Church Heritage Record 610134

Chancel, 5-bay nave, lean-to north aisle, south aisle under its own roof with tower with shingled spire over porch at the west end. Chancel with side chapel and north organ chamber, north-east choir vestry. North extension along the aisle.

Nave 25m (85ft) long, 7m (22ft) wide.

There have been scattered finds from the Prehistoric to Roman period in the parish, including an early 4th-century Roman monument found in 1901 on Mill Road / Grand Street a short distance north-east. Domesday records that in 1086 Heene was held by William de Braose, 1st Lord of Bramber, and a chapel is recorded. A church is therefore known to have existed at Heene in the 11th century, but its location is unknown, and it may have been destroyed by the sea. A new church dedicated to St Botolph was built in the 13th century as a chapel-of-ease to nearby West Tarring St Andrew.

In the late 17th century following enclosure and depopulation the chapel fell into disrepair. The chapel was entirely ruined by 1766 and permission was given for most of the masonry to be removed from the site and used for the upkeep of the parish church. Today there is just one stub of wall with the frame of a large window.  The site is of some archaeological potential for this chapel, which appears to have been sited on a pronounced mound, and reference should be made to the Historic Environment Record and contact made with the County Archaeologist if any development of the site is being considered.

Heene was absorbed by the rapid growth of Worthing as a seaside town from the early 19th century.  In 1863 the Heene Estate Land Company acquired most of the parish for development. In 1873 the company donated land next to the ruined chapel to allow a new church building to be erected to serve the new housing. Edmund E Scott was commissioned to design the new church, a Brighton-based architect best known for St Bartholomew’s in his home town.

The church was begun in 1873, the transept and tower and spire was added in 1879 by Scott and R S Hyde.  A parish was carved out of West Tarring for the church.  Between 1903 and 1905 Hyde extended the south aisle and transept, with new fenestration out of keeping with the original lancet style.  In the same year a temporary church hall was built nearby, which was replaced by a brick structure in 1898.

In 1982 an extension known as the St Botolph Rooms was built against the north wall of the north aisle. Two windows in the north aisle of the church were enlarged into doorways giving direct access to this space.

The church is designed in the Early English style, although the changes made by Hyde to the south aisle and transept strike a different note. It is a powerful building with many details of quality; a big, confident urban church.

The tower is of three stages, with a shingled broach spire. Tall paired lancet openings with louvres to the belfry, lancets to the two lower stages. Moulded pointed archway in the gabled porch comprising the south face of the tower base. West nave window of two tall lancets and a quatrefoil in the gable.

The south aisle fenestration is of pointed 3-light windows with transoms and cusped lights, by Hyde. The clearstorey has triple lancets to each bay. Single lancets to the north aisle, now partly covered by the 1982 extension. 4-light chancel east window and 2-light side windows to the east bay. Gabled north organ chamber and south Lady Chapel with two 3-light windows in the east wall. Filigree gable crosses and terracotta ridge tiles.

The interior is of very high quality, a complete High Victorian ensemble. There is a tremendous sense of height, space and light. The walls are whitewashed, with exposed brick windows and pointed arcades of three stepped orders, supported on colonettes continued down the sides of the stone columns to moulded bases, an unusual motif but typical of Scott's interest in vertical emphasis, lifting the eye up which is also manifested in the tall narrow arcade and chancel arches. King-post roof with collars and chambered braces. Glazed red tile floors, mostly under carpet. The church still has its full complement of good late 19th century benches with moulded ends, and 1960's choirstalls.

The organ chamber is within a pointed arch on the north side of the chancel, westernmost bay, choir vestry beyond. The south transept opens off the identical arch opposite, and this has a north-facing altar setting by William R H Blacking. Woodblock floor.

The chancel has a triple sedilia with hoodmould and piscine in one in the south wall. The floor is under yellow carpet, pointed tunnel vault roof.