Surrounded by trees in Preston Park about 2 miles from the sea front, this delightful old church is the oldest surviving building in Brighton.
Preston was a small village mentioned in the Domesday book with a church, mill and a population of about 50 population, at a point where an ancient drover’s road crossed the River Wellesbourne. The present church was built around 1250 and is the third church to be built on this site.
It is a simple flint building with nave, chancel and square tower at the west end, topped with a shallow pyramidal cap typical of the area.
Preston was a very large rural parish, stretching across the north of Brighton and including Preston Barracks. During the Napoleonic Wars soldiers were married and had their babies baptised at St Peter’s, and many of them were buried in the churchyard.
The church was able to seat just over 200 worshippers. The rapid expansion of Brighton as a resort meant the church was too small to accommodate a growing congregation and a new church dedicated to St Peter was built in the early C19th nearer the town centre.
The old church continued to be used and was restored in the late C19th when the south porch and vestry were added. The church was damaged by fire in 1906 and had to be restored. Only fragments of the medieval wall paintings survived. The wall paintings in the chancel date from after the fire as does the wooden reredos
The church continued to be used until 1988 when it was declared redundant. It is now cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust.
Inside it is a simple church with a narrow pointed chancel arch. Walls are covered with memorials to the Stanford and Macdonald families who lived in the adjacent Preston Manor.
The font is C18th and near it is a C13th piscina.
The medieval church walls would have been covered by wall paintings. These were covered by whitewash after the reformation and weren’t rediscovered until 1830. Unfortunately many of them were damaged by the fire in 1906 and only fragments in muted shades of red and brown, now remain on the south wall and on either side of the chancel arch.
The depiction of the nativity is on the south wall and the dark red shape of the crib is still easily seen with the star above it. The head of the ox can just be made out. as well as part of the chequered cloth beneath the crib.
On the left of the chancel arch is the murder of Thomas Beckett. Beckett can be made out kneeling by the altar with the four nights with their swords to the left and Beckett’s Chaplain on his right, with blood dripping from his hand.
On the opposite side is the Last Judgement and the weighing of souls. The angels on either side are no longer clear. The soul of the dead person is placed in the scales by a small figure thought to be the Virgin Mary. In the other side is the devil.
The chancel is completely different and glows with colour as the walls are the walls are covered with Edwardian stencilling
The cross keys on the window arches are the symbol of St Peter.
Above the chancel arch is the Tree of Life with the symbols of Alpha and omega denoting the beginning and the end.
The carved stone altar is most unusual as it was originally the tomb chest of Edward Elrington, Lord of the Preston Manor who died in 1515. It was moved here during the late C19th restoration.
Above is the attractive east window with geometric patterns of glass.
This is a lovely church and open daily. It is well worth visiting.
Church guide
Preston was a small village mentioned in the Domesday book with a church, mill and a population of about 50 population, at a point where an ancient drover’s road crossed the River Wellesbourne. The present church was built around 1250 and is the third church to be built on this site.
It is a simple flint building with nave, chancel and square tower at the west end, topped with a shallow pyramidal cap typical of the area.
Preston was a very large rural parish, stretching across the north of Brighton and including Preston Barracks. During the Napoleonic Wars soldiers were married and had their babies baptised at St Peter’s, and many of them were buried in the churchyard.
The church was able to seat just over 200 worshippers. The rapid expansion of Brighton as a resort meant the church was too small to accommodate a growing congregation and a new church dedicated to St Peter was built in the early C19th nearer the town centre.
The old church continued to be used and was restored in the late C19th when the south porch and vestry were added. The church was damaged by fire in 1906 and had to be restored. Only fragments of the medieval wall paintings survived. The wall paintings in the chancel date from after the fire as does the wooden reredos
The church continued to be used until 1988 when it was declared redundant. It is now cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust.
Inside it is a simple church with a narrow pointed chancel arch. Walls are covered with memorials to the Stanford and Macdonald families who lived in the adjacent Preston Manor.
The font is C18th and near it is a C13th piscina.
The medieval church walls would have been covered by wall paintings. These were covered by whitewash after the reformation and weren’t rediscovered until 1830. Unfortunately many of them were damaged by the fire in 1906 and only fragments in muted shades of red and brown, now remain on the south wall and on either side of the chancel arch.
The depiction of the nativity is on the south wall and the dark red shape of the crib is still easily seen with the star above it. The head of the ox can just be made out. as well as part of the chequered cloth beneath the crib.
On the left of the chancel arch is the murder of Thomas Beckett. Beckett can be made out kneeling by the altar with the four nights with their swords to the left and Beckett’s Chaplain on his right, with blood dripping from his hand.
On the opposite side is the Last Judgement and the weighing of souls. The angels on either side are no longer clear. The soul of the dead person is placed in the scales by a small figure thought to be the Virgin Mary. In the other side is the devil.
The chancel is completely different and glows with colour as the walls are the walls are covered with Edwardian stencilling
The cross keys on the window arches are the symbol of St Peter.
Above the chancel arch is the Tree of Life with the symbols of Alpha and omega denoting the beginning and the end.
The carved stone altar is most unusual as it was originally the tomb chest of Edward Elrington, Lord of the Preston Manor who died in 1515. It was moved here during the late C19th restoration.
Above is the attractive east window with geometric patterns of glass.
This is a lovely church and open daily. It is well worth visiting.
Church guide