St Botolph's Church, Hardham

St Botolph’s Church stands in the quiet village of Hardham, a short distance from the A29 road. The building is a simple two-cell structure of coarse sandstone and reused Roman stonework, with a plain whitewashed exterior. Its nave and chancel date from the 11th or early 12th century, making it one of the oldest churches in Sussex. The church contains the earliest nearly complete series of medieval wall paintings in England. These faded frescoes were covered with whitewash in the 13th century and only rediscovered in 1866. Among the forty subjects is the earliest known image of St George in the country. The frescoes are linked to the Lewes Group of artists, who decorated several churches in the region in the early 12th century. Ian Nairn called them “the fame of Hardham,” and they are recognised as one of the most important sets of medieval paintings in the country. The paintings cover the entire interior and include scenes from the Life of Christ, the Apocalypse, and the Labours of the Months. A squint in the south wall allowed an anchorite, possibly a woman named Myliana, to watch services from her cell attached to the church. The building also holds a 15th-century octagonal font and two ancient bells. Inside, the nave and chancel are separated by a broad Norman arch with subtle mouldings. The walls are lined with faded but discernible frescoes arranged in two tiers. The church’s simple furnishings include benches from the 15th century and altar rails from 1720. The exterior retains its medieval appearance, with a shingle-covered belfry and a small north porch. The white plastered walls and reused Roman tiles add to the building’s historic character. Visitors find a rare glimpse of medieval worship in a largely unchanged setting.