St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes, Sussex
Please note that the inscriptions from some memorials have been transcribed (and spelling updated) so that they may be found by search engines for genealogical purposes. Some inscriptions are worn and not always clear.
My Great Grandfather, William Charles Balch Priestley was married in this church on 25 December 1880 to Annie Louisa Awcock. He was, at the time, engaged in the construction of the nearby railway. Those with genealogical enquiries relating to Horsted Keynes families with surnames of Priestley, Balch or Awcock (later Allcock or Alcock), are asked to contact the photographer for more information. At the end of the gallery some of the surviving headstones of the Awcock families are pictured for the benefit of researchers.
The church has it's own website. SCROLL DOWN to view the pictures. Click here to return to the main website index page.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes looking north. When rebuilt on it's Saxon stone base with four foot thick walls over 800 years ago the Tower became the most prominent building for miles around. This prominence grew by 80 feet with the superimposition of an octagonal broach spire around 1604. The church is Grade 1 listed. 06.04.2013 6580
An earlier view of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes, taken on 11.12.2005
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. The Rector is also Chaplain to the nearby Bluebell Railway. 06.04.2013 6581
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes looking north through the church gate. 06.04.2013 6577
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes looking north through the gate. 06.04.2013 6578
The porch of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes with an ancient sundial above the door. 06.04.2013 6584
Looking south from the porch of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 06.04.2013 6696
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes looking north from the churchyard. On the nearest wall is an outline of a covered in arch which, until it's demolition in 1850, was the entrance to the 14th Century Marie de Bradehurst Chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary and private chapel of the owners of Broadhurst Manor. Before it's demolition it served for a time as the village school. Through the 1708 benefaction of Edward Lightmaker, Horsted Keynes has possessed a village school for as long as any in England. 06.04.2013 6617
Looking east from the porch of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. In the distance is The Old Rectory, pictured later in the collection. 06.04.2013 6697
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes looking north from the churchyard. 06.04.2013 6618
The War Memorial at St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 06.04.2013 6689
The War Memorial at St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 06.04.2013 6688
The inscriptions on the War Memorial at St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes.
"Sacred to the imperishable memory of the men of this parish who laid down their lives for King and Country in the Great War 1914 - 1918.
These died in war that we at peace might live. These gave their best so we our best should give. Not for themselves for justice, freedom, right. They fought, and bid us forward to the fight."
And of those who laid down their lives in the war 1939 -1945:
Adams John E
Avis Charles
Baxter Kenneth W J
Bish Claude F
06.04.2013 6690.
The inscriptions on the War Memorial at St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes.
Killed in the 1914 - 1918 war:
Avis Charles
Browning Charles
Cole George
Cook Albert
Cox Briton
Curd Arthur
Deacon George
Deacon Jack
Francis Frederick C
Hollands Clement A
Jessop Robert
And from the 1939 - 1945 war:
Chandler Charles A
Gibbes Nigel St.G
Gibbs Stanley E
Holman Wallace G
06.04.2013 6693
The inscriptions on the War Memorial at St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes.
Killed in the 1914 - 1918 war:
James Thomas
James Oliver
James William
Langridge John
Miller George
Manners William
Newnham Herbert William
Pears Maurice L
Perrin George
Ruewell Jesse
Ruewell Thomas
And from the 1939 - 1945 war:
Knapp Winifred E
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The inscriptions on the War Memorial at St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes.
Killed in the 1914 - 1918 war:
Randall George
Spain Leonard
Slaughter John
Tester Mark
Wheeler Henry
Wickens Walter J
Woolven Albert G
Woolven Charles M
Woonton George
Wyatt Godfrey
Walder Edward J
And from the 1939 - 1945 war:
Montefiore Langton
Munnings Harold J
Munnings Russel G
Payne James W
06.04.2013 6691
The Rector looking at the war grave of the young couple (Gunner and Mrs Knapp) killed together whilst walking on the railway track near Waterworks on 31st July 1943. Just married, they were sheltering under a cape in a heavy storm and failed to hear a train approaching from behind them whilst they were taking a short cut back to the nearby Nobles Farm shortly after their wedding reception. Signs of an accident were seen when the locomotive arrived at Horsted Keynes Station, and a search of the track revealed their bodies.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 06.04.2013 6599
The Knapp Grave. St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes.
"1790567 Gunner
R. Knapp
Royal Artillery
31st July 1943 Age 22
2029508 A.C.W. 2nd Class
Winifred Ellen Knapp
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
31st July 1943 Age 21
Underneath Are The Everlasting Arms."
The combining of army and air force symbols on the memorial is a unique tribute to a couple killed on their wedding day.
Although not shown on the stone, the groom's name was Ronald Knapp, and his bride's maiden name was Winifred Ellen Standing.
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In July 2013 the Knapp gravestone was refurbished by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 31.07.2013 9594
On 31 July 2013, the 70th anniversary of the accident, the Knapp gravestone was blessed by the Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner MA PhD, Bishop of Chichester. Also pictured are Canon John Twisleton (Father John), Rector of St Giles and Chaplain to the Bluebell Railway, Hilary Nicholson, Chair of St Giles Churchyard Committee, Tim Baker, Commercial Director, Bluebell Railway, and (in uniform) from the Bluebell Railway are John Hotston. Ian Fribbens and Geoff Peters.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 31.07.2013 9619
Tim Baker, Commercial Director, Bluebell Railway, at the Knapp grave with John Hotston. Ian Fribbens and Geoff Peters, representing the railway. Other BRPS members, not in uniform, also attended the ceremony.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 31.07.2013 9612
The Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner MA PhD, Bishop of Chichester and Canon John Twisleton (Father John), Rector of St Giles and Chaplain to the Bluebell Railway, at the Knapp grave after the ceremony to bless the stone.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 31.07.2013 9625
Looking north east towards St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9596
Looking east towards the western end of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9597
Looking east towards the western end of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 09.04.2004
Looking east towards the western end of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 09.04.2004
Looking east towards the western end of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9598
Looking east towards the western end of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9599
Looking east towards the western end of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9600
Looking south towards the northern side of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9601
Looking south towards the northern side of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9604
Looking south towards the northern side of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9602
Looking south towards the northern side of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9603
Looking south towards the northern side of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9606
Looking south towards the northern side of St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes. 31.07.2013 9605
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes looking east down the main aisle towards the high altar. A 13th Century rebuilding of the chancel and south transept (now the sacristy and choir vestry) supplemented the rounded Norman arch with one pointed in the Decorated style. The tower, where there are three bells and a clock, is accessed by the white ladder. 06.04.2013 6585
The stained glass commemorative window at the western end of the main aisle in St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes.
"To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Christopher Rodwell, Rector of this Parish...." 06.04.2013 6657
An earlier image of the same window, with slightly less external glare, shows the detail of the window more clearly.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 09.04.2004
The list of Rectors inside the inner doors of the church goes back to the year 1177.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 06.04.2013 6589
The Saxon door frame behind the font is the oldest feature of St Giles and was moved outwards when the north aisle was added in 1884 to accommodate the increased population of the village.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 06.04.2013 6586
The display case to the left of the font commemorates Archbishop of Glasgow, Robert Leighton (1611-1684), a great scholar and builder of Christian unity, whose grave is prominent in the church curtilage just past the vestry door.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 06.04.2013 6619
The octagonal font is 14th century and was moved to it's current position by the originally Saxon doorway in 1904. The plate on the floor reads "In memory of Hedley Vincent, DSO, 1914 - 1966".
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 06.04.2013 6620
The window of St Monica to the right of the font recalls St Monica's home for sick and incurable children founded in 1874 in Kilburn by Lucy Forster and Katherine Marshall here commended.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 06.04.2013 6621
To the right of the St Monica window is the Macmillan memorial within the church. The family graves in the churchyard are pictured later in the collection. The Macmillans lived at Birch Grove House.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 06.04.2013 6624
The Kemp window of St Stephen honours Sidney Peek (1889 - 1910), a teacher at St Giles School, who served as a highly resourceful missionary in what is now Malawi and died of black water fever aged 21.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 06.04.2013 6625
The Lady Chapel in St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes, with the altar at the eastern end of the northern aisle. 06.04.2013 6626
Directly above the Lady Chapel altar the window of the Angel Gabriel greeting the Virgin Mary by Charles Knight of Ditchling (1956) commemorates local hero Lieutenant James Drummond who commanded submarine HMS Sickle, sunk in 1944.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 06.04.2013 6631
To the left of the Lady Chapel altar is a memorial window in memory of E Jane Virgo, given by Elizabeth Ponsford, friends and former pupils, 1949. See also the the next images.
St Giles Church, Horsted Keynes 06.04.2013 6628