Blue plaque № 52116

HARDHAM Early wall paintings and Roman sites Hardham Church was probably built c.1050, and has one of the finest series of wall paintings in the county, painted in the 1100s. It is one of a group of six churches including West Chiltington where the surviving paintings can be compared with contemporary illustrated manuscripts. A single group of painters may have been responsible for these wall paintings. Re-used Roman bricks and tiles in the walls of the church, remind us that Hardham is close to the line of Stane Street, the Roman road. Several Roman sites have been found in the vicinity, notably a military staging post, bath house and villa. From this site anyone in power could control the tidal waters of both the River Arun & River Rother. A bridge built in 1785 over the River Arun, and by-passed in 1936, can be found on the east side of the present road crossing into Pulborough. This is a small version of the medieval bridge further west at Stopham.

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