he tower and north arcade are late C12, the south aisle is C13 and the rest is C14, except the C15 north chapel and east end. The Dacre monument, C16 in its present form, is between them. Herstmonceux church is almost two miles south of the present village, near the castle. It marks the site of the mediaeval village, but the date when this was moved is not certain. In 1441 Roger Fenys (or Fiennes), the builder of the castle, received permission to empark 600 acres, and that may have been the occasion.
Nothing indicates the nature of the church mentioned in Domesday Book, except, possibly, the relatively short dimensions of the nave, though its rendered west wall is more likely to be late C12, like the tower and north aisle. The tower stands at the north west corner, and, unusually for the date, is built of sandstone ashlar, with massive clasping buttresses like Peasmarsh and Westfield; the north east one turns into a polygonal stair-turret. Above square-headed north and west openings are three pointed recesses, the centre. ones open as bell-openings. This is similar to Northiam, where the tower has been heightened later; here, there is a shingled broach spire. The arch from the tower into the nave, with a double-chamfered head, semi-octagonal responds and moulded capitals, is smaller than the two-bay north arcade, which has more steeply pointed heads. The pier and responds resemble the tower arch, but the capitals have heavy leaf carving, as at Battle. The arch into the aisle from the tower is also smaller with a chamfered head, plain abaci and square responds. Above it is the late C12 roofline.
The south arcade of about 1220 has three full bays and shares the proportions of the north arcade. Its octagonal piers perhaps also imitate this, as round piers were then more common. The upper parts of the capitals have stiff leaf, finely carved in Caen stone. The walls may be of this date, but there is no detail. C14 remodelling was extensive, including the chancel and chancel arch, which has semi-octagonal responds on high bases. It is heavily, but probably accurately, restored. The renewed square-headed south window has pierced spandrels and there was another, now blocked and concealed by the render. A moulded north doorway now opening into the C15 chapel may formerly have led into the open; though one reset C14 chapel window, may indicate a predecessor, as may the lean-to linking chapel and north aisle, with a similar window; it would have been of little use otherwise. Both aisles were heightened, with side windows as the others. Some roof timbers look original, but are plastered; the nave roof dates from this time or a little later. There are moulded north and south doorways, the latter in a stone porch with a double-chamfered arch. Finally, the west end was altered, with a doorway with curling stops on the label and a window, which though now C19, is in an old opening.
The north chapel, whether or not it had a predecessor, dates from around 1440 and it has been suggested that the apparently C16 tomb in an opening between chapel and chancel (see below) is probably developed from that of Roger Fiennes and that the chapel was built for him. This is plausible, since the bricks of which it is constructed are not otherwise found in Sussex churches at this date but closely resemble those used in the castle, which was then near completion. The east wall of the chancel was also then rebuilt in brick, except for a stone plinth, which could be earlier. The external detail has been replaced.
After the Reformation most windows were replaced - the Sharpe Collection drawing (1797) shows domestic type ones at the west end of nave and south aisle - the outline of the latter remains. The east window had a square head and was probably similar. A timber north porch was added in the C18.
No names connected with C19 work are known and it was probably done piecemeal. This could explain the retention of the plastered aisle roofs and the blocked windows. The four-light east window with panelled tracery was new in 1851 and the side-windows, the boarded roof and the chancel arch may have been restored at the same time. The other date known is 1874, when the north porch was rebuilt. The nave may have been restored then, with repairs to the stonework and a new west window. The dormers in both aisles would be unusual at this time and Meads considered them C17, but there is no sign of work older than the C19, though there could have been predecessors to light galleries.
To find the cache find the following information
Find the brass plaque on a bench - Albert 19AB(03) - 19C7(
Find the Oval wall plaque on the outside of the church - Robert Rofam dyed October D3 17EF
Find the Rectangular wall plaque on the outside of the church - Mary Lancaster died 16H6
N 50 52.AFB E 000 2,A.E-D,D,D