Top Things to do in East Sussex
The 10 Best Sacred & Religious Sites in East Sussex, England
Discover the best top things to do in East Sussex, United Kingdom including Commonwealth War Graves, Mountfield, Bodhisattva Kadampa Meditation Centre, All Saints Chapel, The Assumption of Blessed Mary and St Nicholas Church, Commonwealth War Graves, Douglas Strachan Stained Glass Windows, Commonwealth War Graves, Commonwealth War Grave, Rye Harbour, Commonwealth War Grave, Beckley, Commonwealth War Grave, Flimwell.
Restaurants in East Sussex
1. Commonwealth War Graves, Mountfield
2. Bodhisattva Kadampa Meditation Centre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
3. All Saints Chapel
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
All Saints The Old Chapel, Mead's, is a beautiful grade II listed Victorian Gothic,majestic English masterpiece.It is now a non-religious wedding event venue.Fully licensed for civil partnerships,events and functions.A stunning versatile space with bar to suit your every need.Draped in fairy & candlelight by day and shards of coloured architectural lighting giving a London vibe by night.
4. The Assumption of Blessed Mary and St Nicholas Church
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By hawkes2an - Cranbrook, United Kingdom
Built by the fifth Sir William de Etchingham, Lord of the Manor, the sturdy Church of the Assumption of Blessed Mary and St Nicholas in Etgchingham is mainly 14th century. It was cobnstructed of sandstone and, unusually, has a central tower. Whilst central towers are common in cathedrals and monastic churches they are relatively rare in parish churches. Sir William was buried in front of the altar in 1389. The monumental brass over his grave shows him in armour, his hands in an attitude of praying and there is a lion couchant at his feet. However, his head is no longer there. At the foot of his grave there is an Anglo-Norman inscription which reads "Of earth I was made ansd formed and to earth I have returned. William de Etchingham was my name: God have pity on my soul. And you who pass by, pray to God for my soul, which passed away, as God willed, about midnight on the 18th January in the year of our Lord 1388." This is the oldest brass in Sussex bearing a date. Immediately to the west of the fifth Sir William there is a brass to the sixth Sir William, his second wife, Joan, and their son Thomas. The choir stalls are one of the most impiortant features of the Church. They all retain their misericords; shelves which were placed on the underside of hinged seat to give support to those using the stalls when standing. There are some medieval glass remnants in the east window in the north aisle. These are the roundels portraying St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke and St John. The font is early English and predates this Church built by the fifth Sir William; so it must have been used in an earlier church on this site...It is raised on a plinth because, in those days, mainly children were baptised and they were totally immersed. Although not as elegant as the perpendicular churches which followed, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary and St Nicholas possesses a stark beauty all of its own.
5. Commonwealth War Graves
6. Douglas Strachan Stained Glass Windows
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By hawkes2an - Cranbrook, United Kingdom
The magnificent Douglas Strachan Stained Glass Windows should be seen in their rightful position in the Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Winchelsea, East Sussex as photographs do not really do them justice. Dr Douglas Strachan (1875-1950) was a renowned stained glass artist. Among the other windows he designed were those in the Palace of Peace at the Hague, Netherlands, and the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle. On entering the Church your first sight is the east window which is a brilliant example of Dr Strachan's work. The main theme of this window is Praise and Resurrection. At the top of the centre window is Christ on his throne, surrounded by the "ancient of Days". Also at the top of the far left and far right windows are the four elements carrying discs bearing the Signs of the Zodiac. The lights on the far left and far right show some Saints and Martyrs. The three figures in the fourth light from the left are, from left to right, St Thomas of Canterbury (bearing a model of the Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Winchelsea), St John the Baptist and St Paul. At the bottom of the centre light is Earth with a rainbow and horsemen, which are meant to represent the energy of Nature. To the left of the east window the theme of the Lady Chapel Window is Birth with the composition in the centre showing the Adoration of the Shepherds and the Magi. The group above this central composition represents the Holy Innocents whilst the three lights below show the Annunciation (in the centre) with (on the right) Christ in the carpenter's workshop. The light to the far left shows Moses (the Lawgiver) and Joshua (the Warrior) with, behind them, the Ark of the Covenant. The small light at the top shows Moses receiving the Tables of the Law. The small light at the bottom shows Joshua in front of the Gates of Jericho. The light to the far right shows David the King and Isaiah the Prophet. The small light at the top shows Samuel annointing David. The small light at the bottom shows an elderly David instructing Solomon on the building of the Tempkle at Jerusalem. To the right of the east window the theme of the window in the St Nicholas Chapel is Death and Resurrection. The three centre lights is the Fulfilment of Christ's mission on Earth. At the base of the Crucifixion, across the three centre lights, is a representation of The Lasrt Supper. The light on the far left suggest the Baptism of Christ with, at the top, Christ blessing the children and, at the bottom, the morning of the Resurrection. The light on the far right is Christ being mocked and crowned with thorns. At the top is Christ washing the feet of the Disciples with, at the bottom, Christ's appearance to Mary Magdalene at the tomb. The first window on the south wall is The Lifeboat Memorial Window. This window commemorates the heroism of the Rye Harbour lifeboat crew who lost their lives in a great storm on 15 November 1928. In the centre window is Christ, as the Bestower of Peace, sttling the storm whilst, on the left, is St Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors and children, and, on the right, St Augustine, firstArchbishop of Canterbury, landing on our shores in AD 597. The three lights across the bottom show the dramatic story. On te left (in the top left-hand corner) is the stricken ship. In the centre is the lifeboat forcing its way through the horrendous waves whilst, on the right, the anxious figures on shore watch the lifeboat's progress. The next windows on the south wall sre dedicated, first, to Christ as Healer and, then, to Christ as Teacher. The first window shows Christ at the pool of Siloam with, on the left, the Conversion of St Paul with, below, the Parable of the Sower and, on the right, St Giles (the patrobn saint of lepers, beggers and cripples) with his hind. The second window, showing Christ as Teacher, has, on the left, St Leonard visiting prisoners with, below, the Parable of the Prodigal Son. On the right is St Richard, Bishop of Chichester relieving the sick and poor of the parish of St Thomas the Martyr Church with, below, the Parable of the Good Shepherd. The last windows to mention are the War Memorial Windows on the north wall. Dr Strachan's themes for these windows are Land (on the left), Air and Fire (in the centre) and Sea (on the right). The main theme of the Land window is the First Death, showing Adam standing over the body of his dead son with, below, to the right, King Edward I receiving the plans of the present church of St Thomas the Martyr from his architect. The centre window, Air and Fire, is dominated by a cenotaph surrounded by flames symbolising the ideals to which men dedicate themselves and, if necessary, sacrifice their lives. The final window, Sea, features coiling dragons, meant to suggest the irresistible force of the winds which, if uncontrolled, tend to destruction, typifying mankind's passion for good and ill and, thus, hinting at the origin of war. This passion is held in check vby the angel forms above the dragons. These really magnificent windows should be a "must see" on the list of anyone visiting Winchelsea.
