Churches - Bevendean History Project
St Annes Church, Burlington Street, Kemp Town
St
Ann’s Church was described as a handsome and striking example of
modern church architecture in the late 1860s. This was due to the skill
of the architect Mr. Benjamin Ferrey and the first incumbent under
whose personal supervision every ornamental item was introduced. The
church served one of the more prosperous areas of east Brighton.
The plans for the church began when Mrs. Maria Cook of Charlotte Street, Brighton, wished to build a church in the area to the memory of her son the Rev. Churchill Cook who had died in Malta. She willed a sum of money to produce an annual income of £167. 13. 4d which was augmented by a further sum on the death of her sister, Mrs. Weiton.
The site chosen was at the north end of Burlington Street on the grounds belonging to a Convent. © The Keep - Reference No: DB/D/134/6401.
Dr. Gilbert, at that time the Bishop of Chichester, asked the Vicar of Brighton, the Rev. Dr. H. M. Wagner, to find someone who would undertake to build a church and to be the first Vicar. This priest chosen was the Rev. A. Cooper who began raising money by personally contributing the sum of £2,000. The Vicar of Brighton gave £2,200. To make a total of £5,059.0.1d. The remainder of the cost was raised by special sermons and an annual appeal.
The Foundation stone was laid on Monday 16th June, 1862 and the church was consecrated on Saturday 13th June 1863 by the Bishop of Chichester, Dr. Gilbert.
The church when built was ready for Divine Worship, but was very bare by comparison with what it became later. There was no carved reredos, the pulpit was made of wood and the Vestry was in a corner where the font was later sited.
A photograph of the church c1915 showing the columns and arches which supported the roof. © The Keep – Reference: 1916-01 B&H Parochial Gazetteer
The Church consisted of nave, two side aisles, a chancel, with two chancel aisles, and an organ chamber which was a later addition. Also, there was a bell turret containing a single bell.
There were two entrances to St. Anne’s, both from Burlington Street, the building being accessible to the public only upon its eastern side.
The main door was at the south-east angle of the Church, and the choir door at the southern extremity of the east chancel aisle.
When the Church was first opened, although finely proportioned and well built, it was comparatively bare.
During the following 100 years much was done to enhance the interior of the building.
The photograph here is thought to have been taken in the 1920s or early 1930s. © The Keep - Reference No: ACC13739-80a
The Sanctuary
The oak altar rails were gifted by visitors as was the oak Sedilia [three seats]. The Alabaster walls and further decoration of the Reredos and the Walls of the Sanctuary, were the gifts of the Parishioners and friends".
The Altar with Reredos
This occupied the entire width of the Sanctuary, and had an inscription in gilt “Do this in remembrance of Me”. The centre recessed panel represented the Last Supper and showed our Lord standing with the Apostles seated. The altar was carved from a single piece of Caen stone decorated with carvings of delicately sculptured running vine patterns.
The columns
The capitals were carved with various designs of flowers, fruit and foliage.
Windows
The stained-glass windows were commissioned as memorials to family members.
The Vicar, the Rev. A. Cooper who resigned the living in 1909 saw many changes during his incumbency. From a parish of comparatively wealthy residents, it change into a parish of boarding houses.
The Rev. T. J. James, Senior, was appointed by the Vicar of Brighton to succeed the Rev. A. Cooper, and in the six years after 1909 much was done to the Church and parish, thanks to the many kind friends, however much more remained to be done.
In 1916 there was an excellent band of workers and a devoted and united congregation, consequently the parish had become the centre of great spiritual and social activity.
A faculty for erecting a new pulpit was granted on 16 September 1919, above is the Architects sketch for the construction.
During the life of the church a number of Faculties were granted for alterations and additions to the church.
Architects drawing of Pulpit. © The Keep - Reference No: PAR 263/4/2/4
The Bell Turret
A small bell turret was built at the northern end of the church when it was originally constructed.
On 12 October 1964 a faculty for the demolition of the bell turret was granted as it was considered unsafe. Then on 19 October 1966 a faculty was granted for the disposal of the bell.
The Organ and Choir Stalls
These were installed in 1874 and rebuilt in 1923 at a cost of £1,450. The choir stalls were not the original.
The War Memorial
A War Shrine to the memory of those killed in two Great Wars, also included Civilians who were members of this church. The window beside this was unique as the faces of the figures were of those to whom it was dedicated, two young officers, the Cotterell brothers, aged 18 and 22, who died in the battles of the Somme and Ypres.
St Anne’s Church in Burlington Street in Kemp Town c1930. © The Keep - Reference No: ACC13739/80b
The Baptistry
This was in the south west corner where the first Vestry stood. The font was of Caen stone and immediately beneath it were three sculptured heads Queen Victoria faced the Chancel: an Archbishop faced East; and a Bishop faced West. The cover for the Font was given by the children of St. Anne’s in 1910.
The Lady Chapel
The Lady Chapel was a memorial to the Rev. S Thomas (Priest) and to Dr Bright (Church Warden). It was finely constructed with an oak floor and altar rails, a solid oak table with frontal and canopy. The four gilt angels at the head of the posts were given by Mrs Dalton who also presented the Lectern, the whole of which is made of wood with a carved figure of Christ set in the front of it.
The church celebrated its centenary in 1963, when the photograph above of the sanctuary, altar and reredos were taken. © The Keep - Reference No: BHBox7b/15
St Anne’s Church Hall was built in St George's Road about 1912 as a memorial to John Nixon, and was later used as a community centre known as Kemptown Pier.
It was located on the corner of Crescent Place in St Georges Road which was close to Burlington Street. it was converted into flats and a shop in 2002.
By the late 1970's a dwindling congregation forced the closure of the church, and the parish was joined with that of St. George and St. Mark.
The Bishop of Lewes conducted a confirmation service on the 2nd of July 1974.
The last marriage in St Annes Church took place on the 26th of March 1983, and the last baptism took place on the 10th of April 1983.
St. Anne's church was finally demolished in 1986 and a block of flats called St Anne’s Court now occupies the site.
The plans for the church began when Mrs. Maria Cook of Charlotte Street, Brighton, wished to build a church in the area to the memory of her son the Rev. Churchill Cook who had died in Malta. She willed a sum of money to produce an annual income of £167. 13. 4d which was augmented by a further sum on the death of her sister, Mrs. Weiton.
The site chosen was at the north end of Burlington Street on the grounds belonging to a Convent. © The Keep - Reference No: DB/D/134/6401.
Dr. Gilbert, at that time the Bishop of Chichester, asked the Vicar of Brighton, the Rev. Dr. H. M. Wagner, to find someone who would undertake to build a church and to be the first Vicar. This priest chosen was the Rev. A. Cooper who began raising money by personally contributing the sum of £2,000. The Vicar of Brighton gave £2,200. To make a total of £5,059.0.1d. The remainder of the cost was raised by special sermons and an annual appeal.
The Foundation stone was laid on Monday 16th June, 1862 and the church was consecrated on Saturday 13th June 1863 by the Bishop of Chichester, Dr. Gilbert.
The church when built was ready for Divine Worship, but was very bare by comparison with what it became later. There was no carved reredos, the pulpit was made of wood and the Vestry was in a corner where the font was later sited.
A photograph of the church c1915 showing the columns and arches which supported the roof. © The Keep – Reference: 1916-01 B&H Parochial Gazetteer
The Church consisted of nave, two side aisles, a chancel, with two chancel aisles, and an organ chamber which was a later addition. Also, there was a bell turret containing a single bell.
There were two entrances to St. Anne’s, both from Burlington Street, the building being accessible to the public only upon its eastern side.
The main door was at the south-east angle of the Church, and the choir door at the southern extremity of the east chancel aisle.
When the Church was first opened, although finely proportioned and well built, it was comparatively bare.
During the following 100 years much was done to enhance the interior of the building.
The photograph here is thought to have been taken in the 1920s or early 1930s. © The Keep - Reference No: ACC13739-80a
The Sanctuary
The oak altar rails were gifted by visitors as was the oak Sedilia [three seats]. The Alabaster walls and further decoration of the Reredos and the Walls of the Sanctuary, were the gifts of the Parishioners and friends".
The Altar with Reredos
This occupied the entire width of the Sanctuary, and had an inscription in gilt “Do this in remembrance of Me”. The centre recessed panel represented the Last Supper and showed our Lord standing with the Apostles seated. The altar was carved from a single piece of Caen stone decorated with carvings of delicately sculptured running vine patterns.
The columns
The capitals were carved with various designs of flowers, fruit and foliage.
Windows
The stained-glass windows were commissioned as memorials to family members.
The Vicar, the Rev. A. Cooper who resigned the living in 1909 saw many changes during his incumbency. From a parish of comparatively wealthy residents, it change into a parish of boarding houses.
The Rev. T. J. James, Senior, was appointed by the Vicar of Brighton to succeed the Rev. A. Cooper, and in the six years after 1909 much was done to the Church and parish, thanks to the many kind friends, however much more remained to be done.
In 1916 there was an excellent band of workers and a devoted and united congregation, consequently the parish had become the centre of great spiritual and social activity.
A faculty for erecting a new pulpit was granted on 16 September 1919, above is the Architects sketch for the construction.
During the life of the church a number of Faculties were granted for alterations and additions to the church.
Architects drawing of Pulpit. © The Keep - Reference No: PAR 263/4/2/4
The Bell Turret
A small bell turret was built at the northern end of the church when it was originally constructed.
On 12 October 1964 a faculty for the demolition of the bell turret was granted as it was considered unsafe. Then on 19 October 1966 a faculty was granted for the disposal of the bell.
The Organ and Choir Stalls
These were installed in 1874 and rebuilt in 1923 at a cost of £1,450. The choir stalls were not the original.
The War Memorial
A War Shrine to the memory of those killed in two Great Wars, also included Civilians who were members of this church. The window beside this was unique as the faces of the figures were of those to whom it was dedicated, two young officers, the Cotterell brothers, aged 18 and 22, who died in the battles of the Somme and Ypres.
St Anne’s Church in Burlington Street in Kemp Town c1930. © The Keep - Reference No: ACC13739/80b
The Baptistry
This was in the south west corner where the first Vestry stood. The font was of Caen stone and immediately beneath it were three sculptured heads Queen Victoria faced the Chancel: an Archbishop faced East; and a Bishop faced West. The cover for the Font was given by the children of St. Anne’s in 1910.
The Lady Chapel
The Lady Chapel was a memorial to the Rev. S Thomas (Priest) and to Dr Bright (Church Warden). It was finely constructed with an oak floor and altar rails, a solid oak table with frontal and canopy. The four gilt angels at the head of the posts were given by Mrs Dalton who also presented the Lectern, the whole of which is made of wood with a carved figure of Christ set in the front of it.
The church celebrated its centenary in 1963, when the photograph above of the sanctuary, altar and reredos were taken. © The Keep - Reference No: BHBox7b/15
St Anne’s Church Hall was built in St George's Road about 1912 as a memorial to John Nixon, and was later used as a community centre known as Kemptown Pier.
It was located on the corner of Crescent Place in St Georges Road which was close to Burlington Street. it was converted into flats and a shop in 2002.
By the late 1970's a dwindling congregation forced the closure of the church, and the parish was joined with that of St. George and St. Mark.
The Bishop of Lewes conducted a confirmation service on the 2nd of July 1974.
The last marriage in St Annes Church took place on the 26th of March 1983, and the last baptism took place on the 10th of April 1983.
St. Anne's church was finally demolished in 1986 and a block of flats called St Anne’s Court now occupies the site.
