Sussex Historic Churches Trust gives large grant to St Mary the Virgin in Ninfield

The 800-year-old church of St Mary the Virgin in Ninfield has been awarded an £8,000 grant by the Sussex Historic Churches Trust to help fund vital repairs to the parapet gutter and tower woodwork.

The grant was the largest conferred by the Trust in the latest round of awards in early September.  

St Mary the Virgin, which is Grade 1 listed, dates back to pre-Norman times and is thought to lie on the route that the Normans took in 1066 - from their landing site at Pevensey to the battlefield at Senlac Field in Battle. The village of Ninfield is mentioned in the Domesday Book as having been badly damaged by the invading forces.

In recent years, the distinctive wooden bell tower has suffered from water penetration, and some of the roof joists are now rotten. The substrate of the parapet gutter is also thought to be failing. The church is hoping to raise further funds to cover the cost of the project and start work in early 2026.

The Revd Paul Frostick said: “We were delighted to receive so generous a grant from Sussex Historic Churches Trust. It will make a huge difference to our project going forward. We are a small and fairly elderly congregation and struggle to keep things going. To receive such a generous grant is a great encouragement to us.”

The church is planning a series of fundraising activities over the coming months including a Michaelmas Fair in a few weeks.

The Revd Frostick added: “The most urgent part of the project is to make repairs to the leadwork as water seems to be getting into the tower. Once that is done, then we can proceed with the painting of the tower woodwork as scaffolding will need to be in place for both aspects of the work.” 

The Sussex Historic Churches Trust awarded a total of £50,000 in grants in September including awards to the ancient churches of St Mary’s Bepton, St Giles in Graffham, St Peter’s Westhampnett, St Peter & St Paul in Wadhurst and St Mary’s, Warbleton.