Coates Surprise

Trundling through the back roads on our way to Petworth we took a wrong turn and stumbled upon a charming little village names COATES

There we 6 buildings … Coates Castle, Coates Manor, Coates Cottage, Coates Barn and Coates B & C … who knows what happened to A.

This is the second village named Coates that we have come across … we preferred the first Coates village as it had a pub and a canal.

Petworth House and Park

Inspired by the Baroque palaces of Europe and nestled in the South Downs, Petworth House displays the finest art collection in the care of the National Trust.

This is the opening blurred from the National Trust site … we were not impressed mainly because the day we went there only the Kitchens, the North Gallery and he Chapel were open. A quick zip zip and we were done.

George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont was a huge patron of the arts supporting Turner and Constable (just to name two). He is responsible for the completing the north gallery. He also had 40+ illegitimate children and died with no legitimate heir.

One thing here that we loved was the oldest globe of the world believe to be in existence … pretty cool really.

There are a couple of photos for you.

Having not seen  the nearby magnificent Arundel Castle due to it not opening until Easter, we decided that our next best option was to go further afield to Bodiam Castle situated just north of where the Battle of Hastings was fought. It took several hours to get there but was well worth the time and effort.

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle located near Robertsbridge in East Sussex and was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, with the permission of Richard II ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War or local rebellion.

This guy was a bit of a rascal the second son who had to make his own way in the world … so he married for money then spent a lot of time in France raiding and amassing a huge fortune.

Being many miles inland from the English coastline, it begs the question why was it built at this location. It was built here close to the banks of the river Rother which at that time was navigable this far upstream. The French were prone to raid the English hence the castle was built here.

Bodiam Castle has no keep, having its various chambers built around the outer defensive walls and inner courts. Its corners and entrance are marked by towers, and topped by crenellations. The castle once sat in a working estate with farmland, wharf and watermill.  Sir Edward had the site landscaped with ponds and pools as well as the moat you can see today. These added to the defences and also created a scenic setting to impress visitors.

It is what a fairy tale castle would look like …pretty small and surrounded by a moat … you can imagine fair maidens and knights here.

You have probably worked out that I have a thing about Norman and Saxon buildings … so when I read the Chichester had the most complete early Norman Cathedral I had to see it … so I hope you like this entry

Following 1066 the Normans began an aggressive church and castle building phase. In 1075 the See of Chichester was established and the present Cathedral was begun in 1076 under Bishop Stigand and was completed under Bishop Luffa in time for its consecration to the Holy Trinity in 1108.

It is interesting that Stigand was an Anglo Saxon Bishop and It was unusual that and Anglo Saxon was given this responsibility. The Normans replaced all of the Anglo Saxon clergy and landholders with Normans

The church is beautiful with its Norman arches and half round columns … the carving is still crisp you can image that it was completed recently. The clerestory is magnificent with its three levels representing the trinity.

There are interesting 12^th century carvings that have just been discovered and a 13^th century quire.

In the Treasury we came across old chests dating from the 11th and 12th centuries ... amazing. (more details in the photo album)

There is also an unusual effigy of a knight and his lady and they are holding hands … very unusual only 4 others exist … thought to be the work of the same stonemason.

Off to visit an Arts and Crafts home today.

A lovely little village with its own harbour … used by the Romans and was part of the estate of both Canute and Harold Godwinson.

The current church dates from the 10^th century and was built over the original 8^th century Saxon church.

There is a tradition that a daughter of Canute the Great drowned in a nearby brook and was buried here. In 1865 a coffin containing a child's skeleton was discovered, buried in the nave in front of what is now the chancel of Holy Trinity Church. This was thought to be Canute's daughter.

Legend has it that Bosham was the site at which he commanded the waves to "go back" to show his courtiers the limits of a King's powers.

It must have been an important place as it is mentioned in Bede’s book The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, and the village is one of only five places that appear on the map attached to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle of around this time.

Bosham Church itself dates back to Saxon times and the lower stages of the tower and the first third of the chancel have survived from this period.

The tower is the oldest part of the church and was built in four stages, the first three are Saxon and the top stage is Norman.  The spire was added in the 15th century.  The chancel arch was built in the 11th century shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Probably the most well-known fact about Bosham is that the Church and manor house are depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry and the reason why is because Harold’s principle home was in Bosham, which he visited before embarking on his ill-fated trip to Normandy in 1064.

Other notable features in the church include the 14th century crypt.  There is also a late 12th century font and several piscinae.  In the Fishbourne Chantry there is a particularly fine 12th century trefoil-headed piscina which has a hollow column forming the drain and to the right of the high altar there is an unusual double piscina. The chancel was constructed in three clearly defined stages, the first is Saxon, the second Norman and the third is 13th century Early English and includes the beautiful five-light lancet window with detached slender Purbeck marble columns.

Situated right beside the harbour it was a beautiful and peaceful site.

Today we stumbled upon a unique Church at Sompting … St Marys originally built in 960 AD it has the only surviving example in England of a Saxon tower with a Rhenish Helm (Rhineland Helmet).

You can also see

• 10thC Saxon Tower Arch arch with half-round columns, standing on plinths with Corinthian capitals decorated with carved wheat and grapes
• 12th Norman Chancel; showing re-cycled C 10th Saxon carved stones in the form of a triangular-headed Piscine, an Ambry and early Saxon carving.
• Re - cycled terracotta tiles from derelict Roman Villa.

The tower is really imposing it must have been an amazing site for people a thousand years ago.

And for those who are interested a photo of our hire car an Audi.  

Enjoy.