Steyning remains one of our county’s most desirable places to live
CHURCH STREET
Church Street has barely changed in the last couple of hundred years. Tarmac, double yellow lines and maybe the occasional TV aerial might confuse a time-traveller from the past but that’s about it. The tallest building here, the Brotherhood Hall, was once the entrance to Steyning Grammar School. The building itself dates from at least 1539 and records as a school for boys go back to 1584 and operated on this site until 2020 or so, until relocation and is one of only 40 state schools in Britain with boarding facilities for some pupils.
THE STEYNING GATEWAY
The Steyning Gateway, unveiled in 2019, leads to the twitten that connects Newmans Gardens Car Park with the High Street. Designed by local architect Nick Jones and made at Sussex Ironworks, the roof of the arch is an innovative piece depicting the Ordnance Survey map of the High Street and surrounding area.
MEMORIAL PLAYING FIELDS
Just yards from the High Street, you find yourself at the Memorial Playing fields, home of the cricket club, framed by the beautiful backdrop of the Downs. On a sunny day, it’s pretty hard to beat this gorgeous view.
POLICE STATION
Probably the most delightful Police Station in Sussex. A classic Sussex flint fronted building and, amazingly, still in use.
SAXON COTTAGE
The lovely thatched-roof Saxon Cottage on Church Street was once part of larger medieval timber-framed house. Despite the name, it’s not really Saxon but it’s so beautiful it doesn’t really matter.
STEYNING BOOKSHOP
The small family-run Steyning Bookshop is a true jewel in the crown here. It is a proper bookstore, strongly supported locally and truly at the heart of the community. Sometimes, it’s easier to sit at home and order something online and wait for it to be delivered right to your front door. Sometimes, you might even save yourself a couple of quid using this method. But more often, the satisfaction of browsing in a friendly atmosphere before making your purchase and carrying it home in your own hands is worth every penny of the small extra expense. Local celebrity author Julia Donaldson, creator of The Gruffalo and many other successful books, is a regular patron.
THE OLD WORKSHOUSE
The Old Workhouse cottages building in Mouse Lane is a classic Sussex Wealden Hall building, a medieval timber-framed hall house. It later became the Parish poor house and is now three beautiful cottages. This was the scene of a riot in 1835 after the local MP, Captain Harry Goring, attempted to move some residents elsewhere, potentially splitting up families. Almost a quarter of Steyning’s population at the time, turned out in support of the paupers concerned and troops were called in to quell the protest.
CHURCH OF ST ANDREW AND ST CUTHMAN
In the Norman parish church of St Andrew and St Cuthman porch way, which was built circa 1080, is this ancient stone coffin lid. The cross carved into it seems to indicate someone very important and it has been conjectured that this once covered the body of King Æthelwulf, who died in 858AD and was buried in Steyning. He is known as the father of Alfred the Great, the first King of a united England. Æthelwulf was later re-interred in Winchester Cathedral.
THE STEYNING SCREEN
Inside the church, to one side of the alter, you can find this extraordinary piece of history, known as The Steyning Screen. It’s actually a section of panelling dating from the 16th century and made to celebrate the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon in 1509. It is thought to have been made for a room in Fulham Palace where the Bishop of London, Richard FitzJames, was to entertain the King and Queen for dinner. After their divorce, it somehow ended up down here to Sussex.
ST CUTHMAN
The legend goes that around 700 AD St Cuthman brought his widowed paralysed mother across the Downs in a cart supported by a rope over his shoulders. He promised to build a church where the rope broke and that was where Steyning was founded. Artist Penny Reeve sculpted this statue for the millennium.
BRAMBER CASTLE
Bramber Castle, built soon after the Norman Conquest to help protect William I’s newly won territories, was the Sussex seat of the de Braose family. There is virtually nothing left of the original structure, apart from this section of wall from the old gatehouse.
CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS
The church of St Nicholas, adjacent to the castle ruins at Bramber, dates from the same time as the castle itself, 1073. These were some of the earliest post-invasion buildings erected in the country, making them some of the earliest Norman buildings in Sussex. The parish church is still in use with regular services, which makes it all the more poignant that there is so little left of the castle itself.
LOCAL LIFE
Local resident Steve Davie says: ‘There is a fabulous community life in Steyning with a Festival, an art trail, and all sorts of artistic endeavours. On a Friday night, you can see all the kids and their families turn out to play cricket. The environment round here is fantastic. The walking and I think as well the understanding of the way in which our society works. I’m involved with the greening group here and they are pioneers, really trying to re-establish an up-to-date way of how to run society, which I think is good.’
Steyning resident Leonie Etherington adds: ‘Loads of things are great about Steyning. It’s a real community town, with loads going on. We’ve got the sea, we’ve got the river, we’ve got the Downs and we’ve got a lovely historic town centre. We have one bus an hour into Shoreham and the railway is there. We’ve also got a lot of cycle tracks so cycling is good.'
