St Nicholas Church

Photo:St Nicholas Church

St Nicholas Church

Photo: Illustrative image for the 'St Nicholas Church' page
The oldest building in Brighton
By Geoffrey Mead

Brighton's parish church is a curious relic. It is the oldest building in Brighton. The church survived a raid by French pirates, who burnt the mediaeval town of Brighthelmstone in 1533.

Why was it built on a hill? To avoid coastal erosion? To be protected from French pirates? Probably so that a fire lit on the big flat church tower could provide a beacon for fishermen.

There are spectacular views from the churchyard. You're standing on the spine of a ridge here. Lower down, the old town grew up on a defendable site by a stream.

This page was added on 23/08/2006.

Comments:

Churches were built on hills as they were considered to be the most important buildings. They could be seen from all around and going up a hill brought you closer to God.

By Kate (06/11/2006)

I remember as a little girl, around 1940 I believe, a plane crashed into the church yard at St Nicholas Church. There was a lot of commotion in the morning and we had to walk the long way to school. I had some shrapnel for years afterwards and glass from the plane. Does anyone remember that incident? I also remember that the beaches were mined and we couldn't use them until after the war, then they were demined. It was then that the people flocked to the beaches in the good weather.

My mother and sister were out shopping, the siren went and a little later they were blown out of a store they had been in, fortunately they were just shaken up and not hurt. Maybe I will remember more next time I write.

By Evelyn Collett (03/02/2007)