St Patrick's Church, Hove facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Patrick, Hove
The church from the southeast
50°49′33.54″N 0°9′27.62″W / 50.8259833°N 0.1576722°W / 50.8259833; -0.1576722
Denomination	Church of England
History
Dedication	Saint Patrick
Administration
Deanery	Rural Deanery of Hove
Archdeaconry	Chichester
Diocese	Chichester
Province	Canterbury

St Patrick's Church is an Anglican church located in Hove, a city in England. You can find it on Cambridge Road, near the border with Brighton. This church is still an active place of worship today. Since 1985, St Patrick's has focused on helping people experiencing homelessness. It used to have a night shelter and still runs a hostel for homeless individuals. The church stopped being a regular parish in 2015. Now, the Chemin Neuf Community helps lead the church's mission. The current leader of this mission is the Revd Tim Watson.

History of St Patrick's Church

Building a New Church in Hove

The area around the church, called the Brunswick Estate, started to be built up in 1824. This land was once part of Wick Farm. By 1851, Sir Isaac Goldsmid, 1st Baronet began developing this area quickly for homes.

The closest church, St Andrew's Church, was quite far from these new houses. Also, it was mostly used by wealthy families. It had only a few free seats, which made it hard for poorer residents to attend. Because of this, an Irish priest named Dr James O'Brien decided to build a new church. This church was a special kind called a proprietary chapel. This meant he owned and ran it himself, earning money from things like pew rents.

Construction and Early Names

Construction of the church began in July 1857. It officially opened on October 20, 1858. The Bishop of Chichester, Dr Ashurst Turner Gilbert, attended the first service.

In its first few years, the church was known as St James' Church. In 1865, its name changed to St Patrick's and St James'. Finally, in 1868, it became known simply as St Patrick's. The church cost nearly £13,500 to build. Money from renting out some of the church seats helped cover these costs.

Becoming a Parish Church

On August 21, 1885, St Patrick's Church was given its own parish. This happened under the leadership of Rev. Ridley Daniel-Tyssen. He was one of Dr O'Brien's nephews and took charge of the church after his uncle passed away.

Later, in the late 20th century, St Patrick's parish joined with that of St Andrew's Church. St Andrew's Church closed in 1990. St Patrick's parish now covers the area between Holland Road, Lansdowne Road, the Brighton/Hove boundary, and the seafront.

The Revd Dr Steven Underdown became the Priest-in-Charge of St Patrick's in October 2009. He had been involved with the church in the 1980s and 1990s.

Architecture of St Patrick's

Church Design and Materials

Only the eastern side of St Patrick's Church can be seen from the road. The architect who designed it was Henry Edward Kendall Jr.. He used the Early English Gothic style for the building. The church was built using Kentish ragstone with stone details and a slate roof. An octagonal tower was started but never finished, so only a small part of it remains.

Inside, the church has a chancel (the area around the altar), side chapels, a main area called an aisled nave, and a narthex (an entrance hall) to the south. The chancel has special stencils and paintings from the 1890s. Its roof is a hammerbeam roof, which is a type of open timber roof. The nave roof has windows that stick out, called clerestory windows. An organ built by Henry Willis & Sons was put in the church in 1865. It was moved about 40 years later.

Special Features and Artworks

Many famous architects helped design parts of the church's interior. William Butterfield designed two windows, including one for Dr O'Brien and his wife. He also designed the lectern, which is a stand for reading. This lectern is made of brass and features an eagle and St Patrick.

A red sandstone reredos (a screen behind the altar) showing the Crucifixion of Jesus was added in 1887 by Somers Clarke. Sir George Gilbert Scott designed the pulpit, which is where sermons are given. Other interesting features include several stained glass windows, a font made of alabaster, and a set of Stations of the Cross which are framed oil paintings. There are also frescoes (wall paintings) in memory of Octavia O'Brien and a memorial for Rev. Daniel-Tyssen. Both he and his uncle were buried at St Andrew's Church in Hove.

Early Criticisms and Music

In its early years, St Patrick's Church received some criticism. People commented on its appearance and the style of its services. One person described it as "spacious without grandeur and ornate without grace." The first decorations inside were called "primitive." Even though it now has many beautiful stained glass windows, they were all added after the church first opened.

Dr O'Brien, who was the church's leader, loved using music in Christian worship. For many decades, St Patrick's was known for its amazing music and large choir. However, some people at the time did not like such "High Church" practices. Because of its focus on music, the church was sometimes jokingly called "Paddy's Music Hall."

Monastic Community

In 1985, Dr Eric Kemp, the Bishop of Chichester, invited a group of Anglican monks to St Patrick's. This group was called the Community of the Servants of the Will of God (CSWG). Their main monastery was in Crawley Down, about thirty miles north of Brighton & Hove. In June 1985, six monks moved into a house near the church. They turned it into a monastery called The Monastery of Christ the Saviour. However, the community was not large enough to continue this project, so they later left.

Homeless Hostel at St Patrick's

St Patrick's Church is now well-known in the city for its work with homeless people. This work began in the winter of 1985. The priest at the time, Father Alan Sharpe, allowed two homeless people to sleep in the church. This continued, and more homeless people were invited to stay overnight.

In 1987, the narthex (the entrance area of the church) was turned into a special night shelter. A charity called The Lorica Trust was created to raise money for this work. This trust aimed to expand the shelter and use more of the church space to help homeless people. The shelter grew to 12 beds by 1993 and 22 beds by 1999. It then moved to the northern part of the church.

The night shelter closed in 2012. The remaining hostel is now managed by Riverside, a group that provides social housing in the UK. The hostel no longer accepts people who just walk in. Instead, it only takes referrals from Brighton and Hove Council's Rough Sleepers Street Services Team. People usually stay for at least three months, with an average stay of 12 to 18 months.

See also

• Grade II listed buildings in Brighton and Hove: S
• List of places of worship in Brighton and Hove