real time web analytics
Report - - St Leonards-on-Sea Congregational Church, Hastings - August 2019 | Other Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - St Leonards-on-Sea Congregational Church, Hastings - August 2019

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

Chloe Explores

https://instagram.com/chloeurbex
28DL Full Member
History:
In 1864 the church opened as St Leonards-on-Sea Congregational Church. The last service took place in 2002. Six years later in 2008 the church officially closed and ever since then has been left abandoned. English Heritage has listed the building at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance. The church was bought by a new owner in 2012 and it was almost completely renovated, but was then sold again in 2019. The new owner apparently has plans to open the church to the public as an arts and antiques centre with a cafe in the tower. However the man that lead us out the church told us they were converting it into flats.





Explore:
Visited with @Seany Explores :p
We drove past this beauty on our way home from the beach. I saw an open door and told Sean to pull over as soon as possible. We climbed up the wall and went on in. We was in here for about 10 minutes and then we got caught by a man who was working inside. He was working downstairs in the basement and he must’ve heard us upstairs in the main church bit. I must say so myself I was definitely not expecting this grand interior. I was almost expecting for it to be completely ripped out with no church features but I was so wrong... The inside is absolutely beautiful. Shame about the scaffolding in parts of the church, as it blocked off the route to the balcony that we could’ve gone on to. The tower had no floor so we couldn’t go inside, which was a bit of a shame as it was just a bit of a ruin inside really. A nice little touch was the wooden dobell clock attached to the balcony that said “Hastings” on, I just found it really unique as the town was stated on the clock. On the church organ there was a black and white old photo in a glass frame of who I am guessing the man who played the organ when the church was open during its service. This is by far the best abandoned church I have ever been inside and the fact that this was a local unexpected explore for us was absolutely outstanding!

822800


822801


822799


822798


822797


822779


822796


822782


822786


822787


822771


822772


822773


822775


822780


822781


822783


822785


822789


822791


822792


822793


822795


822794


822777


822778
 

bollockmaster

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Best thing about it is, these metal fairies don't seem to realise that most organ pipe are worth sweet FA for scrap really. Only zinc pipes are worth owt. You only really find those on quite modern brass replicating or mixture ranks. When I say modern I'm talking like 1930's onwards. Most commonly found in more modern churches like Methodist establishments. Even then only a couple of ranks will be zinc. The rest are pewter and wood. Worthless to scrap men. They just assume because it's soft like lead that it's worth the same as lead. It ain't, trust me. As an organ restorer myself I've scrapped many incomplete or buggered ranks in my time and you're lucky to cover the fuel for taking em down the scrap yard in the 1st place.
 

pirate

Rum Swigger
28DL Full Member
Maybe they were sold........not many people play organ anymore,church attendance is way down and I presume are expensive to maintain.

@spungletrumpet
believe drove up to Scotland recently to collect some organ pipes off a church who were just getting rid of it..........he’s mounting them on a Russian truck to make a mobile organ
 

bollockmaster

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Maybe they were sold........not many people play organ anymore,church attendance is way down and I presume are expensive to maintain.

@spungletrumpet
believe drove up to Scotland recently to collect some organ pipes off a church who were just getting rid of it..........he’s mounting them on a Russian truck to make a mobile organ
They can be if they're not looked after properly.
 

Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
Really nice. Some beautiful architecture there. That lovely organ, shame some of it has gone. Gotta love a church of this calibre :thumb
 

Who has read this thread (Total: 252) View details

Top