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 | |
_(August_2019)_(3).jpg) |
|
| 50°49′26″N 0°7′53″W / 50.82389°N 0.13139°W | |
| 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 2021) |
| Closed | 11 November 1980 (as St John the Evangelist) |
The Church of the Holy Trinity is a Greek Orthodox church located in Brighton, England. It was built way back in 1838. For most of its history, it was an Anglican church, meaning it belonged to the Church of England. It was known as St John the Evangelist.
The church was used by the Anglican community 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. This church is very important for its history and design. It has been officially recognized as a Grade II listed building since 1971.
Contents
The Church's Early History
Carlton Hill is a long, steep road on high ground in Brighton. In the early 1800s, Brighton grew very quickly. Carlton Hill became one of the poorest areas in the town.
Henry Michell Wagner was the Vicar of Brighton from 1824 to 1870. He wanted to provide free churches for poor people. At that time, most Anglican churches charged money for seats, called "pew-rents." Wagner used his own money to build six churches where most seats were free. This was very important because by 1830, almost half of Brighton's population was poor. There were only 3,000 free seats available in existing churches.
Building St John the Evangelist
St John the Evangelist was the third church Wagner helped build. The architects and builders were Cheesman & Son, a company from Brighton. George Cheesman Jr. designed the church, and his father, George Cheesman, built it.
The church was designed in the Classical style. This style uses ideas from ancient Greek and Roman buildings. The first stone was laid on October 15, 1838. The church cost about £4,660 to build. This included money to buy the land. It was officially opened on January 28, 1840. More than half of its 1,200 seats were free for people to use.
Challenges and Changes
The church often struggled to attract many people. Some reasons included its location and the many taverns nearby. Also, in the 1860s and 1870s, a more traditional style of worship was introduced. This style, called "Ritualist" or "High church," was sometimes controversial.
In 1879, the church had to close for a long time for repairs, which was also expensive. On November 11, 1980, the church was declared no longer needed by the Church of England. It was then sold to the Greek Orthodox Church on December 13, 1985.
Since the Greek Orthodox community bought the building, they have made some changes inside. For example, they added a new altar screen.
Fire Incident in 2010
The church was badly damaged by a fire in July 2010. On the afternoon of Sunday, July 4, the fire started on the ground floor and spread to parts of the roof. Luckily, no one was hurt. The fire did not damage the main structure, but the entire inside of the church was destroyed. This caused about £500,000 worth of damage. The fire was believed to be arson, which means it was started on purpose.
After the fire, the church community used a large tent in the church grounds. Later, they used St. Michael and All Angels church until their own church was repaired.
Church Design and Features
The Church of the Holy Trinity is built with bricks. The front of the church, which faces Carlton Hill, is covered in a smooth plaster called stucco. The other sides of the church are not easily seen.
The front of the church has a deep middle section. On each side, there are two parts that stick out. These parts have entrance doors and large stone pilasters. Pilasters are like flat columns attached to the wall. Above these is a triangular shape called a pediment, which has a clock inside it. The large crucifix (cross) above the entrance was added more recently. The front of the church has a Georgian-style design.
The front of the church is divided into three sections by tall grey pilasters. The left and right sections are a bit further forward than the wider middle section. They both have matching entrances. Each entrance has a stone beam above it, called a lintel, with a pattern of triglyphs and metopes. These are decorative blocks often seen in Classical architecture. Above the left entrance is a special symbol for L.A. Mackintosh, who improved the front in 1957. Above the right entrance is a symbol of an eagle, which is the symbol for John the Evangelist.
A large grey decorative band, called an entablature, sits above the three sections. It also has triglyph and metope patterns. Over the middle section, there is another pediment with a blue clock and a cross on top.
The church was officially recognized as a Grade II listed building by English Heritage on August 20, 1971. This means it is an important historic building that needs to be protected. It is one of many listed buildings in Brighton and Hove.
See also
- Grade II listed buildings in Brighton and Hove: E–H
- List of places of worship in Brighton and Hove
- St Mary and St Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church, Hove
