Old St Helens Church

[Shari]

Hi Everyone,
            I would like to know when the old St Helens Church in Ore, Sussex was built, any info on this great old church would be greatly appreciated,
              Thank You
                 Shari 
 

[Clazy2000]

Hi
I am not an expert but I do have quite a number of books on Hastings.
David Thornton in his 'Hastings - a living history' suggests that a clue to it's date lies in the fact that it's patron Saint is St.Helen, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine whowas the favourite saint of King Offa and that after conquering the men of Hastings he built a church there in AD 771. There is Norman and Saxon parts to the surviving ruins The north wall of the nave dates c1150. The tower appears to be late 12th or 13th century.
It was decided in 1868 by the Vestry meeting of St.Helens that it was in such a state of disrepair to remove the stone that was reusable and keep that part of the church that was old and picturesque.Unfortunately the ravages of time and vandalism have left the church in the complete disrepair it is today.
Hope this helps
Clazy2000 Gill

[rogerofgoostrey]

Hi Shari

You can find more about the old St Helen's church by following these two links:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,13363.0.html

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,13351.0.html

I hope to get to the church sometime this year to look at the graves of my 7x great grandfather and grand mother who are buried in the churchyard!!

Take care

Roger

[Shari]

Hello Clazy2000 Gill,
 Thank you so much for the info on the St Helens Church you have sent me, it has more than helped, I was ready to give up on it and you have come through for me with more than I asked for.
        Thanks Heaps
         Kind Regrads
            Shari

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi Shari

I have recently done quite a bit of work on the Old St Helens Church in Ore

Do you have ancesters there?

If you go to

www.rootschat.com/history/hastings

you will find several pictures of the church

Chris in 1066

[laterunner]

Chris there is a dig there at the moment which will be completed as a infomation gathering exercise next week.

   rootschat.history     has a good deal of info.

Plans on show at the near by St Helens church July 21st. 2012.

[Roy G]

http://www.rootschat.com/history/hastings/content/category/2/14/28/ affirms the date of AD 771   Roy G