Century apart

EAST Preston with Kingston celebrate an important centenary later this year, which may be misunderstood by many in our secular age.

Until 1913, Ferring, Kingston, and East Preston had been associated together in what had been a prebend, with a vicar serving all three parishes.

At an early date there had been a dispute about a peculiar designation for East Preston as a Free Chapel, but this had long been forgotten.

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There had never been any question of East Preston’s church being a chapel of ease, as would have been the case had the village been in Ferring parish.

East Preston was in all respects a parish in its own right, its church known as the parish church for the past couple of centuries and more.

In 1913, what was then designated as the parish and vicarage of East Preston, with the parish and rectory of Kingston, was separated off from the prebend, and provided with its own vicar, as is the case today.

This was carried out under provisions of the Pluralities Act, with the aim of ensuring priests did not have an excessive number of benefices.

R. W. Standing

Sea Road

East Preston

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