St Michael and All Angels Church, Lowfield Heath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael and All Angels Church |
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The church from the north
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 St Michael and All Angels Church
Location in Crawley
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| 51°8′45″N 0°10′47″W / 51.14583°N 0.17972°W | |
| Location | Church Road, Lowfield Heath, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 0PQ |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Seventh-day Adventist |
| Previous denomination | Church of England |
| Website | https://gatwick.adventistchurch.org.uk/ |
| History | |
| Founded | 15 July 1867 |
| Dedicated | 1 December 1868 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Listed building – Grade II* |
| Architect(s) | William Burges |
| Style | French Gothic |
| Years built | 1867–1868 |
| Closed | 2004 (reopened 2008 as Horley Seventh-day Adventist Church) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | South England Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist |
| Diocese | Área 4 |
St Michael and All Angels Church is a special old church located in Lowfield Heath, a place near Crawley in West Sussex, England. It was built a long time ago, in 1867, by a famous architect named William Burges. He designed it in a cool style called French Gothic.
This church was once the heart of the small village of Lowfield Heath. However, over time, the village almost disappeared because London Gatwick Airport grew bigger and bigger. The church held its last service as an Anglican church in 2004. But don't worry, it reopened in 2008 as a Seventh-day Adventist place of worship!
The building is very important and has a special "Grade II* listed status." This means it's a "particularly important building" and has national importance. It's also the only building left from the old village before the airport took over. Now, it stands among modern warehouses and industrial buildings.
Contents
The Church's Story: From Village to Airport Neighbor
The area called Lowfield Heath started to grow around 1770. This was when the London to Brighton road became a "turnpike." A turnpike was a road where you had to pay a fee to use it. This road crossed the heath, and soon, a few farms and houses were built nearby.
How Lowfield Heath Village Grew
The heath was once "common land," meaning everyone could use it. But in 1827 and 1846, it was "enclosed." This meant the land was divided up and became private property. This change encouraged more people to build homes there. Lowfield Heath slowly grew into a small village. It even had its own school, a pub, and a post office.
Building the Church: A Gift to the Village
Lowfield Heath village was right on the border between Surrey and Sussex. A kind merchant gave some land in the middle of the village for a new church. This land used to grow damson fruits.
A very talented architect named William Burges was chosen to design the church. Burges was famous for his work on big projects like The Great Exhibition in London. He also designed Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral in Cork and later built amazing castles like Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch in Wales.
The Church Opens Its Doors
Work on the church began in 1867. The first stone, called the foundation stone, was laid on July 15, 1867. The church was officially opened and blessed in a special ceremony on December 1, 1868. Even though the village was small, it did well for the next 80 years. The church was seen as the most beautiful building there. Its importance was officially recognized on June 21, 1948, when it was given its Grade II* listed status.
The Airport Arrives: Changes for the Village
In the 1950s, the village started to shrink. This happened because Gatwick Aerodrome was chosen to become London Gatwick Airport, London's second big international airport.
Between the early 1950s and the early 1970s, almost every original building in the village was taken down. Only the church was left standing. The nearby town of Crawley grew very fast. Because of this, St Michael and All Angels Church was moved to be part of the Parish of Crawley.
Remembering the Lost Village
In 1989, a special service was held at the church. It was to remember the village that was lost. A plaque was put up near the entrance door. It says:
In commemoration of a service held in this church at Lowfield Heath on the 30th September 1989 for the occasion of a reunion of those who formed the village community at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 and whose homes and village were subsequently displaced by the development of Gatwick International Airport
Church Design: A Look at Its Architecture
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William Burges designed St Michael and All Angels Church in a French Gothic style. This style was popular in the 1200s. The outside of the church is made of small, regular blocks of yellow sandstone. This stone came from a nearby place called St Leonard's Forest. Some Bath Stone is also used for decoration.
Key Features of the Church
The church has a tower at its southwest corner. This tower has a wooden spire covered in shingles. At the western end, there's a narthex, which is an entrance hall. It has a large, round rose window on its west side.
On the north side, there's a vestry, a room used by the clergy. The main parts of the church are the chancel (where the altar is) and the nave (where the people sit). Around the rose window, there are carved panels. These carvings show the Four Ages of Man, representing different stages of life.
Inside the Church
The roofs inside the church are quite steep. They are made of pine wood in an arch shape. They have strong tie-beams and are supported by king posts. Paired columns, which are supported by carved brackets called corbels, hold up the arch leading to the chancel.
William Burges himself created many of the sculptures and carvings inside the church. You can also see beautiful stained glass windows from the 1800s and 1900s. The east wall has two tall, narrow windows called lancet windows, and another small rose window. The churchyard also has the graves of soldiers from World War I and a Royal Air Force officer from World War II.
The Church Today: A New Chapter
The Diocese of Chichester stopped using the church for services in 2004. They decided to find a new owner for the building. In March 2008, a Seventh-day Adventist group was allowed to use it as their place of worship.
This group, called Horley Seventh-Day Adventist Church, started in May 2005. They were a new church that grew from an Adventist community in London. They officially became a church in January 2008.
See also
- List of places of worship in Crawley
- Listed buildings in Crawley
