Old Shoreham’ came to be known. The growth of Shoreham as a thriving port in the 12th and 13th centuries was reflected in the extension of the church and the fact that it became a Royal Port. Today, architectural historians regard this gem of a church as a magnificent example of a ‘composite’ style with elements of the Romanesque or Norman) and the Gothic styles. Over the next two months, you can take a tour of the church on these dates: Saturday 9th July 1pm Saturday 23rd July 1pm Wednesday 3rd August 1pm Wednesday 10th August 1pm Saturday 13th August 10am Wednesday 17th August 1pm Wednesday 24th August 1pm No need to book, just come to the church - tours will last about an hour – and learn something of this extraordinary building and its place in the history of the town. Tours are free but we are grateful for donations to support the on-going costs of looking after this ancient building. Are you a Friend of St Mary’s? it costs just £10 a year to join the Friends and your money supports the maintenance and restoration of this beautiful building in the heart of Shoreham. Visit the Friends of St Mary’s to join today: www.stmarydehaura.org.uk

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