St George, Brede

St George’s is a Grade I Church of England parish church on Brede Hill, Brede, Sussex, in the Diocese of Chichester: a hillside church above the Brede valley with a late medieval Oxenbridge chapel and monuments.

Overview

Historic England lists the parish church as chancel, nave with aisles and west tower: nave and north aisle thirteenth-century, chancel and south aisle Perpendicular, with two fine monuments to the Oxenbridge family of the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Local church history identifies the south arcade of the second half of the twelfth century as the oldest standing fabric, with a north aisle added in the mid-thirteenth century. The south aisle of the chancel is the Oxenbridge chantry. It contains the Caen-stone tomb of Sir Goddard Oxenbridge (monument erected 1537), showing him in armour with his head on a helmet and feet on a lion, and brasses to Sir Robert Oxenbridge (d.1487) and his wife Anne (d.1493). A 1911 county description notes a restoration of 1868, Perpendicular tower and font, old glass, and a poor box of 1697.

The church stands at the top of Brede Hill with views south over a valley once navigable to the sea. It is open 8am until dusk daily.

Further Information

• Historic England list entry 1232070
• St George's Brede
• Weald and Downland Churches: Brede