St Mary Star of the Sea Church, Hastings facts for kids
St Mary Star of the Sea Church is a Roman Catholic church in Hastings, East Sussex, England. It was built between 1882 and 1883. The church was designed by Basil Champneys. You can find it on the High Street, near The Bourne, in the Old Town part of Hastings. The church was started by a group called the Pallottines. It is also a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected. English Heritage, a group that looks after historical places, has called the church a "well crafted building of high quality."
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| St Mary Star of the Sea Church | |
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| 50°51′34″N 0°35′40″E / 50.8595°N 0.5944°E | |
| OS grid reference | TQ8268209871 |
| Location | Hastings, East Sussex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | www.stmarystarofthesea.net |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Our Lady, Star of the Sea |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 14 September 1976 |
| Architect(s) | Basil Champneys |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1882 |
| Completed | 2 July 1883 |
| Construction cost | £15,000 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | St Leonards-on-Sea |
| Diocese | Arundel and Brighton |
| Province | Southwark |
Contents
History of the Church
How the Church Started
A famous poet named Coventry Patmore helped pay for a large part of the church's building costs. In 1875, he and his wife moved to Hastings. Sadly, his wife, Marianne, passed away in 1880. After this, he contacted the Pallottines to talk about building a church in Hastings.
The Pallottines bought the land where the church now stands. It used to be an old farmhouse located between the High Street and The Bourne. Patmore decided to give £5,300 towards building the church. This was a big help, as the total cost was £15,000.
Building the Church
In 1882, the first stone for the church was laid by Dr. William Weathers, a bishop. The church's architect, Basil Champneys, was a friend of Coventry Patmore. The church was built on top of a special underground room called a crypt.
While the church was being built, the crypt was used for church services for the local Catholic community. The church officially opened on 2 July 1883. After the church was finished, the space under it was used as a school until 1955. This was St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School. It later moved to a new location near the Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and English Martyrs in St Leonards-on-Sea.
In 1891, the beautiful screen behind the altar, called a reredos, and the altar itself were officially dedicated. These two parts cost £1,500.
Church Services Today
The church is still looked after by the Pallottines. They hold three Sunday services every weekend:
- Saturday at 6:00pm
- Sunday at 10:00am
- Sunday at 11:30am
There is also a special service in Polish on the first Sunday of every month at 6:00pm. Weekday services are held from Tuesday to Saturday at 10:00am.
More to Explore
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton
- List of places of worship in Hastings
