St Mary's Church, Hampden Park, Eastbourne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| St Mary the Virgin Church | |
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The church from the south
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 St Mary's Church
Location in East Sussex
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| 50°47′49″N 0°16′18″E / 50.7969°N 0.2717°E | |
| Location | Decoy Drive, Hampden Park, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN22 9PP |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Modern Catholic |
| Website | [1] |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1908 |
| Dedication | Mary |
| Events | 1940: original church bombed |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 25 September 1998 |
| Architect(s) | William Hay Murray (original church); Edward Maufe (present church) |
| Style | Perpendicular Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1952 |
| Completed | 1954 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Hampden Park: St Mary |
| Benefice | Hampden Park |
| Deanery | Eastbourne |
| Archdeaconry | Lewes and Hastings |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church, also known as St Mary the Virgin Church, is a special Anglican church in Hampden Park, a part of Eastbourne. Eastbourne is a town in East Sussex, England. This church serves the local community as a parish church, which means it is the main church for that area.
The first church building was sadly destroyed by a bomb during World War II. After the war, a famous architect named Edward Maufe designed the new church. It was finished in 1954 and stands on a small hill. Many people think it is one of his most beautiful designs. The building is so important that English Heritage has given it a special status called Grade II listing. This means it is protected for its history and amazing design.
Contents
The History of St Mary's Church
Early Days of Hampden Park
Before the 1800s, the area where Eastbourne is now was mostly empty land with a few small villages. The oldest village, called Bourne (now the Old Town), had the main church for the area. Over time, Eastbourne grew, especially along the coast. By the early 1900s, new neighborhoods started to appear further inland, near roads and the railway.
One of these new areas was Hampden Park. At first, people living here went to the old church in a nearby village called Willingdon.
Building the First Church
In 1888, the Hampden Park railway station opened, and more homes were built nearby. By 1906, the vicar (a church leader) from Willingdon thought Hampden Park needed its own small church. This type of church is called a chapel of ease.
He received help from Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon and his wife, Marie. The Marquess gave the land for the church. His wife, Marie, organized a concert that raised £200 for the building. On May 2, 1908, she laid the first stone of the chapel. The church opened in November of that year.
The first church was designed by architect William Hay Murray. It was built with red brick, stone, and tiles, and had a simple, traditional style.
A New Church After the War
In 1939, people tried to make St Mary's Church a separate parish church, but World War II stopped this plan. On October 10, 1940, a German plane dropped a bomb that destroyed the church. Only the bell tower was left standing.
For a while, a temporary building was used as the church. But a permanent church was needed to become a separate parish. In 1948, the Diocese of Chichester asked Edward Maufe to design a new church. Maufe was a very well-known architect who had designed Guildford Cathedral.
Work on the new church began in 1952 and was finished in 1954. At the same time, another church, St Peter's, was being built nearby. In 1953, beautiful stained glass windows were put into St Mary's. They were designed by Moira Forsyth, who had also worked with Edward Maufe on other projects.
Reverend Donald Carpenter was the first vicar of the new church and served for 21 years. A clock on the church tower remembers his time there. Between 2000 and 2006, the church was repaired and improved.
The Design of St Mary's Church
A Special Architectural Style
St Mary's Church was one of the first churches built after World War II to get listed status. People have praised its "sculptural quality" inside and its "attractive" design. The style is called Perpendicular Gothic Revival, but Edward Maufe gave it his own special touch.
Architectural experts say it shows Maufe's unique style. It's a simpler version of the Perpendicular Gothic style, with some features of traditional local buildings.
Outside the Church
The church has a main area called a nave, with side sections called aisles. It also has a chancel and a rounded end called an apse. There's a small bell tower at the front corner and a larger tower at the back. The walls are made of brick and painted white.
The church stands on a low hill, and its wide tower makes it easy to spot among the surrounding houses. The roof is gently sloped and covered with red tiles. The tower has a clock and two pointed arch openings on each side. The main entrance is at the front, under a decorative arch. Above the entrance is a tall, simple window.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church is painted a grayish-white, and the ceiling is light blue. At the front, there's a balcony. The main area of the church has pointed concrete arches that separate the nave from the aisles. These arches are simple, without fancy decorations, similar to another church Maufe designed in London.
Some parts of the interior design were inspired by churches in Scandinavia. Each section of the aisle has a square window with a wooden frame and leaded glass. Near the main altar, there are stone seats for the clergy. The ceiling above the altar is decorated with stars.
The church also has beautiful wooden altar rails, a stone font for baptisms with a wooden cover, and a stone pulpit where sermons are given.
St Mary's Church Today
Listed Building Status
St Mary's Church was given Grade II listed status by English Heritage on September 25, 1998. This means it is a "nationally important" building with "special interest." In 2001, it was one of only a few buildings built after 1945 in Eastbourne to have this status. Buildings from after 1945 need to be extra special to be listed.
The Parish and Services
The church serves the Hampden Park area in northern Eastbourne. Its boundaries stretch from the railway line to the edge of the town.
Another church, St Peter's Church in the Hydneye area, is also part of the same church group as St Mary's. St Peter's Church was started in 1953. Some stained glass from an older St Peter's Church, which was taken down in 1971, was moved to the new building.
St Mary's Church holds services in a modern Anglican style. Every Sunday, there is a morning Holy Communion service using the Book of Common Prayer. There is also another service later in the morning on most Sundays. An additional Holy Communion service is held on Thursday mornings.
See also
- List of places of worship in Eastbourne
- Listed buildings in Eastbourne
