St Helen's Church, Hangleton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Helen's Church |
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The church from the southwest
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 Location in Brighton & Hove
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| 50°51′04″N 0°12′03″W / 50.8511°N 0.2009°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Helen |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Hangleton, St Helen |
| Deanery | Rural Deanery of Hove |
| Archdeaconry | Chichester |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Helen's Church is an old Anglican church located in the Hangleton area of Hove. It is the oldest building still standing in the city of Brighton and Hove in England. This church was once the main church for the small, isolated village of Hangleton. This village was later abandoned and became farmland. Much later, new houses were built there between the 1920s and 1950s.
Contents
History of St Helen's Church
Hangleton village was already around in 1086, when the Domesday Book was made. This book was a huge survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror. The church itself was first mentioned in 1093. At that time, William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey gave control of the church to Lewes Priory, a type of monastery.
The church building was rectangular, about 19 meters long and 5 meters wide. Its walls were made of flint stone and were about 1 meter thick. Builders started to rebuild parts of the church in the 1100s. The main part of the church, called the nave, is from that century. A square tower was added in the 1200s. The church also got a new roof around this time, as it was originally covered with thatch (straw). The chancel, the area around the altar, was rebuilt around 1300.
Hangleton village started to shrink in the 1300s. By the mid-1800s, the whole area, which was much bigger than just the village, had only 80 people. In 1864, St Helen's parish officially joined with the parish of Portslade. The vicar (priest) from Portslade had already been looking after St Helen's for 100 years.
The church building became quite run down. However, it was never completely ruined and always had services, even if only once a year for a while. The churchyard was still used for burials too.
Many old churches in the Brighton and Hove area were greatly changed in the 1800s. This was part of a trend called Victorian restoration. But St Helen's was mostly left alone because it was so far away and isolated on the South Downs. In 1870, a man named George Cokayne paid for a small restoration. This probably saved the church from falling apart. It also helped keep its old, original look.
In 1909, parts of a film called The Boy and the Convict were filmed in the churchyard. The film was directed by Dave Aylott for James Williamson's company.
The Hangleton area became part of Hove in 1927. Soon after, Hove began building many new houses on the open land. This building spread from Hove in the mid-1930s and continued into the 1950s. By then, houses surrounded the church.
Another small restoration happened in 1929. A bigger rebuilding project took place in 1949. This work added a porch and a vestry (a room for the priest). A new roof was also put on, costing £2,500. The tower also got some battlements (like on a castle) and a pyramid-shaped roof. The work finished in 1951. At this time, Hangleton became its own separate parish again. The first new priest for Hangleton started in 1955.
After the changes in 1949, St Helen's was used regularly again. On March 24, 1950, it was given Grade II* listed status. This means it is a very important historic building.
Architecture of St Helen's Church
The church is built from flint stone. This type of stone was often used for churches in the South Downs area of Sussex. The parts around the doors, windows, and corners (called quoins) are made of Caen stone. This stone was popular in buildings from the Norman period.
The flints in the south wall are laid in a special pattern called herringbone (or opus spicatum). This style was common during the Saxon period, which was before the Normans. Some experts say this church is one of the best examples of herringbone work from that time. The roof is now covered with clay tiles.
The basic shape of the church has not changed since the 1200s. It has a chancel, a nave with three sections (called bays), and a tower at the west end. The original arch between the chancel and nave was removed in the 1300s. The porch and vestry on the north side were added in the 1900s.
The church has tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. They are of different sizes and can be found on all four sides of the church. The west side has two lancet windows. The east side has a large window with three points. There are also several tiny windows placed unevenly in the south and north walls.
One interesting feature is a low window in the chancel. People have wondered a lot about what it was used for. One idea is that lepers (people with a serious skin disease in the Middle Ages) would stand outside and listen to services through this window. This way, they did not have to go inside the church. Another idea is that it was used for confessionals. A priest could sit inside, and someone confessing their sins could stay outside.
During the restorations in 1949, old wall paintings were found on the north wall. Some decorative scrollwork was also found on one of the windows. The scrollwork was from the early 1200s, and the wall paintings were from the 1300s and 1400s. Some of this artwork was restored in 1969. At that time, some windows in the nave that had been blocked up were also rediscovered.
In one corner of the chancel, there is a memorial. It is believed to be for the Bellingham family, who lived in the area in the 1500s and 1600s. The monument shows Richard and Mary Bellingham, their nine children, and five small coffins for children who died very young. Elsewhere, a stone statue from the early 1900s, called a pietà, remembers a local brewer and pottery collector. A carved wooden screen and a reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) in the chancel were also given as memorials. The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, came from St Leonard's Church, Aldrington.
Notable Burials
Several interesting people are buried in the churchyard of St Helen's.
- Samuel Augustus Barnett was a clergyman and social reformer. He started Toynbee Hall in London, which helped poor people. His wife, Henrietta Barnett, helped create Hampstead Garden Suburb, a planned community. They are both buried in the churchyard to the north of the church.
- Edward Vaughan Hyde Kenealy was a barrister (a type of lawyer) who lived in Portslade. He was involved in the famous Tichborne case in the 1800s. This was the longest court trial in British history at the time. Kenealy was later removed from being a lawyer because of his strange behavior. He then became a Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent. He is buried near the south door of the church. His grave has a fancy black marble tombstone with gold patterns.
- Henry Willett (1823–1905) was a rich brewer from Brighton. He was also a famous collector of ceramics, paintings, and fossils. He helped start the Brighton Museum. He is buried here.
Inside the church, there are also tombstones set into the floor of the aisles.
St Helen's Church Today
St Helen's Church was given Grade II* listed status on March 24, 1950. This means it is a very important historic building. As of 2001, it was one of 70 buildings in Brighton and Hove with this special status. There are also 1,218 listed buildings of all grades in the city.
See also
