There is a lot of history related to Church Street. It is one of the most attractive streets in the whole of Sussex.
Cattle used to be tied during market days to the oak posts and rails that can still be found at the junction with High Street. Opposite these are three cottages, which are part of a mediaevil ‘Wealden’. There is also a hall house with two storey end sections and a distinctive elevation with large curved braces in the centre to partly support the roof.
A little way on from the oak posts, there is a half-timbered house dating back to the 15th Century. It is known as Brotherhood Hall and was the meeting place of the Fraternity, or Brotherhood, of the Holy Trinity. In 1614 it was converted into a grammar school, founded and endowed by Alderman William Holland. The façade remains unaltered even today, although the interior has been given modern additions as well as being enlarged. It now forms part of the Steyning Grammar School. The original Brotherhood hall was the original schoolroom and still has its open timbered roof with king-post. Dr John Pell was a student at the school and has since become famous as a renowned mathematician. He is responsible for the creation of the division symbol.
The Norfolk Arms resides opposite the school. It was built as a private house in the 17th century and still has some of its historic structuring. These include a hand carved Jacobean staircase together with nail-studded doors. One of the doors has the initials ‘RW’ 1668 on it. These items of historic interest can be viewed by visitors during opening hours by arrangement with the licensee.
Further down the street is a lovely group of 18th century cottages. One such cottage has a stone wall which reads ‘This is Sir Harry Gough’s House 1771’. Interestingly, these markings came about due to a dispute Sir Harry had with a tenant. He owned the property and let it out, only to have his tenant refuse to pay the rent due. The tenant was under the impression that if he did not pay rent and remained in the property, the property would one day become his. Sir Harry, the Member of Parliament for Bramber, duly asserted his ownership of the property and retained his Parliamentary vote on the property. As such, the cottage has now become a local landmark.
The charming timber framed Saxon Cottage is located over the road from the other cottages. Its name is misleading. It does not date back to Saxon times, but is more probably from the early 16th century. It is constructed without nails and has a thickly thatched roof and a steep cat slide almost to the ground. The cottage was home to the Steyning Museum for some years before relocating to the more modern premises behind the Libraru.
The Saxon Cottage is the point where the street opens out. The secluded Chantry Green can be found here. It has a dark side to its history. The Green was the setting for the burning at the stake of the Protestant John Launder. He was made a martyr by being punished for his faith. His execution took place on July 23rd 1555. The Green is bordered by numerous small cottages. Facing it is the dignified, three storey, Queen Anne, Chantry House. The plaque on the house reads ‘William Butler Yeats wrote many of his later poems here’. He was not the only famous person know to live at the house. Miss Gluck, a local artist of some repute, lived at the house until her death in 1978. James Whistler in the 1880’s also stayed at the property, along with many other painters.
Chantry Green House, a 16th century building, owns the green. The house was originally intended as a home for the priest of one of the chantry chapels in the church. When the house was enlarged in 1705, the house’s underlying Tudor structure was concealed by a splendid Georgian façade.
Not all of the lovely cottages near the green have survived over the years. Several of those that used to be opposite the green were destroyed by a bomb dropped by an enemy aircraft as it returned from an abortive mission to London during World War II. The site is now home to two modern houses, clearly noticeable from the green.
The 12th century St Andrews Church stands proudly and beautifully almost 50 yards further down the street from the green. It is the original resting place for King Ethelwulf, though his remains were later relocated. It is thought that the church stands on the site of another, wooden church, that of St Cuthman, built sometime in the early 9th century.
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