Churches - Bevendean History Project
St Albans Church in Bear RoadSt Albans
Church was originally in the parish of Preston where the first church
was St Peters in Preston Park. St Peters church is a 13th century
church standing on the site of two earlier churches. St Peters
was replaced as the parish church of Preston by St John’s Church
Preston at the end of 1908. The First Baptism is recorded as
having taken place in St John’s church in January 1903 and the
first marriage in December 1908.
Before 1881 a schoolroom was built in Bear Road for the Revd. Freeman. There is a reference to a plan for an iron church in Lewis Road dated 1871, but the plan has not survived. A plan dated 31 August 1881 shows the improvement to be made to the steps of this church. This building was referred to as the Preston Day School in the 1880s and was a temporary iron church.
The plan above shows the new steps for St Alban’s School room dated 31 August 1881. © The Keep - Ref: DB/D/4/40/828
This type of building could be purchased in a kit form consisting of corrugated iron sheets with a steel frame, see photograph below.
An Iron Mission Church at Woodmancote, in the parish Westbourne, West Sussex. This "tin tabernacle" does not appear on a 1940s map of the area, so may have been built after the Second World War.
Date 28 August 2006
© Simon Carey / The Mission Church, Woodmancote / CC BY-SA 2.0
An iron church was constructed as the first church for St Matthias in Ditchling Road in 1901 and the Revd. Frank S Morgan worked the two churches as one.
Between 1900 and 1905 the district of St Albans was worked as St Matthias Mission with the First Baptism taking place in May 1900 in the building in Bear Road.
The priest in charge designated himself the vicar. The baptism registers were copied into the register of the parish church of St Peter, Preston.
When, however, the Revd. Gerald H. Moore became Vicar of Preston in the year 1905, he felt that it was more than one could man could do. He therefore divided the original district. The Reverend Bernard C Bennett was placed in charge of the Ditchling Road Mission, and the Revd. H. Lascelles of that in Bear Road. The Patron Saint of this latter mission was changed from St. Matthias to St. Alban The Martyr in order to distinguish it from St Matthias (Ditchling Road).
The original Register was kept at St Alban until October 1908 when for safety it was taken to Preston and a note made to the effect that it remained the property of St Albans and should be returned at such time (if ever) the district of St Albans became a separate Parish.
The Iron Church was replaced by a larger school building as shown on a planned dated 11th July 1902 on the corner of Bear Road and Riley Road.
Elevation views of the new school room © The Keep
Ref: No: DB/D/134/5537
Floor plan of the new school room © The Keep
Ref: No: DB/D/134/5537
Site plan of the new school room on the corner of Riley Road and Bear Road.
© The Keep Ref: No: DB/D/134/5537
The building on the corner of Bear Road and Riley Road which was originally used as a school in the Parish of Preston and later as the Parish Rooms for St Albans Church.
Roof of the former St Albans Parish building and the top of the windows viewed from Bear Road. Ref: 2023-09-30_IMG_0233.
St Albans Parish building viewed from Bear Road with the remains of a belfry on the left hand end of the roof. Ref: 2023-09-30_IMG_0237.
Remains of the belfry on the left hand end of the roof.
Ref: 2023-09-30_IMG_0242.
Just above ground level on the wall facing Bear Road there is a foundation stone with the following text.
"To the glory of God.
This stone was laid by The Venerable Robert Sutton M.A.
Archdeacon of Lewes. November 29th 1902."
The foundation stone for the former St Albans Parish Rooms in Bear Road.
Ref: 2023-09-30_IMG_0251
Another view of St Albans Parish Rooms from Riley Road.
Ref: 2023-10-08_IMG_0354
Roof of building and the top of the windows viewed from Riley Road.
Ref: 2023-10-08_IMG_0351
Another view of the Roof of the former St Albans Parish Room and the top of the windows viewed from Riley Road. Ref: 2023-10-08_IMG_0349.
This building was used as the first St Albans Church before a permanent church was built in Coombe Road. Baptisms continued in the building at Bear Road until the Consecration of the completed church in Coombe Road on 10th October 1914.
The ordinance survey map of 1909 labels the building in Bear Road as St Albans Church.
When the church opened in Coombe Road the building in Bear Road continued to be used by the parish for a place for the Sunday school to meet and as parish rooms.
Coombe Road School opened on Monday first April 1912 as a boy’s school with 193 boys attending on the opening day.
The buildings and site on the corner of Bear Road and Riley Road was purchased by Brighton Council on the 3rd of December 1957 and retained for educational purposes.
Today the site is occupied by Little Stars Childcare whose facilities consist of 3 rooms, a side garden and a rear garden.
Some Local Directory Entries for St Albans on Bear Road.
Before 1881 a schoolroom was built in Bear Road for the Revd. Freeman. There is a reference to a plan for an iron church in Lewis Road dated 1871, but the plan has not survived. A plan dated 31 August 1881 shows the improvement to be made to the steps of this church. This building was referred to as the Preston Day School in the 1880s and was a temporary iron church.
The plan above shows the new steps for St Alban’s School room dated 31 August 1881. © The Keep - Ref: DB/D/4/40/828
This type of building could be purchased in a kit form consisting of corrugated iron sheets with a steel frame, see photograph below.
An Iron Mission Church at Woodmancote, in the parish Westbourne, West Sussex. This "tin tabernacle" does not appear on a 1940s map of the area, so may have been built after the Second World War.
Date 28 August 2006
© Simon Carey / The Mission Church, Woodmancote / CC BY-SA 2.0
An iron church was constructed as the first church for St Matthias in Ditchling Road in 1901 and the Revd. Frank S Morgan worked the two churches as one.
Between 1900 and 1905 the district of St Albans was worked as St Matthias Mission with the First Baptism taking place in May 1900 in the building in Bear Road.
The priest in charge designated himself the vicar. The baptism registers were copied into the register of the parish church of St Peter, Preston.
When, however, the Revd. Gerald H. Moore became Vicar of Preston in the year 1905, he felt that it was more than one could man could do. He therefore divided the original district. The Reverend Bernard C Bennett was placed in charge of the Ditchling Road Mission, and the Revd. H. Lascelles of that in Bear Road. The Patron Saint of this latter mission was changed from St. Matthias to St. Alban The Martyr in order to distinguish it from St Matthias (Ditchling Road).
The original Register was kept at St Alban until October 1908 when for safety it was taken to Preston and a note made to the effect that it remained the property of St Albans and should be returned at such time (if ever) the district of St Albans became a separate Parish.
The Iron Church was replaced by a larger school building as shown on a planned dated 11th July 1902 on the corner of Bear Road and Riley Road.
Elevation views of the new school room © The Keep
Ref: No: DB/D/134/5537
Floor plan of the new school room © The Keep
Ref: No: DB/D/134/5537
Site plan of the new school room on the corner of Riley Road and Bear Road.
© The Keep Ref: No: DB/D/134/5537
The building on the corner of Bear Road and Riley Road which was originally used as a school in the Parish of Preston and later as the Parish Rooms for St Albans Church.
Roof of the former St Albans Parish building and the top of the windows viewed from Bear Road. Ref: 2023-09-30_IMG_0233.
St Albans Parish building viewed from Bear Road with the remains of a belfry on the left hand end of the roof. Ref: 2023-09-30_IMG_0237.
Remains of the belfry on the left hand end of the roof.
Ref: 2023-09-30_IMG_0242.
Just above ground level on the wall facing Bear Road there is a foundation stone with the following text.
"To the glory of God.
This stone was laid by The Venerable Robert Sutton M.A.
Archdeacon of Lewes. November 29th 1902."
The foundation stone for the former St Albans Parish Rooms in Bear Road.
Ref: 2023-09-30_IMG_0251
Another view of St Albans Parish Rooms from Riley Road.
Ref: 2023-10-08_IMG_0354
Roof of building and the top of the windows viewed from Riley Road.
Ref: 2023-10-08_IMG_0351
Another view of the Roof of the former St Albans Parish Room and the top of the windows viewed from Riley Road. Ref: 2023-10-08_IMG_0349.
This building was used as the first St Albans Church before a permanent church was built in Coombe Road. Baptisms continued in the building at Bear Road until the Consecration of the completed church in Coombe Road on 10th October 1914.
The ordinance survey map of 1909 labels the building in Bear Road as St Albans Church.
When the church opened in Coombe Road the building in Bear Road continued to be used by the parish for a place for the Sunday school to meet and as parish rooms.
Coombe Road School opened on Monday first April 1912 as a boy’s school with 193 boys attending on the opening day.
The buildings and site on the corner of Bear Road and Riley Road was purchased by Brighton Council on the 3rd of December 1957 and retained for educational purposes.
Today the site is occupied by Little Stars Childcare whose facilities consist of 3 rooms, a side garden and a rear garden.
Some Local Directory Entries for St Albans on Bear Road.
Year | Description |
1886 | Preston Day School |
1906 - 1916 | St Albans Church – Rev. Lascelles M.A. – vicar |
1917 -1921 | St Albans Church – Rev. Langdon – curate in charge |
1925 - 1928 | St Albans Sunday School |
1929 – 1931 | St Albans Parish Rooms and Sunday Schools |
1936 - 1949 | St Albans Parish Rooms |
3 December 1957 |
St Albans School in Bear Road was sold to Brighton Council for educational purposes. |