St Peter's Church, Brighton
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- This article is about a church in Brighton. For others dedicated to St. Peter, see St. Peter's Church.
St. Peter's Church, Brighton |
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| The Church of Saint Peter, Brighton, seen from the liturgical West. | |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
|---|---|
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Tradition | High Church |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Brighton, St Peter |
| Deanery | Brighton |
| Archdeaconry | Chichester |
| Diocese | Chichester |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Clergy | |
| Vicar | Rev David Biggs |
| Assistant | Rev Michael Forrest |
| Deacon | Rev Julie Newson |
| Other | |
| Organist/Director of Music | John Ross |
| Organist | Jon Hunt |
| Website | www.stpeterschurchbrighton.org.uk |
The Church of Saint Peter (commonly referred to as Saint Peter's Church) is an Anglican church in Brighton, England. It stands near the centre of the town, on an island between two major roads, the A23 "London Road" and A270 "Lewes Road". Built from 1824-28 to a design by Sir Charles Barry, it is arguably the finest example of the pre-Victorian Gothic Revival style. It has been the parish church of Brighton since 1873.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
The church of St. Peter was originally created as a chapel of ease associated with Brighton's oldest church and its existing parish church, St. Nicholas. The contract to design the new church was won in open competition by Charles Barry, then only in his mid-twenties. It was built in an approximation of the 14th- and 15th-century Perpendicular or Late Gothic style, typical of the so-called Commissioner's Churches, of which Saint Peter's was one. This was by no means to be a studious revival of its style in the manner of Barry's pupil Augustus Pugin, but, to quote Nikolaus Pevsner, "(it) remedies this fault by remarkable inventiveness and boldness".
The foundation stone was laid by the Vicar of Brighton, Rev. R. J. Carr D.D., on 8 May 1824,[2] at a location which was at the time "the entrance to the town"[3] but which is now in the city centre, following the rapid development of Brighton since that date. The ceremony of consecration was led by the same man on 25 January 1828.
A spire was designed by Barry in 1841, but it was never built. The side aisles originally had galleries (such as those to be seen at churches such as Christ Church, Spitalfields), but these were taken down, as were so many, as a result of the cultural and liturgical changes made in the wake of the Oxford Movement.
Barry's hexagonal apse was demolished in 1898 to make way for a much larger, straight-ended chancel designed by Somers Clarke and J. T. Mickelthwaite, built in Sussex sandstone, its warm hue contrasting with the cold, white appearance of the Portland stone in which the rest of the church was built. The building work continued until 1906.[4] The new chancel, which is 53 feet (16.2m) long and 35 feet (10.7m) wide,[5] was consecrated in the presence of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Randall Thomas Davidson.
The church has a selection of stained glass windows, most of which are by Charles Eamer Kempe. The liturgical east side (geographical north) has a window commemorating Queen Victoria, presented to the church on behalf of the people of Brighton[6] using funds raised in the town.[7]
The church remains a place of worship in the present day, but there has been some talk of closing the church, due to dwindling congregations and subsidence caused by the small River Steine, also known as the Wellsbourne, which runs underneath it. In December 2007, after a long period of consultation, the Diocesan Pastoral Committee sent their recommendation that St Peter's should be made redundant to the Church Commissioners. However, there is some local opposition to this, and the decision has not been finalised.
[edit] The cultural life of Saint Peter's
St. Peter's is a firm member of the High Church Anglo-Catholic sector of Anglicanism. It has two choirs: the 24-stong main choir is entirely male, but a second one - entirely female - was founded in 2001. The Ladies' Choir currently has only 10 members. The two choirs often sing together.
St. Peter's is also the proud owner of a large and fine pipe organ [8] built in 1888 for the Hampstead Conservatoire of Music by Henry Willis [9] and brought to Brighton in 1910. It is the sole survivor of three almost identical instruments in the town, the others having been at the Dome Pavilion[10] and in Hove Town Hall.[11] The latter is now at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree,[12] while the former was broken up in the 1930s. It is almost identical to the famous organ in Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Truro.
[edit] Photo gallery
 The West end and War Memorial |
 The arch in the liturgical West face of the tower |
 Three windows on the liturgical South side of the later Chancel |
 Two windows, on the liturgical South side, the one on the left in the original Nave, the one on the right in the later Chancel |
 A window on the liturgical South side of the original Nave |
 Looking across the church from the liturgical South-East - with the contrejours filter. |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Dale, Antony (1989): Brighton Churches, page 22. Routledge, London. ISBN 0-415-00863-8.
- ^ Harrison, Frederick (1934): The Parish Church of Brighton, page 9. The Southern Counties Publishing & Advertising Co. Ltd, Hove.
- ^ Hamilton Maugham, H. (1922): Some Brighton Churches, page 17. Faith Press Ltd, London.
- ^ Harrison, page 18.
- ^ Harrison, page 13.
- ^ Hamilton Maugham, page 20.
- ^ Harrison, page 12.
- ^ NPOR - Brighton, St Peter's: the Willis organ. The National Pipe Organ Register. British Institute of Organ Studies (2003). Retrieved on 2007-03-10.
- ^ NPOR - Hampstead Academy of Music: the Willis organ. The National Pipe Organ Register. British Institute of Organ Studies (2003). Retrieved on 2007-03-10.
- ^ The National Pipe Organ Register.
- ^ The National Pipe Organ Register.
- ^ The National Pipe Organ Register.
