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Tours > Sussex Churches > Bosham
Holy Trinity - Bosham
SU 803039; Four Miles South-West of Chichester
 One of the most famous Saxon churches in Sussex, Bosham stands in a dramatic location overlooking Bosham Creek, an offshoot of Chichester Harbour. The tower is Saxon, with unmistakable late tenth century windows on the exterior. These take the form of a double opening with central dividing pillar,the arches of which have semicircular headed openings.
Inside the church the east wall of the tower displays an over-restored Saxon doorway with a triangular headed opening (formerly a doorway to a gallery) above. The chancel arch, too,
is Saxon, its tall round headed arch with plain square slabs as capitals similar
to that at Stoughton Church a few miles to the north. At the south-east corner
of the south aisle is a rare crypt dating from the thirteenth century. Like many
crypts in our greater churches it is built partly above ground level, creating a
very strange appearance from the body of the Church.
The nave has three circular
windows of Saxon date showing that the walls here are also Saxon, although they
were pierces by the present north and south arcades at a later date. Bosham
Church appears on the Bayeaux Tapestry in the scene where Harold leaves England
to travel to Normandy, stopping to pray in Bosham Church en route. It is also
traditionally the burial place of King Canute's daughter, and the King himself
may have been responsible for building the Saxon features that visitors so enjoy
seeing today.
Next Stop: Boxgrove
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