St Helens Church

TQ 32 SE 946/2/10041 12-JAN-01

CHAILEY BANKS ROAD St Helens Church

II

Church. 1931 by L Kier Hett as a chapel for the Chailey Heritage, which became world famous for its treatment of "crippled children". Late Arts and Crafts style. Built of local Sussex bricks with a tiled course supplied by the local firm of Messrs H and E Waters of Forest Row covering a timberframe with weatherboarded tower and tiled roof. Three bay nave with aisles, apsidal-ended chancel and west tower. Church mainly of brown brick in stretcher bond. West front has central weatherboarded battered square tower of two stages with hipped pantiled roof and ground floor hipped roof and two wooden supports forming porch. Double doors. Two leaded light windows. North and south elevations have projecting hipped ends with three hipped dormers and three leaded light windows. Apsidal-ended chancel with tall round-headed east window. INTERIOR: Nave of three bays in form of aisled timber barn with crownpost roof and curved tension to upright posts which are on stone bases. Original joinery includes carved pews to east end only (the children were often in wheelchairs), doors with ribbed carving, octagonal carved oak pulpit on stone base and oak communion rails. Original stained glass windows with Virgin and Child to east window and the elements (Earth, Air, Fire and Water) to side windows.

Listing NGR: TQ3934822156