WEST DEAN AND EAST GRIMSTEAD
The Parish of West Dean with East Grimstead comprises two villages located about 2 miles apart, each with its own distinct and separate community, its own Church, and its own Churchwarden.
West Dean
West Dean is a small village (about 110 households) straddling the Hampshire-Wiltshire border approximately mid-way between Romsey and Salisbury. It is served by two MPs, two local government authorities and two local education authorities, with the primary school children attending a nearby C of E school in the Diocese of Winchester in the Hampshire village of West Tytherley. West Dean no longer has its own primary school, shop, post office, public house or vicarage, but still has its Church, Village Hall, Railway Station with good (hourly) links to Salisbury, Romsey and Southampton. The Church, Village Hall, and Parish Council between them organise numerous social events throughout the year.
East Grimstead
East Grimstead is situated closer to Salisbury and although smaller than West Dean (about 70 households), has in recent years been growing in size. It also does not have a shop, public house or school (the children attend primary school in Alderbury), but it does have its Church and a recently built Village Hall (the Reading Room) which organises social events throughout the year.
St. Mary’s West Dean and Holy Trinity East Grimstead
St. Mary’s West Dean has seating for 80, excellent acoustics, is Grade II listed and was built in the 1860’s to replace a medieval church, part of which still survives as The Borbach Chantry, administered by The Redundant Churches Fund.
Holy Trinity Church, East Grimstead is Grade II listed and was totally rebuilt in the 1850’s. It has seating for 50.
Church Services
1st Sunday 8.00am BCP Eucharist West Dean
2nd Sunday 11.00am Parish Eucharist East Grimstead
3rd Sunday 11.00am Parish Eucharist West Dean
4th Sunday 8.00am BCP Eucharist East Grimstead
Holy Trinity East Grimstead has a very popular Youth Choir at its monthly All Age service at 11.00am on the 1st Sunday of the month.
Church Life
In 2010, St. Mary’s West Dean started a Coffee Shop which is open in the Church from 10 to 12 on the first Friday of each month. There is also a Home Communion Group which meets monthly for the benefit of elderly parishioners. In recent years St Mary’s has held an annual flower festival and a music concert.
Information and Contacts
West Dean and East Grimstead share a monthly Parish Magazine, The Dun Valley News, with the other villages in the Dun Valley, and in addition produce their own individual pamphlets advertising forthcoming social events and Church Services.
Contact
Mike Marx (Churchwarden at St Mary’s West Dean) 01794 340271
Bob Trott (Churchwarden at Holy Trinity East Grimstead) 01722 712685