Christ Church, Ore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church |
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The church from the east
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| 50°52′20″N 0°36′30″E / 50.8722°N 0.6082°E | |
| Location | Old London Road, Ore, Hastings, East Sussex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Open Evangelical |
| Website | http://www.christchurch-ore.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 23 November 1858 |
| Founder(s) | Rev. W.T. Turner |
| Dedication | Christ Church |
| Dedicated | 1858 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 14 September 1976 |
| Architect(s) | Alexander Dick Gough |
| Style | Decorated Gothic |
| Completed | 1859 |
| Construction cost | £4,268 (£315,400 in 2025) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ore: Christ Church |
| Deanery | Rural Deanery of Hastings |
| Archdeaconry | Lewes and Hastings |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
Christ Church is an Anglican church located in the Ore area of Hastings, East Sussex. It is one of three Anglican churches in Hastings with the same name. This church was built in 1858 in a style called Decorated Gothic. It was meant to help the growing community of Ore, which was becoming part of the larger town of Hastings.
The church has a very special feature: a tall, thin tower on one corner. Experts have called this tower both "outstanding" and "very naughty" because of its unusual design. The building is considered important for its history and architecture, so it has been given a special heritage status called Grade II.
Contents
History of Christ Church
Hastings was once an old fishing town and a Cinque Port (a historic port town in England). In the 1800s, it became a popular seaside resort. More people moved there because new railway lines and better roads made it easier to travel. The town's population grew from about 11,000 to 23,000 in just 20 years!
As Hastings grew, it spread inland. The small village of Ore, located on the road to Rye, slowly became part of the town. Ore had been around since the early 1100s, and its name comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning "ridge" or "slope."
The original church in Ore, St Helen's, was old, small, and far from where most people lived. So, the main priest, Rev. W.T. Turner, decided to build a new church closer to the growing community. He wanted to offer more support to the people of Ore, as it was becoming a busy area.
Building the Church
The church was designed by Alexander Dick Gough, an architect known for his unique Gothic designs. Christ Church was his only project in Sussex. Construction began in 1858 and finished in 1859. It cost £4,268, which was a lot of money back then!
A local helper and church supporter, Countess Waldegrave, laid the first stone on November 23, 1858. At first, Christ Church was a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church built for convenience, not the main church for the area.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, Christ Church has seen some changes. The roof used to have vents for gas lighting fumes, but these are now gone. In the early 1900s, a beautifully carved wooden screen, called a reredos, was added behind the altar.
After World War I, a memorial was placed outside the church. Later, a part of the church called the north transept (which is like an arm of the church) was turned into a vestry (a room for the clergy) to remember those who died in World War II. The church was damaged by bombs in 1943 but was quickly repaired. In 2003, the special corner tower was fully fixed, including its clock, bell, and weathervane.
Architecture and Design
Christ Church is a well-preserved and unique example of a Gothic Revival church. This style brings back the look of old Gothic buildings. It is built mainly from sandstone and Kentish ragstone, which are types of stone. The roof is covered with slate tiles.
The most noticeable part of the outside is the tall, thin, eight-sided tower. It has a clock, a bell, a spire, and a weathervane on top. The famous architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner even called this tower "very naughty" because of its unusual design!
The church has a main hall called the nave, a special area for the altar called the chancel, and an aisle on the north side. It also has an organ room, two vestries, and two entrance porches. The outside walls have buttresses (strong supports) all around them. The church is built facing north–south, which is different from the usual east–west direction for churches.
Inside the Church
All the windows in Christ Church are tall and narrow, called lancets. They have detailed stone patterns, known as tracery. The large window at the front (liturgical west) has seven sections, and the one at the back (liturgical east) is similar. In 1930, beautiful stained glass was added to two windows in the nave.
Inside, you can see amazing carvings of plants and leaves. These are especially detailed on the tops of the columns (called capitals) in the nave and on the supporting brackets (called corbels). Above the chancel arch and the east window, there are painted decorative bands called friezes. The one above the east window was refreshed in the early 1990s.
Other things inside the church include:
- Three sedilia (seats for the clergy).
- A wooden pulpit (where sermons are given).
- A simple, eight-sided font (used for baptisms).
- A wooden reredos (the screen behind the altar) with tablets showing the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Nicene Creed.
Christ Church Today
Christ Church was given its Grade II status by English Heritage on September 14, 1976. This means it is a "nationally important" building with "special interest." In 2001, it was one of many important buildings in Hastings with this status.
Christ Church is one of three active Anglican churches in Hastings with the name "Christ Church." It is the oldest of them. The other two are in Blacklands (built 1878–81) and St Leonards-on-Sea (built 1875).
The area that Christ Church serves, called its parish, includes parts of Ore. It has also joined with the former parish of All Souls Church, which closed in 2007.
Today, Christ Church holds a service every Sunday at 10:30 AM, which includes a special group for kids. There are also daily prayer services on weekday mornings and a special Holy Communion service on Wednesday mornings.
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