St. Mary's Church, Broadwater

St. Mary's Church, Broadwater, is a Church of England parish church in the Worthing Deanery of the Diocese of Chichester. It serves the ecclesiastical parish of Broadwater in Worthing, West Sussex. St Mary's is one of four churches in this benefice along with Hosanna, Queen Street Fellowship and St. Stephen's Church.

1086. The Domesday Book: "Bradwatre ... here is a church".

Not much of Saxon church remains, but it is said that repair work in 1939 uncovered a Saxon doorway in the south wall of the chancel, visible near the boiler house, and other Saxon doorjambs and window arches are preserved within the walls of the present tower.

A small Norman church was built, of which only the tower remains as shown by its arches. The clay subsoil has required successive repair and reinforcement of this tower. Legend has it that a Norman tunnel leads from the church to the nearby Broadwater Manor School (previously Broadwater Manor House). The tunnel may have been used as either an escape or smuggling route. Efforts to find the concealed entrance both from the church and the School in the 1980s were in vain.

12th century, late. Transepts added. Chancel lengthened.

12th century. A canonical sundial on the east wall.

13th century. New aisled nave built. Chancel rebuilt. Tower heightened.

14th (15th?) century. North door into the nave (main entrance, facing the village) renewed and porch added.

15th century. Windows and pillars in aisled nave altered. Low chancel screen installed, with evidence that there was at some time another screen above it.

1599. Altar slabs were removed by order of Queen Elizabeth I. The remains of a Medieval one of Sussex Marble, partially concreted over, can be seen just inside the chancel, by the screen.

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