St Leonard's Baptist Church, St Leonards-on-Sea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Leonard's Baptist Church |
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The church from the southeast
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| 50°51′24″N 0°33′42″E / 50.8566°N 0.5616°E | |
| Location | Chapel Park Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, East Sussex TN37 6HR |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Baptist |
| Churchmanship | Contemporary |
| Website | www.stleonardsbaptist.org |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Dedication | Leonard of Noblac |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 10 January 1991 |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Elworthy & Sons |
| Style | Classical/Italianate |
| Completed | 1882 |
| Administration | |
| District | South Eastern Baptist Association |
| Division | East Sussex Network |
St Leonard's Baptist Church is a Baptist church in St Leonards-on-Sea, a town that is part of Hastings in East Sussex, England. This beautiful building was designed by the famous architectural firm of Thomas Elworthy. They built many churches in Sussex during the late Victorian era. The church serves the growing community of St Leonards-on-Sea. This area grew quickly after it was founded in the early 1800s by James Burton. English Heritage has given the church a special Grade II listing. This means it is important for its history and design.
Contents
The Church's Story: How It Began
Hastings is an old seaside town on the coast of Sussex. It was very important by the 1100s. It had its own castle and even made its own money. Hastings was also the main Cinque Port, a group of important coastal towns.
West of Hastings, there was a large area of undeveloped land. This land was part of the Manor of Gensing. It stretched down to the English Channel and had great views. It was a wooded valley with flat, sheltered land near a beach. This made it a perfect spot for building homes.
Building a New Town: St Leonards-on-Sea
In the early 1800s, a businessman named James Burton saw this potential. He was the father of the architect Decimus Burton. Hastings was becoming popular again, so James Burton bought land in 1828. He bought it from the Eversfield family, who owned Gensing Manor. Over the next few years, he built the new town of St Leonards-on-Sea. It was designed as a place for people to live and enjoy the seaside.
In 1832, a special law was passed. This law made St Leonards-on-Sea an official town. It could now be governed, taxed, and developed further.
Royal Visits and Growth
The town became even more popular after a special visit. In 1834, the Duchess of Kent and her daughter, Princess Victoria (who later became Queen), stayed there. This helped St Leonards-on-Sea become well-known.
The town continued to grow northwards into the valley. This growth sped up after the St Leonards Warrior Square railway station was built in 1851. Now, people could easily travel to London and Brighton by train. By this time, there were churches for different Christian groups. These included Congregationalists, Anglicans, and Roman Catholics.
Designing the Baptist Church
In 1882, the Baptist community in St Leonards-on-Sea was growing. They needed a church. So, they asked architect Thomas Elworthy to design one. His firm was Elworthy and Sons. The chosen spot was on Chapel Park Road, close to the railway station.
Thomas Elworthy was from St Leonards-on-Sea himself. He designed many churches, especially for the Congregationalists. In the late 1800s, his designs often used Renaissance Revival and Classical styles. This was different from the Gothic Revival style that was popular earlier.
Construction of the church began in 1882. It was finished the next year, and the church opened its doors. Another firm, Stiff and Sons of Lambeth, London, also helped with some of the architectural work.
Church Design and Features
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The church has a very fancy and detailed front. It mixes Classical styles with Thomas Elworthy's favorite Renaissance Revival and some Italianate features.
It is built from red bricks laid in a special pattern called Flemish bond. The window frames and decorations are made of terracotta. These were designed by Stiff and Sons. The roof has new concrete tiles.
Steps lead up to three identical arched entrance doors. These doors are made of wood and have terracotta columns next to them. Above the doors is a balustrade, which is a row of small posts. This balustrade is supported by decorative brackets with leaf designs. It also has four decorative terracotta urns.
This central part is flanked by two outer sections. These outer sections have pairs of arched windows. The balustrade stretches across the whole front of the church. It forms a kind of covered entrance area.
On the second floor, you can see more Classical designs. There are pilasters, which are flat columns attached to the wall. These pilasters are arranged in pairs around the central section. The central section has a beautifully decorated pediment, which is a triangular shape above the windows. The pediment has another terracotta urn on top.
The central section has three arched windows. The middle one is taller and wider. All these windows have columns that are partly built into the wall. The side walls of the church have five arched windows. These are below a cornice, which is a decorative molding made of terracotta.
Underneath the main church, there is a hall. This hall has a brick extension with an arched window. Inside the church, there is a fancy wooden gallery. It is supported by iron columns and is still there today.
The Church Today
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St Leonard's Baptist Church was given a Grade II listing by English Heritage on January 10, 1991. This means it is a "nationally important" building with "special interest." In February 2001, it was one of 521 Grade II listed buildings in Hastings.
The church is one of four Baptist churches in the Borough of Hastings. The oldest is Wellington Square Baptist Church, founded in 1838. It has a higher Grade II* listing. There are also Baptist churches in the Halton and Silverhill areas.
The church is part of the East Sussex Network. This network is part of the South Eastern Baptist Association.
Services are held at St Leonard's Baptist Church on Sunday mornings. On Sunday evenings, there is a joint service with Wellington Square Baptist Church. This service takes place either at St Leonard's or Wellington Square. The Chapel Park Community Centre is located in the hall under the church. It offers different facilities for the community to use.
The church is officially registered for worship. Its registration number is 27859.
See also
