Two charitable trusts have awarded grants to a landmark church in Brighton for repairs that could lead to the scaffolding that has obscured St Peter’s for years finally to be removed.
The National Churches Trust said that it hoped that the grants would mean that the scaffolding could come down in the year when the congregation celebrates the 200th anniversary of St Peter’s.
The trust said: “The tower at St Peter’s Church has been a huge concern for years due to the eroding masonry and crumbling stone and rust.
“It is the reason why the church is on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.
“A community consultation found that 48 per cent of people could not tell if the church was open because of the scaffolding.
“The building is a much-loved local landmark and a lifeline to the local community. In 2007, 7,000 people signed a petition to keep the building open when it was set to close.
“It was then taken over by a Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) plant in 2009. Since then, it has grown into a lively and large congregation, investing a new energy into the life of the church and hosting five services every weekend.
“As well as this, every week the church helps more than 230 people who are homeless as part of Safehaven.
“There are also 120 children and young people that take part in the weekly activities at the church.
“The church also organises church tours for people interested in heritage and history – and welcomed hundreds of people last year.
“They are excited to welcome people through the upcoming Heritage Open Days in September.
“The grade II* Listed church is to share in a £735,326 urgent funding payout from the National Churches Trust.
“A £10,000 National Churches Trust grant will help to pay for urgent repairs to the tower. On the recommendation of the National Churches Trust, the church will also receive a £5,000 Wolfson fabric repair grant from the Wolfson Foundation.
“These grants will mean the church will be able to carry out urgent repairs to the building. It is hopeful that this will enable the scaffolding that is obscuring the church to finally be dismantled.
“While there will still be some work after this phase to keep the building watertight and in good condition, it is a huge achievement that the historic fabric of the building will be protected again.
“Without this project, there would have been further deterioration and the church would struggle to continue to host the wide-ranging community groups inside the building.”
The Rev Daniel Millest, vicar of St Peter’s church, said: “We are so thrilled to mark this significant milestone in the history of St Peter’s Church.
“For 200 years, this sacred space has been a home for the worship of Jesus, a centre for community life and a witness to the ever-changing story of Brighton.
“We are so grateful to the National Churches Trust and the Wolfson Foundation for this generous grant offer which will enable us to carry out this vital next phase of works of the tower restoration.
“As we celebrate our bicentennial, we invite everyone to join us in honouring the past, embracing the present and envisioning the future of St Peter’s and our city.”
National Churches Trust chief executive Claire Walker said: “The National Churches Trust is delighted to be able to support St Peter’s church to enable them to carry out urgent tower repairs to their beautiful building.
“Not only will this protect this important heritage but it will help to keep the church building open and serving local people.
“Whether seeking quiet reflection, access to community services or a place to worship, the National Churches Trust helps hundreds of churches each year and, with the support of local people, keeps them thriving today and tomorrow.”
Wolfson Foundation chief executive Paul Ramsbottom said: “Historic churches, essential to their communities, often face substantial challenges alongside expensive maintenance and repairs.
“We are delighted to continue to partner with the National Churches Trust to ensure these cherished buildings are preserved and maintained for future worshippers and visitors.”
The National Churches Trust added: “St Peter’s is an early work by Sir Charles Barry, a prominent architect who is perhaps most well known for designing the new Houses of Parliament.
“The grant will fund urgent structural repairs to the church including essential stone replacement and repointing to reduce damp. All of this will enable the church to finally remove the scaffolding around their beautiful building.”
A total of 87 churches across the country are expected stay open and in good repair as a result of £735,000 of funding awarded and recommended by the National Churches Trust in the latest round of grants. The trust awarded more than 180 grants in 2023, worth more than £2 million.
The trust helps churches of any Christian denomination that are open for regular worship to fund urgent repairs, maintenance, the installation of toilets or kitchens and feasibility studies to develop projects.
May as well tear it down.
Nobody has been able to see it for a decade, most people think it’s closed and empty, so it obviously isn’t missed.
A relic of a bygone age.
It could be used as a homeless shelter – maybe practice what they preach?
Edit:
I think after the revelation this week of further atrocities carried out by the church on people under their ‘care’, it may just be better to pull it down. The time has come to rid the world of religion in all its variants, and all reminders that people used to follow these cults.