St John the Baptist's Church, Brighton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist, Brighton |
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| 50°49′10″N 0°07′34″W / 50.8194°N 0.1261°W | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | St John the Baptist |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St John the Baptist, Brighton |
| Deanery | Brighton |
| Diocese | Arundel and Brighton |
| Province | Southwark |
St John the Baptist's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in the Kemptown area of Brighton and Hove, England. It was the first Roman Catholic church built in Brighton after new laws allowed Catholics to worship more freely. This happened in the early 1800s. The church is on Bristol Road, east of the city centre. It is one of many Catholic churches in Brighton and Hove. The building looks like a classic Roman or Greek temple. It was paid for by Maria Fitzherbert and finished in 1835. The church is a very important historical building. It is protected as a Grade II* listed building by English Heritage.
Contents
The Church's Story: A Look Back in Time
For a long time in Britain, there were strict laws against Roman Catholic worship. But in the late 1700s and early 1800s, these laws began to change. New rules in 1791 allowed Catholic churches to be built. However, they couldn't have bells or tall steeples.
How Brighton's Catholic Community Grew
At first, Brighton had only a small Catholic community. But in the 1790s, two things helped it grow. Many people escaping the French Revolution came to Brighton. Also, Maria Fitzherbert, a Catholic woman, became close friends with the Prince Regent. She even married him secretly in 1785. This marriage was not legal at the time. Mrs. Fitzherbert always came with the Prince Regent when he visited Brighton. She had her own house in the city.
Building the First Churches
In 1798, the first Catholic worship place in Brighton opened. It was above a shop. This was one of the first new Catholic places of worship in all of Britain. In 1805, a French priest started collecting money for a proper church building. A spot was found on High Street. A new church, built in a Classical style, was finished in 1807.
A Bigger Church for a Growing Community
In 1818, the priest wanted to make the church bigger. Mrs. Fitzherbert gave £1,000 to help. But before they could start, more important changes happened in 1829. All restrictions on Catholic worship were finally removed. This meant Brighton's Catholic community could build an even larger, more beautiful church.
They bought a piece of land for £1,050. William Hallett, who later became a mayor of Brighton, designed the new St John the Baptist church. It was officially opened on July 9, 1835. This church was very special. It was only the fourth new Catholic church in England to be officially blessed since the 1500s.
Changes Over the Years
Maria Fitzherbert passed away in 1837. She was buried at the church. A special stone and sculpture were placed inside to remember her. The sculpture shows her wearing three wedding rings.
In the 1850s, a school named after the church opened. A convent for the Sisters of Mercy was also built next to the church. In 1866, a walkway was added to connect the convent to the church. The church closed for a short time in 1875 for a big expansion. A new area for the altar and side chapels were added. This cost £2,000. The church reopened on October 31, 1875. More new items were added inside in 1887. The church has mostly stayed the same since then. In 1957, old altar rails from a Belgian church were installed.
The Benedictine Sisters, a group of nuns, had a chapel nearby. It was called St Benedict's. These nuns left their convent in 2009. The building was later approved for demolition in 2013.
Church Design: What It Looks Like
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William Hallett, the architect, didn't design many other buildings. He based St John the Baptist's design on another church in London called St Mary Moorfields. The front of St John's, which faces Bristol Road, looks almost exactly like St Mary's.
The church is built in a Classical style. This means it looks like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. The outside walls are covered in a smooth, plaster-like material called stucco. There is a large triangular shape, called a pediment, above the main entrance. The roof is flat and made of slate.
The entrance has two tall columns. Next to them are flat, column-like shapes called pilasters. There are more pilasters at the corners of the building. Between these pilasters are fake doorways with small pediments. Above them are two deep-set windows. Below the main pediment, there is a Latin message. It says: "To God, under the invocation of St. John the Baptist." There is also another entrance on the side of the church. It also has a pediment above it.
St John the Baptist's Church Today
The St John the Baptist Catholic School moved to a new building in 1989. It is now on Whitehawk Hill. The old convent chapel is now used as a rest home. But you can still see that it used to be a chapel.
The church holds Masses on Saturday evenings, Sunday mornings, and on special Holy Days.
The church is very important. It has been a Grade II* listed building since 1952. This means it is a historically and architecturally important building that is protected. In 2001, it was one of 70 buildings in Brighton and Hove with this special Grade II* listing.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Brighton and Hove
- List of places of worship in Brighton and Hove
