The Church Today
Although the churches at Clayton and Keymer have been connected since their founding, the parishes were not officially united until 25 July 1978 by means of an Order in Council. St Cosmas and Damian Church is now one of three churches in this parish, which includes the 11th-century, Grade I-listed St John the Baptist's Church—Clayton's parish church—and St Francis of Assisi's Church in Hassocks, built in 1975. The parish covers the three villages and the surrounding rural area; its eastern boundary follows the border between West Sussex and East Sussex. English Heritage granted the church Grade II listed status on 21 June 2007.
There are two Sunday services most weeks (the first Sunday of the month has no early-morning service). Other services take place on Wednesdays and alternate Saturdays. The church is always open during daylight hours.
The area around the church was designated a Conservation Area in January 1989. Mid Sussex District Council, which was responsible for granting this status, stated that "the church sited on higher land which can be seen from all approaches" was one of the character-giving features of the area, which covers the old central area of Keymer village.
Read more about this topic: St Cosmas And St Damian Church, Keymer
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