Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, Brighton Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Church of the Holy Trinity
Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity

50°49′26″N 0°7′53″W / 50.82389°N 0.13139°W / 50.82389; -0.13139
Location	Carlton Hill, Brighton, Brighton and Hove BN2 0GW
Country	England
Denomination	Greek Orthodox
History
Former name(s)	St John the Evangelist
Status	Church
Founded	1838
Founder(s)	Rev. Henry Michell Wagner
Dedication	John the Evangelist
Consecrated	28 January 1840
Events	Sold to Greek Orthodox community in 1985
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II listed
Designated	20 August 1971
Architect(s)	George Cheesman, Jr.
Style	Greek Revival
Construction cost	£4,660 (£319 thousand in 2025)
Closed	11 November 1980 (as St John the Evangelist)

The Church of the Holy Trinity is a Greek Orthodox church in Brighton, England. It is part of the city of Brighton and Hove. This church was built in 1838 in an area called Carlton Hill. This part of Brighton was once a very poor area.

For most of its history, it was an Anglican church. It was known as St John the Evangelist. The Anglican community used it until 1980. After that, it was sold to Brighton's Greek Orthodox community in 1985. Since then, it has been their main place of worship. The church is important for its history and design. It has been a Grade II listed building since 1971. This means it is a special building protected for its heritage.

History of the Church
Church Architecture
See also

History of the Church

Carlton Hill is a long, steep road on high ground in Brighton. It is north of Kemp Town and south of Hanover. In the early 1800s, Brighton grew very fast. Carlton Hill became one of its poorest areas.

Helping the Poor with Free Churches

Henry Michell Wagner was the Vicar of Brighton from 1824 to 1870. He wanted to provide free churches for poor people in Brighton. At that time, most Anglican churches charged money for seats, called "pew-rents." Wagner used his own money to build six churches. In these churches, most seats were free.

By 1830, about 18,000 poor people lived in Brighton. This was almost half the town's population. But there were only 3,000 free seats in existing churches. This showed a great need for new, free places of worship.

Building St John the Evangelist

St John the Evangelist was the third church Wagner helped build. The first two were All Souls Church (1833-1834) and Christ Church (1837-1838). Both of these earlier churches were later taken down.

The architects for Christ Church, Cheesman & Son, also built St John the Evangelist. George Cheesman Jr. designed the church. His father, George Cheesman, built it. Unlike Christ Church, which had a Gothic style, St John the Evangelist was designed in the Classical style.

The first stone was laid on October 15, 1838. The church cost £4,660. This included £908 for the land. It was officially opened on January 28, 1840. Robert James Carr, a former Vicar of Brighton, led the ceremony. He was visiting Brighton and filled in for the Bishop of Chichester, who was unwell. More than half of the 1,200 seats in the church were free.

Challenges and Change of Ownership

The church often struggled to attract many people. Some reasons for this included its location. Also, there were many cheap taverns nearby. In the 1860s and 1870s, a new style of worship was introduced. This "High church" style was sometimes controversial.

In 1879, the church had to close for a long time for repairs. This was very expensive. The Diocese of Chichester decided the church was no longer needed on November 11, 1980. It was then sold to the Greek Orthodox Church on December 13, 1985. Before the sale, a company wanted to buy the building. They hoped to turn it into a radio studio. But their bid was not chosen.

Since the Greek Orthodox community bought the building, they have made some changes inside. They added a new altar screen. The church is now officially registered for worship.

2010 Fire Incident

In July 2010, the church was badly damaged by a fire. On Sunday, July 4, the fire started on the ground floor. It then spread to parts of the roof. Luckily, no one was hurt. The fire did not damage the main structure. However, the entire inside of the church was destroyed. The damage cost £500,000 to repair. The fire was believed to be arson, meaning it was set on purpose. A reward was offered for information about the person responsible.

After the fire, the church community first used a large tent on the church grounds. Later, they used St. Michael and All Angels church. They stayed there until their own church was fully repaired.

Church Architecture

The Church of the Holy Trinity is built with bricks. It uses a pattern called a Flemish bond. It also has some stone decorations. The front of the church, which faces Carlton Hill, is covered in stucco. This is a type of plaster. The other sides of the church are not easily seen.

The front of the church has a deep central area. This is surrounded by two parts that stick out. These parts have entrance doors and large stone pilasters. Pilasters are like flat columns attached to a wall. Above these is a pediment, which is a triangle-shaped part, with a clock inside it. A large crucifix above the entrance was added more recently. The front of the church was improved in 1957. It has been described as "strangely bleak," meaning it looks a bit plain.

The front of the church is divided into three sections by tall grey pilasters. The left and right sections are further forward than the wider middle section. They both have matching entrances. Each entrance has a lintel, which is a beam above a doorway. This lintel has a pattern of triglyphs and metopes. These are decorative blocks. There are also smaller white pilasters and a pediment above each entrance.

Above the left entrance is a special symbol. It is the personal mark of L.A. Mackintosh, who improved the church in 1957. Above the right entrance is a symbol of an eagle. The eagle is a symbol for John the Evangelist. A large grey entablature sits above the three sections. This is a decorative band with more triglyph and metope patterns. Over the middle section is another pediment. This one has a blue clock and a cross on top.

The church was made a Grade II listed building by English Heritage on August 20, 1971. It is one of many listed buildings in Brighton and Hove.

Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, Brighton facts for kids

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