St Bartholomew, Burstow, Surrey

This church is very close to where I used to live. It is also in the parish where my late father lived and went to school. It may look peaceful enough, but it lies directly on the flightpath for Gatwick Airport and the noise of the planes can be pretty bad.

However, this church has 12th Century origins, but most of what is seen is from the 15th Century when the south aisle, the chancel extended and the all timber tower were all added. This timber tower, along with that at Newdigate are very similar to those found in Essex, especially that at Navestock and Blackmore. Burstow church has one important scientific connection. John Flamsteed (1646-1719) the first Astronomer Royal, and appointed by Charles II was Rector here from 1684 to 1719 and is buried in the chancel. Flamsteed made a dedicated study of the stars and navigation by them but his theories were often at odds with his contemporaries, Isaac Newton and Edmund Halley. It may or maybe not appropriate that the church is a navigation point for aircraft coming into land at Gatwick.