There are, at present, three publications associated with Sacred Sussex.
Open Churches in Sussex Country published by Wealden District Council in association with Sacred Sussex.
Sussex Churches Open in West Sussex published by West Sussex County Council in association with Sacred Sussex and The Open Churches Trust
1066 Country Sacred places to visit published by the Wealden and Rother Rural Partnership in association with Sacred Sussex

Membership in Sacred Sussex

For the past four years, since the start of Sacred Sussex in January, 2002, membership has, been free. Funding has come mainly from some local authorities, the diocese, charitable trusts, a few churches and the European Union.

We are planning to introduce an annual charge for membership. This will be on a sliding scale, dependent on numbers in the congregation (or benefice). This will entitle places of worship to an entry on the website, space in leaflets when funding is available, and visits by the Development Officer to offer advice.

A lower charge (ES) will be available for places of worship who just want to remain on the mailing list.

There will also be the possibility of personal membership and corporate membership. More details soon.

Andrew Duff from Visit Britain has been seconded to The Churches Conservation Trust for six months to look at the marketing of sacred sites in Britain to tourists. The key players in the U.K. are involved, such as The Open Churches Trust, the Council for the Care of Churches, the Pilgrim’s Association, Church Tourism Wales and the Scotland ’s Churches Scheme.

Jane Hald is also part of the group, along with a person from Lincolnshire , to represent those initiatives working within a diocese. When, as a librarian, Jane found it puzzling that if a reader asked about a stately home, museum, or garden anywhere in the country, she could reach for a book and give them all the information they required. If they asked about whether or not a place of worship’ was open, there was no way of finding out.

If you have any thoughts on how we can better inform visitors about our places of worship, please get in touch.

Volunteers are needed to assist with translations from English to French for the Interreg IIlA project.

If you know of someone whose mother tongue is French and who has done translation work, please get in touch.