Church Street, Steyning

Over the road is the charming timber framed Saxon Cottage. The name belies its true date of origin, which is more probably early 16th century. It is constructed entirely without nails with a thickly thatched roof and a steep cat slide almost to the ground. For some years the Steyning Museum was housed here until relocating to its present modern premises just behind the Library.

At this point the street opens out to reveal the secluded Chantry Green which was the scene of the martyrdom of the Protestant John Launder who was burned at the stake for his faith on July 23rd 1555. Many small cottages border the green and facing it is the dignified three storey, Queen Anne, Chantry House bearing a plaque which states “William Butler Yeats wrote many of his later poems here”. Also, a local artist of some repute, Miss Gluck lived here until her death in 1978. The house had an earlier tradition of being frequented by painters, including James Whistler in the 1880’s

The green actually belongs to Chantry Green House which is a fine 16th century building originally intended as a home for the priest of one of the chantry chapels in the church. Its underlying Tudor structure is concealed by a splendid Georgian façade, added when the house was enlarged in 1705.

The two modern houses opposite Chantry Green replace several cottages that were destroyed by a bomb jettisoned by an enemy aircraft returning from an abortive mission to London during the Second World War.

Approximately 50 yards further stands the magnificent 12th century St Andrews Church, where King Ethelwulf’s remains were originally buried. The church is believed to stand on the site of a wooden church, that of St Cuthman, built sometime in the early 9th C.

For more information about St Andrews Church please look on the dedicated pages on this website

back