Welcome to the Octagon

Welcome to the website for the Octagon Parish

In mediaeval times, an octagon was considered to be halfway between a circle (God) and a square (earth). It was the place where heaven and earth came into contact. That is why pulpits and fonts are often octagonal in shape.

The Octagon Parish is situated at the western end of Sussex between Chichester and Petersfield and within the South Downs National Park. This rural community consists largely of farmland and is made up of the villages and hamlets of Compton, Forestside, Up Marden, West Marden, North Marden, East Marden, Racton, Stansted, Stoughton and Walderton.

The Octagon contains eight uniquely beautiful churches, many of them several hundred years old, seven of which are still open for public worship. You can see them in these pictures. For more information about the churches, click here, or use the links above to find out about life in our villages.

Our forthcoming services are shown below.

24^th June	Birth of John the Baptist
10.30	Sung Eucharist	Forestside
11.15	Matins	Racton
5.30 pm	Evensong	East Marden

27^th June
8.00	Weekday Eucharist	Compton

1^st July	Trinity 5 (Petertide)
10.00	Eucharist	Compton
10.00	Morning Service	Stoughton
5.30 pm	Evensong	Up Marden

4^th July
8.00	Weekday Eucharist	Compton

8^th July	Trinity 6
10.00	Sea Sunday Service	North Marden

11^th July	St Benedict
8.00	Weekday Eucharist	Compton

15^th July	Trinity 7
10.00	Eucharist	Stoughton
10.30	All Age Service	Compton
5.30 pm	Evensong	Up Marden

18^th July
8.00	Weekday Eucharist	Compton

22^nd July	Mary Magdalene
10.30	Sung Eucharist	Forestside
11.15	Matins	Racton
5.30 pm	Evensong	East Marden
6.00 pm	Deanery Evensong	Thorney Island

25^th July	St James the Apostle
8.00	Weekday Eucharist	Compton

29^th July	Trinity 9
10.00	Octagon Holy Communion	Racton