The Church

Home

About the Church

Click on the buttons below for more information
Bexhill area map		Where is St Stephen's		Who does what?		Weekly Notices

St Stephen's Church or "The Church on the Down" is situated in the north of Bexhill at the top of an area of common land known as the Down. The building of the church was made possible by a substantial gift of land and money from John Lambert Walker, the owner of Woodsgate, a large house close to where the church now stands, from about 1875 to 1905.

He foresaw the development of this part of Bexhill and became determined to provide a church for a new parish to be carved out of the centuries old parish of St Peter.

Mr Walker gave the land on which St Stephens Church, Vicarage and Halls are now built, in addition, he also gave more than £11,000 for the building of the Church and its tower, which were designed by Henry Ward of Hastings.

The foundation stone was laid on October 15th 1898, and the building was consecrated by Dr Ernest Wilberforce, the Bishop of Chichester, on June 21st 1900.

When the church was built there were hardly any buildings in this part of the town, but today the church is surrounded by houses. However, it still retains a "country feel" with Bexhill Down, a large area of common land, to the south, before you reach the main A259 Eastbourne - Hastings road and Bexhill town centre.

Copies of a full history of the church up to the 1970's, written by the Rev Christopher Wallington, a former vicar of the parish, are available from the church.