Brighton: St Saviour
Overview
Grid reference: TQ 314 57
By Edmund Scott and F.T. Cawthorn, 1886. The name of Edmund Scott, a local architect, is most usually associated with the immense church of St. Bartholomew, built under the direction of The Revd. Arthur Douglas Wagner in 1872-4. But that church, built as it was under Fr. Wagner's close supervision, seems not to have been typical of Scott's work if the other churches built by him are considered
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Five-bay nave with north and south aisles; south porch placed at the mid-point, north porch in the eastern bay; chancel with south tower (never completed above lowest stage) forming organ chamber and north vestry.
Description of Archaeology and History
By Edmund Scott and F.T. Cawthorn, 1886. The name of Edmund Scott, a local architect, is most usually associated with the immense church of St. Bartholomew, built under the direction of The Revd. Arthur Douglas Wagner in 1872-4. But that church, built as it was under Fr. Wagner's close supervision, seems not to have been typical of Scott's work if the other churches built by him are considered. The two most relevant to St. Saviour's are St. Mary's Buxted (also for Fr. Wagner, of 1885-6) and St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Keymer (of 1866). The three churches show in common various features such as flint-faced walling (or crazy paving Kentish ragstone at Keymer), asymmetrical placing of short towers (two at the south-west and that at St. Saviour's at the south-east as a result of the fall of the site), and a general use of Gothic details without any real sympathy for the style. Scott also remodelled the east ends of two early nineteenth-century classical churches in Brighton.
Exterior Description
From Ditchling Road, the east end and south flank of the church are seen. The former has a five-light window of Perpendicular design in the east gable, while above the north vestry are three wide lancets and to the south is a single lancet of the same shape. On the south side of the chancel stands the ground stage of an unfinished tower; this consists simply of a massive square with a doorway in the south wall and a tiny lancet light in the east wall, the unbuttressed angles built of red brick quoins. In the north-east angle is the rectangular projection, also of brick, which houses the staircase. The tower is cut off above this level, obviously unfinished and provided with a small timber bell-cote housing the single bell. At the south east corner of the tower is an arch opening to a path parallel with the south aisle, leading to the south porch. Apart from those occupied by the porch under a hipped roof, and a similar porch farther east of the north side, each bay of the north and south aisles is pierced by paired lancets of the same wide proportions as those in the chancel. The walls being low, and there being no clerestory, the expanse of tiled roof-surface is oppressively vast in area.
The treatment of the roof provides the only original feature of the building (which is invisible from Ditchling Road but best seen from the platforms of the railway station across the valley) and that is the way in which the aisle roofs are hipped at the west end, thus embracing the west gable of the nave, a feature which was to be used much more suavely at the west end of St. Jude, Hampstead Garden Suburb by Lutyens (finished in 1933, twenty years after the rest of the church). The west wall of the nave is pierced by tall paired lancets without tracery.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1889
The east window survives in situ, although almost entirely obscured by the reredos; it shows five Scenes from the Life of Christ.
Stained Glass
c.1901
North aisle I: Christ with the Children.
Stained Glass
1953
North aisle II : The Resurrection
Stained Glass
c.1923
North aisle III: Mary of Bethany.
Stained Glass
1906
South aisle I: Christ the Sower.
Stained Glass
c.1927
South aisle II : Sir Galahad
Stained Glass
c.1928
South aisle III : St George
Stained Glass
c.1915
South aisle IV: Christ the Good Shepherd.
Interior
Interior Description
The nave is long and spacious, with arcades supported on round stone piers with octagonal capitals, the archos being of two orders of which the inner is stone and the outer red brick. The walls are otherwise plastered and painted, the lack of a clerestory causing a gloomy atmosphere which is only partly dispelled by light from the tall west windows. The roof structure is carried on plain corbels and consists of a simple design of tie-beams and kingposts with arch braces above and below the tie-beams. The brick arches of the window reveals are left exposed.
The chancel arch is panelled on the soffit with plain two centred arches, and the chancel beyond a low stone wall is in the same routine manner as the nave. Since the east window has been blocked by a great reredos of marble and alabaster from Chichester Cathedral, most of the light now comes from three lancets above the vestry in the north wall and one at a similar height in the south wall. Below the latter are sedilia under two cusped ogee arches carried on a central colonette of polished marble, and to the west of this an arch opens into the organ chamber. The case of the organ projects into the chancel, and is constructed of oak. On the north side of the chancel is a small door with a Caernarvon head which opens into the sacristy; near this, within the sanctuary, is a piscina. The floor is laid with series of four tiles making up a circular motif and the timber roof is panelled to give the effect of a vault.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
The altar is a plain oak table, with Gothic arcaded front.
Reredos
1870
The reredos is the most important piece in the church; it was not designed for this church, and is completely overwhelmingin scale within the modest sanctuary. It was, indeed, designed in 1870 by Slater and Carpenter for Chichester Cathedral, where it stood, amidst continuous criticism, for nearly forty years, being finally moved to Brighton in 1907. It consists of a large gabled tabernacle in the Early English style enshrin ing a relief of the Ascension carved to life-size, the figure of Christ in bas-relief against a vesica encircled by angels, and the disciples kneeling in the foreground modelled almost in the round. Beneath the relief is a row of small panels filled with brightly-coloured mosaic. The monumental arch itself is carried on grouped shafts of grey and pink marble with foliate capitals, the arch being rather Italianate in style both in the cusped motif of the outer order of moulding and in the opus sectile work in the panel between the arch and the gabled superstructure. The outer edge of the gable is ornamented with projecting brackets (also of stone) which appear to have been intended for statues.
Pulpit
c.1901
The pulpit is a stock design of c.1901, with figures of Saints painted in trefoiled niches. Round the base is an inscription commemorating the reign of Queen Victoria. The brass handrail to the steps is supported on twisted uprights.
Lectern
20th Century
The lectern is an oak eagle, slightly later in the twentieth century than the pulpit in date.
Font (object)
The font is octagonal, on an octagonal stem with fleurons in lozenges on each face of the bowl.
Font (component)
1911
Font cover of oak.
Organ (object)
A three manual instrument by Morgan and Smith of Brighton, three manuals and twenty-eight speaking stops; the case, facing chancel and aisle through separate arches, in oak in a spiky Gothic style.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TQ 314 57
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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