The first record of Eastergate Parish is believed to be that in the Domesday Book, where it is called Gate. Opinions differ as to whether the church mentioned is the present building, but parts of the Chancel lead experts to conclude that this part may be pre-Norman
It is thought that at one time a tollgate stood between Eastergate and Westergate, hence the origin of 'Gate'.
St George's Church (Grade II*) is one of three churches within the Parish of Aldingbourne, Barnham and Eastergate.  It is a modest building of great charm, consisting of a nave and chancel, and is situated in a Conservation area in the grounds of Manor Farm, which is owned by the Church Commissioners, who also own the adjoining farmland.  St.George's is the smallest of the three churches in the parish..
It is used very regularly for both worship and church meetings, and normally has at least two Sunday services and one midweek service.  Although it offers adequate seating for only about eighty people, it regularly attracts congregations

The walls of the church appear to be made of flint or clunch, and are rendered on the outside with a cement 'pebbledash', and on the inside with limewash.  Antiquarian records indicate that there were once wall-paintings in the chancel, and in 1990 Mr David Park suggested that these were probably part of the 'Lewes Group' of wall-paintings.  When a memorial tablet fell from the chancel wall in 2003 it revealed a text of scripture, probably dating from the seventeenth century, with hints of other paintings beneath.
The church underwent modest restoration in 1883, but many of its fittings, including most of the stained glass, date from the years immediately after the First World War.  It was at this time that the vestry was added on the north side.
There are some fine examples of stained glass windows in the Church, one of which is the Arundel window on the south side, dating from 1360, and bears the arms of the Fitzalan family, the forebears of the present Norfolk family. This window underwent expert restoration in 1996. The west window is a memorial to Earl Kitchener who was killed in 1916  when his boat, HMS Hampshire, struck a mine.
In the north wall of the chancel there is a little Saxon window which is probably the earliest evidence of a place of worship in Eastergate since records began.  Also in the chancel are two lancet windows dating back to the 13th century.
The present belfry was built in 1883, and contains a single bell inscribed to the memory of John Boniface, and dated 1737.
The church was reordered during the year 2000 to provide toilet and kitchen facilities in the vestry, and a "welcome area" at the west end of the Church, and the pulpit removed to provide a clear area at the front of the church, this has meant that the seating capacity has been reduced to approximately 80 people. Heating and lighting were also improved.
If you are interested in reading further fascinating details of the history of St. George's Church and Eastergate Village from 1100 to 1959, an illustrated book entitled "The Story of Eastergate" is available, price £5 + postage,  from The Parish Office.

far in excess of that, particularly for the Family Service on the first Sunday of each month.  It is also regularly used for baptisms, weddings and funerals, and is attended by the pupils of the nearby church school.
Parts of the building, notably in the chancel, date from before the Norman Conquest, and among the flints in the exterior south wall are Roman bricks laid in herring-bone courses, which presumably came from the ruins of a nearby Roman settlement.
When the churchyard was extended a few years ago, a careful archaeological survey was undertaken by University College London, but no significant finds were made.