St Peter's Church, Aldrington
Encyclopedia
St Peter's Church is a Roman Catholic church in the Aldrington
area of Hove
, part of the English
city of Brighton and Hove. It is one of three Roman Catholic churches in Hove and one of eleven in the wider city area. Built between 1912 and 1915 in a red-brick Romanesque style
, its tall campanile
forms a local landmark. It has been listed at Grade II by English Heritage
in view of its architectural importance.
on Norton Road. Early in the 20th century, its priest paid £600 for a plot of land on Portland Road—a main road running westwards from Hove towards Aldrington and Portslade
—with the intention of establishing a new church there. A hall, dedicated to St Peter, was built on this site in 1902, and Mass was first celebrated there in 1904. It was part of the parish of the Church of the Sacred Heart. An architect called Dixon submitted plans for a new church in 1912; in September of that year the local Council granted permission for building work to begin, but his designs were abandoned and a different architect, Claude Kelly, was chosen. He submitted his own design in 1913.
A new priest was appointed in 1915, and he raised £9,000 (£ as of ) towards the building of Kelly's church. It was finished in August 1915. Claude Kelly's father John, who had designed dozens of churches in his architectural career, is believed to have been involved as well—he had been in partnership with his son since 1904—and another ecclesiastical architect, J. Marshall, may also have worked on the building.
St Peter's was not consecrated until 28 June 1927, after improvements were made to the internal fixtures. The original pew
s and pulpit
were replaced in 1929, and a parishioner provided the church with an organ
made by Henry Willis & Sons
.
. The roofs are of slate
. The nave
has six bays
and north and south aisles; the latter has three side chapels, and there is also a Lady chapel
with a round roof and two lancet window
s. The chancel
and apse
have a similar roof design. A presbytery
adjoins the northeastern side, and at the opposite corner is the building's landmark—a tall campanile
with bell-chamber
and copper roof. The entrance, flanked by pilaster
s, is at the west end below a rose window
. Described as "startling" by English Heritage
for its similarity to an Italian-style basilica, the church is also considered to have an impressive interior; there is much use of marble in various colours, and a barrel-vaulted ceiling
.
on 22 February 1988. It is one of 1,124 Grade II-listed buildings and structures, and 1,218 listed buildings of all grades, in the city of Brighton and Hove.
Mass is celebrated every weekday morning and on Saturday evenings; there are three Sunday Masses; and there are regular Eucharistic adoration
, Confession
and prayer sessions.
St Peter's is one of eleven Roman Catholic churches in Brighton and Hove. The Church of the Sacred Heart, its former mother church, and St George's Church in the suburb of West Blatchington
are also in Hove; there are six in Brighton
, and one each in Rottingdean
and Woodingdean
.
Aldrington
Aldrington is the name of an area of the city of Brighton and Hove, previously part of the old borough of Hove. For centuries it was meadow land along the English Channel stretching west from the old village of Hove to the old mouth of the River Adur, and it is now a prosperous residential area...
area of Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
, part of the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
city of Brighton and Hove. It is one of three Roman Catholic churches in Hove and one of eleven in the wider city area. Built between 1912 and 1915 in a red-brick Romanesque style
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
, its tall campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
forms a local landmark. It has been listed at Grade II by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
in view of its architectural importance.
History
Hove's first Roman Catholic church was the Church of the Sacred HeartChurch of the Sacred Heart, Hove
The Church of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic church in Hove, part of the English city of Brighton and Hove. It is the oldest of Hove's three Roman Catholic churches, and one of eleven in the city area...
on Norton Road. Early in the 20th century, its priest paid £600 for a plot of land on Portland Road—a main road running westwards from Hove towards Aldrington and Portslade
Portslade
Portslade is the name of an area of the city of Brighton and Hove, England. Portslade Village, the original settlement a mile inland to the north, was built up in the 16th century...
—with the intention of establishing a new church there. A hall, dedicated to St Peter, was built on this site in 1902, and Mass was first celebrated there in 1904. It was part of the parish of the Church of the Sacred Heart. An architect called Dixon submitted plans for a new church in 1912; in September of that year the local Council granted permission for building work to begin, but his designs were abandoned and a different architect, Claude Kelly, was chosen. He submitted his own design in 1913.
A new priest was appointed in 1915, and he raised £9,000 (£ as of ) towards the building of Kelly's church. It was finished in August 1915. Claude Kelly's father John, who had designed dozens of churches in his architectural career, is believed to have been involved as well—he had been in partnership with his son since 1904—and another ecclesiastical architect, J. Marshall, may also have worked on the building.
St Peter's was not consecrated until 28 June 1927, after improvements were made to the internal fixtures. The original pew
Pew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
s and pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
were replaced in 1929, and a parishioner provided the church with an organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
made by Henry Willis & Sons
Henry Willis & Sons
thumb|250px|St Bees Priory organ, the last major instrument to be personally supervised by "Father" Henry Willis, 1899Henry Willis & Sons is a British firm of pipe organ builders founded in 1845 in Liverpool. Although most of their installations have been in the UK, examples can be found in other...
.
Architecture
The church is built of red brick in a stretcher bond patternBrickwork
Brickwork is masonry produced by a bricklayer, using bricks and mortar to build up brick structures such as walls. Brickwork is also used to finish corners, door, and window openings, etc...
. The roofs are of slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
has six bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
and north and south aisles; the latter has three side chapels, and there is also a Lady chapel
Lady chapel
A Lady chapel, also called Mary chapel or Marian chapel, is a traditional English term for a chapel inside a cathedral, basilica, or large church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary...
with a round roof and two lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s. The chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
have a similar roof design. A presbytery
Presbytery (architecture)
The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building which is reserved for the clergy.In the oldest church it is separated by short walls, by small columns and pilasters in the Renaissance ones; it can also be raised, being reachable by a few steps, usually with railings....
adjoins the northeastern side, and at the opposite corner is the building's landmark—a tall campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
with bell-chamber
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
and copper roof. The entrance, flanked by pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s, is at the west end below a rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
. Described as "startling" by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
for its similarity to an Italian-style basilica, the church is also considered to have an impressive interior; there is much use of marble in various colours, and a barrel-vaulted ceiling
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
.
The church today
St Peter's Church was listed at Grade II by English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
on 22 February 1988. It is one of 1,124 Grade II-listed buildings and structures, and 1,218 listed buildings of all grades, in the city of Brighton and Hove.
Mass is celebrated every weekday morning and on Saturday evenings; there are three Sunday Masses; and there are regular Eucharistic adoration
Eucharistic adoration
Eucharistic adoration is a practice in the Roman Catholic Church, and in a few Anglican and Lutheran churches, in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed to and adored by the faithful....
, Confession
Sacrament of Penance (Catholic Church)
In the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is the method by which individual men and women may be freed from sins committed after receiving the sacrament of Baptism...
and prayer sessions.
St Peter's is one of eleven Roman Catholic churches in Brighton and Hove. The Church of the Sacred Heart, its former mother church, and St George's Church in the suburb of West Blatchington
West Blatchington
West Blatchington is an area in Hove, East Sussex, England.The area grew rapidly in the inter-war period, but unlike nearby Hangleton it had more infrastructure, with St Peter's Church, a working farm, a windmill and an industrial area grouped around the Goldstone Pumping Station and its workers'...
are also in Hove; there are six in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, and one each in Rottingdean
Rottingdean
Rottingdean is a coastal village next to the town of Brighton and technically within the city of Brighton and Hove, in East Sussex, on the south coast of England...
and Woodingdean
Woodingdean
Woodingdean is an eastern suburb of the city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, separated from the main part of the city by downland and the Brighton Racecourse.-Source of name:...
.