Church Of St Barnabus

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 22 January 2025 to amend the name and address and reformat the text to current standards.

TQ20NE 579-1/3/26

HOVE SACKVILLE ROAD No. 88 Church of St Barnabas

(Formerly listed as Church of St Barnabus, BYRON STREET, previously listed as: SACKVILLE ROAD, Church of St Barnabas)

10/09/71

II* Church. 1882-3, carving of capitals completed 1923. Architect J.L. Pearson. Early English style. Knapped flint with red brick and Bath stone dressings, clay tiled roofs with decorative ridge tiles.

Cruciform in plan: apsidal ended chancel facing on to Sackville Road, north and south transepts, northeast organ bay and vestry, southeast Lady Chapel, four bay aisled nave with blind clerestory, gabled porch in northeast corner onto Coleridge Street, entrance now in southwest corner from Byron Street across the site of the tower which was never built; there is a lead covered fleche with bell over the crossing.

Interior: the originally exposed red brick has been white-washed. Undivided nave and chancel with crownpost open rafter roof, aisles rendered and cross vaulted. Marble tessera pavement to sanctuary. A handsome square alabaster font on red marble columns, oak pulpit and choir stalls all designed by Pearson, the latter in 1893. Panelling in apse carved with figures of saints, 1902. Large and ungainly reredos by G.F.Bodley of Bodley and Garner, erected in 1907, the year of the architect's death. The organ by J.C.Bishop and Son occupies the south wall of the north transept; it was purchased from St George's Chapel, Albemarle Street, London, in 1904 and has since been rebuilt and enlarged. Gilded metal rood screen early C20.

Unusual altar table in the Lady Chapel of gilded black laquer:two sturdy legs of clustered columns with teardrop capitals and an oak leaf decorated entablature, early C20 and rather fine. Wooden eagle lecturn donated 1927; much stained glass: five lancets in chancel by Clayton and Bell. Striking west window, a memorial to the dead of the First World War, dedicated 1923. Three oil paintings on canvas including an early C19 version of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper measuring 10ft by 17ft.

A similar if not identical church design was offered by Pearson for St Mathews, Silverhill, St Leonards in 1884. This was completed more or less according to his plans, including the tower which was not built at St. Barnabus. (McDonald TJ: The First Century of St Barnabas: 1982-).

Listing NGR: TQ2843605480