St Mary’s Kemp Town - Visit the Church and Explore our Stories in Stone and Glass (plus Free Recital
Upper Rock Gardens,
Brighton,
Brighton & Hove,
East Sussex, BN2 1PR
St Mary’s Church was built in 1876–8 to designs by Sir William Emerson, PRIBA, and is his only surviving church in Britain. The modest brick…
St Mary’s Church was built in 1876–8 to designs by Sir William Emerson, PRIBA, and is his only surviving church in Britain. The modest brick exterior conceals an interior of surprising volume and warmth, which reflects Emerson’s training under William Burges, the great Gothic Revivalist, but also the Indo-Islamic influences of a career spent largely in India, where he most famously built the Victoria Memorial in Calcutta (Kolkata). The interior is finely finished; the pier capitals, brick vaulting, pulpit, font, reredos and canopy, mosaic sanctuary floor, and choir stalls are all deserving of attention. There is an excellent range of stained-glass and cathedral-tint windows, including eight pictorial windows by Alfred Octavius Hemming. Other windows are by George William Luxford, James Powell & Sons, Burlison and Grylls, Mayer of Munich, and Charles Eamer Kempe.
Come and explore our church and learn how to read the stories carved in our stones and painted on our beautiful windows. There will be binoculars and big photos on hand to reveal the details you don’t normally see from the ground as well as special worksheets for children. We’ll also have details of our exciting new round of repairs to the front overlooking St James’s Street, which will be happening in 2018.
There is also a free recital at 6 pm when the Herschel Quartet will be playing Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F, which will be followed by complimentary refreshments.
Opening Times
- Saturday 8 September: 1000-1900
Booking Details
No booking required
Access Information
Visit the church's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BrightonStMary The church will be open from 9 am to 6 pm as part of the annual fundraising Ride & Stride day for the Sussex Historic Churches Trust. Refreshments will be available all day and volunteers will be on hand to explain the church’s history and architecture. There is also a free recital at 6 pm when the Herschel Quartet will be playing Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F, which will be followed by complimentary refreshments. We’re wheelchair accessible, have toilets next door in the church hall, and welcome happy dogs on a lead.
Additional information
Visit the church's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BrightonStMary
Directions
St Mary’s is the big red brick Victorian church on the corner of St James’s Street and Upper Rock Gardens. Buses 1, 2 and 7 from the centre of Brighton run right past the church; hop off at ‘Rock Gardens’ stop. On the 1A, get off at ‘Park Street’ and walk down towards the sea past the church.
Opening times & full details ►
