Christ Church St. Leonards
| Christ Church St. Leonards |
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Christ Church St. Leonards was built specifically for the poor and was a mission church as were most Anglo Catholic churches of the period.
The original church was where Renaissance House is by the bus stop and was constructed between 1859 and 1860, with an extra floor being added to this building in 1896. In 1872, during a Christmas service, some greenery which had been suspended above a gas light caught fire, much to the consternation of the congregation, however the conflagration was quickly extinguished and the service able to continue[1].
The larger, current, church was built around 1875 on the junction of London Road and Silchester Road. It was funded by Lady St. John who disagreed with the poor having nowhere to sit at St. Mary Magdalene because they couldn't afford the pew seats. Her son was first rector and later the school was added. Guilds and clubs were set up to keep people out of the pubs and off the street. The new church was not bombed during WW2 because apparently the Luftwaffe used the steeple as a marker point in their way to the East End. The new church was built on the site of the quarry from which the stones used in the construction of both buildings were mined.
In May 1927, an extension to the church was completed on the western side of the building and a weathervane in the form of a golden galleon was placed on the roof.[2]
Incumbents
1863: Rev. J. S. Bartlett[3]
Images
References & Notes
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 28 December 1872 Pg. 0003
- ↑ Hastings & St Leonards Observer 21 May 1927 pg. 16
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Illustrated London News 21 November 1863 Pg. 0007
