St Peter's Church, Aldrington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church
The church from the southwest
50°50′01″N 0°11′06″W / 50.8335°N 0.1849°W / 50.8335; -0.1849
Location	Portland Road, Aldrington, Brighton and Hove BN3 5GD
Country	England
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	www.stpeters-hove.org.uk/
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1904 (as church hall)
Dedication	Saint Peter
Consecrated	28 June 1927
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II listed
Designated	22 February 1988
Architect(s)	Claude Kelly
Style	Romanesque Revival
Groundbreaking	1913
Completed	August 1915
Administration
Parish	Hove, St Peter
Deanery	Brighton and Hove
Diocese	Arundel and Brighton

St Peter's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Aldrington, a part of Hove in the city of Brighton and Hove, England. It's one of several Catholic churches in the area. This church was built between 1912 and 1915. It has a special red-brick style called Romanesque. Its tall bell tower, known as a campanile, is a well-known sight in the area. St Peter's Church is also a "Grade II listed building," which means it's an important historical building.

History of St Peter's Church

Hove's very first Roman Catholic church was the Church of the Sacred Heart, Hove. In the early 1900s, the priest from that church bought some land on Portland Road. This was a main road leading west from Hove. The idea was to build a new church there.

Building the First Hall

A hall, named after St Peter, was built on this land in 1902. The first church service, called Mass, was held there in 1904. For a while, this hall was part of the Church of the Sacred Heart's area, known as its parish. But in 1920, it became its own separate parish.

Designing the New Church

In 1912, an architect named Dixon drew up plans for a new church building. The local Council approved these plans in September of that year. However, Dixon's designs were not used. Instead, a different architect named Claude Kelly was chosen. He submitted his own design in 1913. His design was similar to another church he had designed in 1909, called St Saviour's Church, Lewisham.

Completing the Building

A new priest arrived in 1915. He helped raise a lot of money, about £9,000, to build Claude Kelly's church. The church building was finished in August 1915. Claude Kelly's father, John Kelly, was also an architect who designed many churches. It's thought he might have helped with St Peter's Church too, as he had worked with his son since 1904. Another church architect, J. Marshall, might also have worked on the building.

Consecration and Improvements

St Peter's Church was officially dedicated, or "consecrated," on June 28, 1927. This happened after some improvements were made inside the church. In 1929, the original church benches (pews) and the stand where the priest speaks (pulpit) were replaced. A person from the church community also gave the church a new organ made by Henry Willis & Sons.

Architecture and Design

St Peter's Church is built using red bricks. The bricks are laid in a pattern called a "stretcher bond." The roofs of the church are made of slate.

Inside the Church

The main part of the church, called the nave, has six sections. There are also side areas called north and south aisles. The south aisle has three small chapels. There is also a special chapel dedicated to Mary, called a Lady chapel, which has a round roof and two tall, narrow windows. The front part of the church, where the altar is, called the chancel and apse, has a similar roof design.

Outside the Church

Next to the church, on the northeast side, is the presbytery. This is where the priests live. On the opposite corner is the church's most famous feature: a tall campanile, or bell tower. It has a special room for bells and a copper roof. The main entrance to the church is at the west end. It has columns on either side and a large round window above it, called a rose window.

Unique Style

Experts have described the church as "startling" because it looks so much like an Italian-style basilica. The inside of the church is also very impressive. It uses a lot of colorful marble. The ceiling is shaped like a half-cylinder, which is called a barrel-vaulted ceiling.

In 2019, the plain glass in the rose window was replaced. A new rose window was designed by DTForsdyke and made by DTForsdyke & Silver Stained Glass. This new window was created to celebrate the church's 100th anniversary.

St Peter's Church Today

St Peter's Church was officially recognized as a "Grade II listed building" by English Heritage on February 22, 1988. This means it is considered an important building that needs to be protected. It is one of many listed buildings in the city of Brighton and Hove.

Church Services

Church services, called Mass, are held every weekday morning. There is also a Mass on Saturday evenings. On Sundays, there are three different Masses. The church also holds regular times for Eucharistic adoration, Confession, and prayer sessions.

Local Catholic Churches

St Peter's is one of eleven Roman Catholic churches in the wider area of Brighton and Hove. The Church of the Sacred Heart, which was once its main church, is also in Hove. St George's Church in West Blatchington is another Catholic church in Hove. There are six Catholic churches in Brighton itself, and one each in Rottingdean and Woodingdean.

See also

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