St Peter's Church, Preston Park, East Sussex

Address:
Preston Drove, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6SD
How to find us | Access information
Opening times:
Open daily from 11am to 3pm and sometimes longer in the summer. For enquiries about this church, please contact Nick Watts - [email protected].
  • Preston – the priest’s settlement – was known as Bishop’s Preston in the 13th century, when the present church was built.
  • The church is constructed of local flint rubble, and consists of a west tower, nave and chancel, with a porch on the north side, and a vestry on the south.
  • In the otherwise rather bare nave are the remains of wall paintings for which this church is famous. They date from the 13th century and were badly damaged during the 1906 fire, but restored in 1977 by the late E Clive Rouse.
  • In the 1870s, the chancel was restored by Ewan Christian, who opened up side windows previously blocked by stone rubble, restored the sedilia and introduced a scheme of stencilled wall decoration, although the present striking scheme is a later modification.
  • An illustration, showing how the wall paintings at St Peters, Preston Park, appeared before the 1906 fire.
  • Overview
  • Map
  • What's on
  • What's nearby

Painted treasures in a wonderful landscape

This simple square-towered church, built from flint rubble, is 800 years old. It stands in the beautiful landscaped park of Preston Manor. Now all looks serene but in 1906 the church was damaged by fire and nearly lost its greatest treasures - its fourteenth-century wallpaintings.

Today, the paintings stand out in reds and browns against the limewashed walls. Although fragments, you can pick out the nativity with a bowl-shaped crib and the infant Jesus. The violent scene of Thomas Becket's murder in Canterbury is clearer - you can see one of the four knights, possibly William de Tracy, plunge his sword into Becket's head and you can see blood dripping from the hand of Edward Grim, Becket's chaplain, who was injured while trying to protect him.

Sumptuous twentieth-century restoration brought the church new life after the fire, and today the walls, windows and floors around the altar glow with a gorgeous mix of pattern and colour.

Preston Park Guide

To donate by text, please text 'PRP' to 70970 to donate £5 and to 70191 to donate £10. Thank you.

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  • Access information
    There is a tarmac path from the gate to the door. There is a ramp into the church.
  • Disabled access information

    There is parking available next to the church at the end of the tarmac path leading from Preston Drove.

    The surface to the main door is level, and there is a slight ramp provided to access into the main body of the church.

  • Facilities & Hire

    Thank you for your interest in using St. Peter's Church at Preston Park. Here are some details of the facilities within the church, and you can click below for further information relevant to your use of the church.

    The church has electricity, but no gas, water or heating. There is no wifi in the church.

    There are four parking spaces at the end of the tarmac lane leading from Preston Drove. Other (paid) parking is available in Preston Drove.

    Toilets are available at Preston Park Café. The Chalet Café has variable opening times, but usually closes at 4.30 p.m. There are no kitchenette facilities in the church.

    There is a slight ramp down into the main body of the church.

     

  • Directions
    Immediately adjacent to Preston Manor which is at the northern tip of Preston Park on the A23 in Brighton. Main entrance from Preston Drove but footpath from Preston Park itself through churchyard. Limited pay and display parking & toilet facilities are available in Preston Park, operated by Brighton & Hove City Council.
  • Transport

    Nearest railway station:

    Preston Park (0.5 miles).

    Bus route:

    Take either the 5 or 5A and ask for Preston Manor.

  • History & Further Information

    Useful information:

    Why not make your visit more enjoyable and informed by finding out about this church and the CCT before you visit? You can download a range of publications below including the relevant county guide, and any walk round guides we have for this church are on the main church page.

    Hampshire, Sussex & Surrey County Guide 2012

    This free of charge short guide contains details of all the churches CCT cares for in Hampshire, Sussex & Surrey. Printed copies of the county guide are also available at the church.

  • Community information

    The Friends of St Peter's, Preston Park

    The Friends of St Peter's was formed in 2006 to support The Churches Conservation Trust in its care, preservation, maintenance and management of St Peter's.

    Other local links:

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