Built in 1676 and used continuously since then by the Quaker
community for worship, The Ifield Friends Meeting House is one of the oldest purpose-built Friends meeting
houses in the world. It is classified by English Heritage as a Grade I listed
building, a status given to buildings of "exceptional interest" and
national importance.
In 1676,
land and money bequeathed by a local blacksmith, Robert Robinson, was used to
build a dedicated, purpose-built meeting house for the Quaker community. It has
been continuously used for worship since then, and is one of the oldest Friends
meeting houses still in existence anywhere in the world.
The
meeting house has ashlar walls made of local sandstone. The roof slates are
also made of a local material—Horsham stone. The frontage has two bays with
half-hipped gable roofs. The entrance doorway is centrally placed between the
bays and still has its original rustication at the quoins, although the door
itself is modern. The lintel of the doorway has "1676" carved into
it, and some of the quoin blocks also have 17th-century dates and initials.
There is another (off-centre) doorway on the rear face of the building. This
has one window at ground-floor level, whereas the frontage has one in each bay
with wooden mullions and transoms. There are smaller windows at first-floor
level.
The Benches in the meeting room are the originals!
All photos by Ian Mulcahy. E-mail crawleyoldtown@gmail.com
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