Dorset Gardens Methodist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dorset Gardens Methodist Church |
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The church from the southeast
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| 50°49′16″N 0°8′2″W / 50.82111°N 0.13389°W | |
| Location | Dorset Gardens, Kemptown, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Methodist Church of Great Britain |
| Website | www.dgmc.org.uk |
| History | |
| Founded | 1808 (first church on site) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Saville Jones Architects, Worthing |
| Completed | April 2003 |
| Construction cost | £1,600,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of floors | 4 |
| Materials | Red brick, concrete, red tiles, flint, glass |
The Dorset Gardens Methodist Church is a Methodist church located in the Kemptown area of Brighton and Hove, England. Even though it's a modern building, finished in 2003, it's actually the third Methodist church to stand on this spot. It replaced an older, bigger church, which was itself a new version of Brighton's very first Methodist church. These churches have played a big part in the story of Methodism in Brighton.
History of the Church Buildings
On August 26, 1808, Brighton's first Methodist church opened its doors. It was built on the west side of Dorset Gardens. This street goes north from St James's Street, which was a main road leading out of Brighton to the east. The church followed the Wesleyan Methodist beliefs. It was made of red brick and had round windows. Inside, three sides of the square building had balconies. The church's choir used one of these sections. Around 1840, the church added a hall, gas lighting, a new entrance, and a pipe organ.
A new, larger church was built in 1884. It was also made of red brick and had an Italianate tower. This style was popular in Italy and often included towers. A new organ and electric lights were added in 1894. The red brick was decorated with terracotta details. The overall look was inspired by Renaissance architecture, a style from the 14th to 17th centuries. A large addition was built on the south side in 1929. The current church stands on this part of the site.
The 1884 building was taken down in 2000. The new church, which you see today, opened in April 2003. It cost £1.6 million to build. From 1967 to 1975, Frank Thewlis was the minister at the church. He gave sermons on Sunday mornings.
What the Church Looks Like
At street level, the church extends onto the sidewalk. This part is built with squared, cut knapped flint. The upper parts of the church are made of red brick and concrete. They also have large sections of glass and a mostly tiled outside. Inside, the church has many rooms and different layouts. The top floor gets some light from a tower with glass walls. The design for the church was created by a company from Worthing. It even won a local award in 2003 for its design.
The Church Today
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The Dorset Gardens Methodist Church is a busy place. Besides weekly services and prayer evenings, many community activities happen there. These include exercise classes and Scout meetings. The church also hosts support meetings and a weekly lunch club that helps people in the local community.
See also
