Merston offers two historical themes on the Sussex Hospices Trail: St Giles’ Church, a small 13th-century church, and the former route of the Portsmouth and Arundel Canal. In Merston, the path passes the church and follows the course of the canal. A single walk thus brings together ecclesiastical architecture and the history of a waterway. The church dates from the Middle Ages; the canal was built between 1818 and 1823.

The Sussex Hospices Trail near Merston

Near Merston, the Sussex Hospices Trail reaches a signposted junction of public footpaths. The route then meets the old canal route and passes the brick remains of a canal bridge. The trail also passes St Giles’ Church in the Merston section. The junction, former canal route and bridge remains offer different points of reference: the junction marks the connection to public footpaths, while the others point to the former canal infrastructure. Signposting, surfaces and access conditions may change; check the situation before your walk.

The former canal route

The Portsmouth and Arundel Canal was built between 1818 and 1823. Near Merston, the walking trail follows its former course, while the old canal bed is overgrown with grass and wildflowers. The vegetation may change with the seasons. The construction period and route therefore represent different aspects: the dates place the canal’s creation in time, while the trail follows its former route. The vegetation adds a landscape aspect to the historical perspective, one that may look different depending on the season.

St Giles’ Church and its layout

St Giles’ Church is a small medieval church dating from the 13th century and is listed as a Grade I building. Its layout comprises a chancel and an undivided nave, as well as a north aisle and a south porch. There is a bellcote at the western end of the nave. The date and listing are different kinds of information: the date places the church in the 13th century, while Grade I denotes its classification.

The nave is the elongated main space of a church; the chancel forms a separate area. At St Giles’ Church, the aisle on the north side and the porch on the south side add to the basic layout. “Undivided” describes the nave, while the aisle is identified separately. The bellcote at the western end provides another spatial reference point. The church can thus be described not only by its age, but also by the arrangement of its parts.

The distinction helps when choosing a theme: St Giles’ Church represents the layout of a single medieval building, while the canal route focuses on the course of a former waterway. In the Merston section, the Sussex Hospices Trail touches on both themes. Your interest in church architecture or canal history can therefore draw your attention to the same stretch of the trail.

Discover more destinations

Pulborough, Shoreham-By-Sea, Burgess Hill, Ford, Ansty, Lindfield, Slinfold, Kirdford

For the main travel overview: West Sussex.