St Anthony of Padua Church, Rye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Anthony of Padua's Church |
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The church in 2023
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| 50°56′57″N 0°43′58″E / 50.9492°N 0.7329°E | |
| OS grid reference | TQ9206220199 |
| Location | Rye, East Sussex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Greyfriars.org |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Walburga's Church |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1900 |
| Dedication | Anthony of Padua |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 22 February 2010 |
| Architect(s) | John Bernard Mendham |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 11 October 1927 |
| Completed | 30 June 1929 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | St Leonards-on-Sea & Eastbourne |
| Diocese | Arundel and Brighton |
| Province | Southwark |
St Anthony of Padua Church is a Roman Catholic church in Rye, East Sussex, England. It is a special kind of church called a parish church, which means it serves a local community. The church was built between 1927 and 1929. It replaced an older church that was built in 1900.
You can find St Anthony's on Watchbell Street, just south of a famous house called Lamb House. The church is looked after by a group of religious people called the Conventual Franciscans. It's also a "Grade II listed building," which means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
The Church's Story: How it Began
Why a New Church Was Needed
Before the current church, there was an older one on the same spot called St Walburga's Church. It was built in 1900 and quickly became a parish church for the area.
In 1906, the Conventual Franciscans, a group of Catholic priests and brothers, came to Rye. One of them, Father Bonaventure M. Scebberas, started working in the area. He was an important leader for the Franciscans in England.
By 1910, the Franciscans were also in charge of St Walburga's Church. This made St Anthony of Padua Friary one of the first places the Conventual Franciscans had in England since the Reformation, a time when many religious groups changed in England. By 1926, the old church was too small for all the people who wanted to attend. So, plans were made to build a bigger, new church.
Building the New Church
Work on the new church began on July 13, 1927, when the old St Walburga's Church was taken down. Just a few weeks later, on August 9, 1927, Father Scebberas laid the very first brick of the new building.
On October 11, 1927, an important ceremony took place. The foundation stone for St Anthony of Padua Church was blessed by Bishop William Francis Brown. He was a special bishop from Southwark.
The church was designed by an architect named John Bernard Mendham. He was born in England but grew up in Argentina. He designed the church in a style called Romanesque Revival. This style looks back to old Roman buildings. The part of the church where the altar is, called the sanctuary, was designed in a Byzantine Revival style, which uses shapes like a Greek Cross. The new church officially opened on June 30, 1929.
Church Services
St Anthony of Padua Church is an active parish. It holds several services each week.
- On Saturdays, there is a Mass at 6:00 PM.
- On Sundays, there are Masses at 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM.
- During the week, there is a Mass at 9:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
See also
- List of places of worship in Rother
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton
