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All Saints, Highbrook, Sussex

All Saints Church, Highbrook is home to a small but committed and faithful congregation. It serves the people of the parish of Highbrook which borders the neighbouring parishes of West Hoathly, Horsted Keynes and Ardingly.

It remains a separate parish, with its own Parochial Church Council, churchwardens, and administration, but it shares the ministry of a Vicar with the parish of St. Margaret's, West Hoathly. Together the two parishes form what is called a Benefice.

The parish of Highbrook is part of the local Deanery of Cuckfield and is within the Diocese of Chichester.
History
All Saints lychgate

The Church was founded in 1884 as the result of the efforts of two sisters, Frances Sarah Kirby (wife of John Blake Kirby) and Caroline Ilsemann Weguelin. The family was from Kensington, although their father had been a rector at South Stoke. They carried Austro / Swiss / Germanic references in the names but the family was very much part of the British establishment. Their brother, Thomas, had recently retired as Governor of the Bank of England and was an MP.

The design is Early Decorated and the main construction is of sandstone from Stepenson Clarke's quarry at Hook Farm. The architects were Messrs Carpenter & Ingelow of London and the builder was George Box of Ardingly.

Frances laid the foundation stone in the presence of Dr Durnford, Bishop of Chichester, and the completed church was opened by Dr Durnford on Thursday 15 October 1885.

During the 20th Century, the Clarke family made it substantially their family church and were responsible for much of its funding and day to day running. Evidence of this is given by the large group of Clarke graves and memorials to the south of the church and by the memorial plaques on the north wall of the choir.

There have been nine incumbents, the first being Henry Harris (1884 -1904) and the present being Alan Carr - (Tel. 01342-810494) since 1992.

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