All Souls Church, Hastings facts for kids

Quick facts for kids All Souls Church
The church from the east-southeast
Location in East Sussex
50°52′02″N 0°36′25″E / 50.8673°N 0.6069°E / 50.8673; 0.6069
Location	Athelstan Road, Clive Vale, Hastings, East Sussex TN35 5JE
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Status	Church
Founded	2 November 1889
Founder(s)	Elizabeth Mason
Dedication	All Souls
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	14 September 1976
Architect(s)	Arthur Blomfield
Style	Early English Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1890
Completed	1891
Closed	4 November 2007
Administration
Parish	Ore: Christ Church
Deanery	Rural Deanery of Hastings
Archdeaconry	Lewes and Hastings
Diocese	Chichester
Province	Canterbury

All Souls Church was an Anglican church in Clive Vale, a part of Hastings, East Sussex, England. It was used for church services from 1890 until 2007. This large church is known as one of the best designs by a famous architect named Arthur Blomfield.

The church is mostly built from red brick, both inside and out. It stands out in the neighborhood. The inside of the church is very tall and impressive. It also has beautiful stained glass windows and a fancy altar screen called a reredos. The church closed because fewer people were attending services and it cost too much to keep it in good repair. It was officially closed in November 2007. Because of its important design and history, English Heritage has given it a special protection status called Grade II*.

The Story of All Souls Church

The church, seen here from the south, is prominent in the townscape of Hastings.

Clive Vale started to grow as a new part of Hastings in the 1870s and 1880s. This was a time when Hastings was growing very fast. The number of people living there increased from 29,000 to 42,000 in just ten years.

Many new Anglican churches were built during the Victorian era. They were needed to serve the growing population. Even with many new churches, there were none close to Clive Vale. A small church room, also called All Souls, was built on Athelstan Road in 1884.

Building the Church

A woman named Elizabeth Mason, who lived nearby, gave money to build a church. She wanted it to be a memorial to her late husband. A good spot was found where Athelstan Road and Berlin Road meet.

Arthur Blomfield, a very active and successful church architect, was chosen to design the church. The first stone was laid on All Souls' Day (November 2) in 1889. Building work began in 1890. The church was officially opened on July 16, 1891, after a special ceremony. A beautiful mosaic reredos (a screen behind the altar) was added in 1897.

Why the Church Closed

The parish was joined to that of Christ Church, Ore after closure.

By the late 1900s, fewer people were going to church. Also, the population of Hastings had changed. This meant there were too many Anglican churches for the number of people attending. Some churches were even taken down.

In 2002, problems were found with the structure of All Souls Church. Repairs were estimated to cost £200,000. This was far too much money for the small group of about 25 church members to raise. The church had already been getting large grants to help keep it open.

The last service was held on November 4, 2007. The church was then temporarily closed. The Diocese of Chichester officially declared it "redundant" (no longer needed for church services) on March 1, 2008.

Special Protection Status

All Souls Church was first given a special protection status by English Heritage in 1976. It was listed at Grade C, which was similar to today's Grade II. This means it was a "nationally important" building. Later, the church was re-evaluated and upgraded to Grade II*. This is the second highest status. Buildings with this status are considered "particularly important" and have "more than special interest."

As of 2024, the church is for sale. In 2014, The Victorian Society said it was one of the "top ten most endangered Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England and Wales." They warned that the church was at risk of being demolished.

After the church closed, its area was combined with the area of Christ Church, Ore.

How All Souls Church Was Designed

The five-bay nave has a clerestory above.

Arthur Blomfield was a very busy architect who designed many churches. He often used the Gothic Revival style. This style brought back ideas from medieval Gothic buildings. English Heritage said that while some of his churches were "routine," All Souls is "one of his best works." They noted how he used the sloped land and red brick to create a "boldly massed town church." One historian called it "the finest red-brick interior" in East Sussex.

Church Structure and Materials

All Souls Church is a large building made almost entirely of red brick. It has a main area called a nave with five sections. On either side of the nave are aisles. Above the aisles is a row of windows called a clerestory. The church also has a chancel (the area around the altar), two vestries (rooms for clergy), a Lady chapel (a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary), and an organ room. There is also a baptistery (where baptisms take place) and entrance porches. The church does not have a tall tower or spire.

The style is Early English Gothic Revival. Stone is only used for some decorations on the outside and for the supports of the arches inside. The bricks are laid in a special pattern called Flemish bond. The roof is made of clay tiles.

Inside the Church

The church is very tall inside. The nave and chancel are almost the same height. The arch between them is simple and made of molded brick. The aisles have pairs of tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. The windows in the clerestory also have lancets and round windows called oculi. The large east window has five lights (sections) in a unique design.

The interior of the church is "spacious." It has a high-quality roof made of open timber (woodwork). Blomfield's churches are known for their good woodwork. Inside, you can see beautiful Heaton, Butler and Bayne stained glass windows. There is also an "impressively ornate" (very fancy) iron screen called a rood screen. The reredos behind the altar is very detailed with marble mosaic work. The pulpit (where sermons are given) is made of stone and iron. The font (used for baptisms) is made entirely of marble. The floor in the chancel is covered with decorative encaustic tiles. An organ made by Norman and Beard is in the organ room.

A war memorial is on the east wall. It lists the names of about 40 men from the church's area who fought in the First World War. It is placed below a carving of Saint George and the Dragon.

Images for kids

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  The parish was joined to that of Christ Church, Ore after closure.

See Also

• List of former places of worship in Hastings
• List of Grade II* listed buildings in Hastings