Churches - Bevendean History Project
Chapels for St Andrews Church 1930s - 1960s
St Georges Church Hall - North Moulsecoomb
In 1930 the Diocese of Chichester
erected a Church Hall in Ringmer Road, North Moulsecoomb, which was
opened on the 11th May 1930 by the Right Reverend G. K. A. Bell, the
Bishop of Chichester.
The original St Georges Hall before closure.
It was one of the first important works to be carried out through the
big Church Building Fund inaugurated by the late Bishop of Chichester
(Dr. Winfred Burrows) and energetically carried out by his successor
(Dr Bell).
St George’s Hall was used as a mission church as well as a parish hall, and was intended to meet the needs of North Moulsecoomb. The building was of brick, and it could accommodate over 200 people. The total cost was about £1,500 of which the local community contributed about £150.
Sunday School at St Georges Hall
Gladys Plowman ran the Sunday School with the help of Rennie, Mrs Ayling and Mrs Hyder.
Do you have any memories of St Georges when it was used by the Parish of Moulsecoomb? If so please use the contact page on the website.
The hall was used by the Parish of Moulsecoomb for church services and social functions until 1967 when questions were raised as to the financial viability of continuing to run and maintain the fabric of the hall.
By the end of 1968 the church was in the process of selling St George’s Hall following approval for the hall to be sold by the Diocese of Chichester in May 1968.
St George’s Hall was rebuilt as a community centre in 1989 as seen above.
St Francis Hall, Moulsecoomb Way
St Francis's Church, Moulsecoomb Way, a chapel of ease, was dedicated on 16th July 1939 and opened for services from that date. There were large grounds around the building and these were levelled by the young folk of the neighbourhood to make a recreational area.
The new church hall was designed to serve the newly built district of East Moulsecoomb, and also to take its share with the other church buildings of the parish in ministering to the general religious and social life of the district. It was a simple but beautiful red brick building, designed by Mr L. Keir Hett, who was the architect of the parish church of St Andrew.
St Francis Church in Moulsecombe Way built in 1939.
No services took place at St Francis Church from 14th July 1940 to the end of May 1941.
St Francis reopened on the 1st Jun 1941 with Evensong at 7.30 pm taken by W. Oelsner when about 45 people were present.
Moulsecoomb Youth Fellowship in St Francis Church in 1950.
St Francis Church was let to the Education Authorities in April 1956, and sold to the Roman Catholic Church in 1957. The money was used for the building of a new church hall next to St Andrew's Church, the foundation stone of which was laid on 29th Aug 1957.
The Roman Catholic Church continued to use the name of St Francis for the church.
The St Francis of Assisi Church in Moulsecoomb Way closed for worship during 2017 with the marriage licence for the church being cancelled on 26th September 2017.
St Francis Church was demolished during June and July 2020, along with the adjacent Waste Recyling buildings to make way for almost 400 Student bedrooms.
Photographs and Plans
St George’s Hall was used as a mission church as well as a parish hall, and was intended to meet the needs of North Moulsecoomb. The building was of brick, and it could accommodate over 200 people. The total cost was about £1,500 of which the local community contributed about £150.
Sunday School at St Georges Hall
Gladys Plowman ran the Sunday School with the help of Rennie, Mrs Ayling and Mrs Hyder.
Do you have any memories of St Georges when it was used by the Parish of Moulsecoomb? If so please use the contact page on the website.
The hall was used by the Parish of Moulsecoomb for church services and social functions until 1967 when questions were raised as to the financial viability of continuing to run and maintain the fabric of the hall.
By the end of 1968 the church was in the process of selling St George’s Hall following approval for the hall to be sold by the Diocese of Chichester in May 1968.
St George’s Hall was rebuilt as a community centre in 1989 as seen above.
St Francis Hall, Moulsecoomb Way
St Francis's Church, Moulsecoomb Way, a chapel of ease, was dedicated on 16th July 1939 and opened for services from that date. There were large grounds around the building and these were levelled by the young folk of the neighbourhood to make a recreational area.
The new church hall was designed to serve the newly built district of East Moulsecoomb, and also to take its share with the other church buildings of the parish in ministering to the general religious and social life of the district. It was a simple but beautiful red brick building, designed by Mr L. Keir Hett, who was the architect of the parish church of St Andrew.
St Francis Church in Moulsecombe Way built in 1939.
No services took place at St Francis Church from 14th July 1940 to the end of May 1941.
St Francis reopened on the 1st Jun 1941 with Evensong at 7.30 pm taken by W. Oelsner when about 45 people were present.
Moulsecoomb Youth Fellowship in St Francis Church in 1950.
St Francis Church was let to the Education Authorities in April 1956, and sold to the Roman Catholic Church in 1957. The money was used for the building of a new church hall next to St Andrew's Church, the foundation stone of which was laid on 29th Aug 1957.
The Roman Catholic Church continued to use the name of St Francis for the church.
The St Francis of Assisi Church in Moulsecoomb Way closed for worship during 2017 with the marriage licence for the church being cancelled on 26th September 2017.
St Francis Church was demolished during June and July 2020, along with the adjacent Waste Recyling buildings to make way for almost 400 Student bedrooms.
Photographs and Plans
