St Mary's Church is the Grade I listed^[1] Anglican parish church of West Chiltington, a village in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England. The 12th-century building, described as a "showpiece"^[2] and "the most attractive part" of the Wealden village,^[3] retains many features of historical and architectural interest. These include an exceptionally long hagioscope or squint from the south aisle into the chancel, a porch which may be Sussex's oldest,^[3] and a well preserved and extensive scheme of wall paintings. In the Sussex volume of The Buildings of England, Ian Nairn says that the appearance of the church gives "a very happy, unexpected effect, like a French village church".^[4]

The Domesday Book of 1086 records a church in the village then called Cilletone.^[5][6] It is uncertain whether any part of this earlier building was incorporated into the present church, which is believed to date from the first half of the 12th century;^[5][7] but Ian Nairn suggested that the walls of the nave and chancel are "probably 11th-century",^[4] and the Saxon-era building almost certainly occupied the same site.^[7] The three-bay south aisle was added around 1200, and the chancel arch is of a similar age.^[4] A chantry chapel was added in the early 13th century,^[5][8] and another chapel on the south side of the chancel was built a century later.^[9] A spire was built in 1602.^[5][9]

The church was restored between 1880 and 1882 by the Steyning architect Charles Dalby.^[8] The dedication to St Mary was unknown until a will of 1541 was discovered, in which John Sayrle said his body was to be "buried in the churchyard of Our Lady of Chiltington".^[5][10] Other documents relating to the church include one which states that more than 3,700 people have been buried in the churchyard.^[7]

St Mary's Church is considered an architectural highlight in a village variously described as "pleasant",^[4] "dull",^[3] "attractive"^[6] and "a showpiece".^[2] The first Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede claimed that "if it was in Italy, people would make pilgrimages to it".^[2] Built between 1100 and 1150, its style is typical of the time—representing the "Transitional Norman" period when Norman architecture was giving way to Early English Gothic.^[7]

The church consists of nave, chancel and a south aisle separated from the nave by a three-bay arcade. The chancel arch is in the form of two arches, one inside the other, designed to accommodate the 5-foot (1.5 m) thick east wall, which supports the belfry.^[8] The pointed arches of the south arcade are supported by round piers with varying capitals. In the angle of the chancel and south aisle there is an early thirteenth-century chapel.^[8] Two round-headed Norman windows remain; the west window of the south aisle and the centre window in the north window of the chancel.^[5][8] The chancel east window has the only stained glass in the church.^[5] The "fantastically long"^[4] hagioscope, about 9 feet (2.7 m) in length and resembling a tunnel, runs from the south aisle into the chancel through one of the pillars of the arcade and the chancel arch. These architectural features allowed worshippers in the aisle to see the bread and wine being consecrated during the Celebration of the Eucharist.^[6] The church is roofed with Horsham slabs, a common material in churches in the area.^[5] The oak shingled spire of 1602 rests partly on the masonry of the old belfry, or bell turret, and partly on the east wall of the nave.^[5][8]

A survey of Sussex church bells published in 1864 recorded four in place at St Mary's Church. Each had a diameter of 34+1⁄2 inches (88 cm) and weighed 7 long cwt 23 lb (807 lb or 366 kg).^[11] The first bell bore the inscription Iohannes Xpi Care and an armorial shield. The second had the words our hope is in the lord above the initials and date r e 1602. The third bore the names of two 17th-century churchwardens, John Brooker and Edward Jupp, in their old spellings: Iohn Broker Edward Ivpp Chvrch Wardens 1665 wp. rp. The fourth was inscribed Roger Tapsel c i w e 1626.^[12] Another countywide survey undertaken in the 1960s stated that the second bell (of 1602) had been recast by the Mears & Stainbank firm, who had also supplied a new bell inscribed hear my prayer o god and dated 1950. This is confirmed by a brass plate dated the same year, which shows that the restoration and installation of the new bell commemorated the late John Junius Morgan, formerly of Spod Shitterton Nyetimber.^[13]

The church was listed at Grade I by English Heritage on 15 March 1955.^[1] Such buildings are defined as being of "exceptional interest" and greater than national importance.^[16] As of February 2001, it was one of 38 Grade I listed buildings, and 1,726 listed buildings of all grades, in the district of Horsham.^[17]

The extensive parish covers the rural area around West Chiltington village and the larger suburban village of West Chiltington Common. The neighbouring hamlets of Gay Street, Broadford Bridge and Coneyhurst are also included.^[18]

Sunday Services 8:00am 1662 Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion, 10:00am Sung Parish Mass. Wednesday 9:30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, 10am BCP Holy Communion. Thursday 9:30am Rosary, 10am said mass. ^[19] The church is open daily for visitors.^[20] On the first Thursday of every month, The Village Cafe - Refresh! is open from 10:30am in the Church Hall; offering Tea, Coffee and Cake for free a time to talk and be refreshed.

• Grade I listed buildings in West Sussex
• List of places of worship in Horsham (district)
• St John the Baptist's Church, Clayton
• St Botolph's Church, Hardham