St Leonard's Church, St Leonards-on-Sea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Leonard's Church |
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St Leonard's Church (viewed from Marina) was rebuilt between 1953 and 1961, and functioned as a parish church until 2018.
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| 50°51′05″N 0°33′05″E / 50.8513°N 0.5514°E | |
| Location | Undercliff, St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, East Sussex TN38 0YW |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | 8 September 1831 |
| Founder(s) | James Burton |
| Dedication | Leonard of Noblac |
| Dedicated | 22 May 1834 |
| Consecrated | 22 May 1834 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Closed |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 25 September 1998 |
| Architect(s) | James Burton (first church); Giles and Adrian Gilbert Scott (present building) |
| Style | Modern Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1831 |
| Completed | 1832 (first church); 1961 (present building) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Leonard, St Leonards-on-Sea |
| Deanery | Rural Deanery of Hastings |
| Archdeaconry | Lewes and Hastings |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Leonard's Church is a Christian church in St Leonards-on-Sea, a town in East Sussex, England. It belongs to the Church of England.
This church was very important for the new town of St Leonards-on-Sea. A man named James Burton designed the first church in the 1800s. It stood for over 100 years, even though it was built into a cliff.
During World War II, a bomb hit the church directly. It was completely destroyed. But a new church was built in its place. It was designed by the famous Gilbert Scott brothers and finished in 1961.
Today, the church is a special building. It is listed as Grade II by Historic England because of its history and design.
Contents
The Story of St Leonard's Church
How St Leonards-on-Sea Began
Long ago, Hastings was a very important town on the English coast. It had a castle and many churches. The famous Battle of Hastings happened nearby in 1066.
West of Hastings was a large area called Gensing. It had forests, farmland, and a beach. In the early 1800s, Hastings became a popular place to visit. People started building new homes there.
A builder named James Burton saw how special Gensing was. He bought a big piece of land there in 1828. He planned to build a whole new town.
This new town was called St Leonards-on-Sea. It grew very quickly with homes, shops, and hotels. Soon, it was as popular as Hastings itself.
The town was named after an old church that was no longer there. This old church had been taken down between 1404 and 1428.
James Burton wanted a new church for his town. At first, services were held in a house. Then, they moved to the town's Assembly Rooms. In 1830, Burton announced he would build a new church.
The First Church Building
Burton first chose a spot high on a hill for his church. But his friends said it was too far to climb. So, he found a new place closer to the seafront road, Marina.
To build the church there, a big part of the cliff had to be dug out. On September 8, 1831, Princess Sophia of Gloucester laid the first stone. The church was finished in late 1832.
On May 22, 1834, the church was officially opened. It was named after St Leonard. James Burton himself designed this church. It was the only church he ever designed.
The first church was a simple Gothic style building. It faced south towards the sea. It had a bell tower with an entrance at the front. Inside, there was a main hall called a nave and a smaller area called a chancel.
The church was very popular. Even Princess Victoria attended services there in 1834–35. An old drawing shows a large flag flying from its tower.
However, the church had problems early on. In 1837, part of the cliff behind it fell. The chancel was damaged and had to be rebuilt smaller. The whole church was almost destroyed.
Later that year, the church got its first organ. Queen Adelaide helped pay for it. In 1868, St Leonard's became an official parish church. This meant it had its own rector, or priest.
Destroyed in World War II
During World War II, Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea were at risk of attacks. Many bombs fell on the area.
On July 29, 1944, a Saturday, a German V-1 flying bomb (called a "doodlebug") was hit over the English Channel. Even though it was damaged, it kept flying towards St Leonards-on-Sea.
The bomb crashed right in front of St Leonard's Church. It made a huge hole. The church tower fell into the hole, and the rest of the church was completely destroyed. Luckily, no one was hurt.
The church had to be rebuilt in the same spot. Two brothers, Giles and Adrian Gilbert Scott, were chosen to design the new building. They were famous architects.
Building the New Church
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The Gilbert Scott brothers designed the new St Leonard's Church in a modern Gothic style. Adrian Gilbert Scott was mainly in charge of the design.
Construction began in October 1953. The church was ready for services in April 1955. The south tower was added later, in 1960–61. The church officially reopened after that.
Adrian Gilbert Scott loved the church's location. It is the only church on England's south coast with a direct view of the sea from its entrance. He said it was a "romantic and inspiring site."
The church is built from light-colored brick and stone. It has a unique roof with shallow eaves. A tall, strong tower stands at the front. It has special arches and windows.
Inside, the church has narrow side areas and strong internal supports. The main feature is a series of large arches that lead your eye to the chancel. The walls have green-blue stone in a wave-like pattern.
There are also sea themes inside. The marble floor shows images of local fish like skate and herring. These images are part of the "loaves and fishes" story from the Bible.
The priest at the time of the bombing, Canon Cuthbert Griffiths, helped with the inside design. After the old church was destroyed, he dreamed of Jesus preaching from a boat. He traveled to the Sea of Galilee and bought a boat. Its front (prow) was made into a pulpit for the new church.
St Leonard's Church Today
St Leonard's Church was given a special status by Historic England on September 25, 1998. It is listed as Grade II. This means it is a "nationally important" building.
Very few buildings built after 1945 get this status. It shows how special St Leonard's Church is.
The church is part of a shared parish with St Ethelburga's Church in nearby Bulverhythe.
St Ethelburga's is a brown-brick building designed in 1929. It has a tall clock tower.
The parish covers the coast to the south and stretches west towards Crowhurst. It also goes northeast along the railway line. The two churches became one parish again in 2009.
Due to problems with the building, St Leonard's Church officially closed for worship in 2018.
See also
