St John the Evangelist Church, Heron's Ghyll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church |
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| St John the Evangelist Church | |
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| 51°01′23″N 0°06′41″E / 51.0231°N 0.1115°E | |
| OS grid reference | TQ 48184 26977 |
| Location | Heron's Ghyll, East Sussex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Crowborough, Herons Ghyll & Uckfield Catholic Community |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founder(s) | James Hope, 1st Baron Rankeillour |
| Dedication | John the Evangelist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 31 December 1982 |
| Architect(s) | Frederick Walters |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 9 May 1896 |
| Completed | 22 September 1897 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Uckfield with Heron's Ghyll |
| Deanery | Mayfield |
| Diocese | Arundel and Brighton |
| Province | Southwark |
St John's Church, also known as St John the Evangelist Church, is a Roman Catholic parish church in a small community called Heron's Ghyll in East Sussex, England. It was built between 1896 and 1897 in a style called Gothic Revival, which was inspired by old medieval churches.
The church was designed by the architect Frederick Walters. It is located on the A26 road and is a Grade II listed building. This means it is officially recognized as a building of special historical importance.
Contents
History of the Church
How the Church Began
The story of St John's Church starts in 1866. A poet named Coventry Patmore allowed Catholic services, called Mass, to be held in his home. This was the first Catholic mission in the area.
In 1879, Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, a very important nobleman, bought the house for his mother, Augusta Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk. She was very religious and helped build a school and a house for the priest in 1880. In 1884, a temporary church made of iron was built. After she died in 1886, her grandson, James Hope, 1st Baron Rankeillour, bought the land in 1891. He decided to build the permanent stone church that stands today.
Building the Church
The architect Frederick Walters was hired in 1895 to design the new church. The first stone was laid on May 9, 1896. The total cost to build the church was £4,000, which was a lot of money back then.
The church officially opened on September 22, 1897. By 1904, all the money borrowed for construction had been paid back. Because of this, the church was officially consecrated, or blessed, by Peter Amigo, the Bishop of Southwark, on September 7, 1904.
The Parish Community
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St John's Church is part of a larger parish community. The priest at St John's also looks after another church in the nearby town of Uckfield, called Our Lady Immaculate and St Philip Neri Church.
Our Lady Immaculate and St Philip Neri Church
This church in Uckfield was built much later, in 1958. It was designed by the priest, Father Cyril P. Plummer. Many of the beautiful decorations inside were created by artists from The Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic, a famous group of Catholic craftspeople who lived nearby.
- Art Panels: Edgar Holloway designed the three large panels behind the main altar.
- Lettering: Alan Taylor carved the words on the panels.
- Sculptures: Joseph Cribb designed the three altars and the statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus, above the church entrance.
- Stained-Glass Windows: The colorful windows were made by Aleksander Klecki.
Church Service Times
If you want to attend a service, there is one Sunday Mass at St John's Church at 11:30 am. At the church in Uckfield, there is a Mass on Saturday at 5:30 pm and another on Sunday at 9:30 am.
See also
- List of current places of worship in Wealden
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton
