All Souls Church, Hastings

All Souls Church stands in Clive Vale, a late 19th-century suburb of Hastings in East Sussex. Built almost entirely of red brick, it dominates the streetscape with its tall, dramatic interior. Arthur Blomfield, a leading Gothic Revival architect, designed the church in 1890 and completed it the following year. The building features his favourite features, including a spacious nave, aisles, a clerestory and a tall chancel. Its interior includes Heaton, Butler and Bayne stained glass and an elaborate mosaic reredos added in 1897. The church was closed in 2007 due to falling attendances and high maintenance costs. The church is recognised as one of Blomfield’s finest works and is listed at Grade II* by English Heritage. Nikolaus Pevsner described it as a “serious town church,” and a Sussex historian called it the county’s “finest red-brick interior.” Despite its architectural importance, the building has suffered from neglect and damage. The Diocese of Chichester declared it redundant in 2008, and it has been on sale since 2012. English Heritage has warned that demolition may be considered due to its deteriorating condition. Visitors find a large brick church with a tall, uncluttered interior and striking Gothic details. The nave and chancel rise almost to the same height, creating a sense of space. The aisles have paired lancet windows, and the east window features a distinctive five-light arrangement with y-tracery. The roof is of open timberwork, and the organ chamber projects as a transept on the north side. Though empty and in need of repair, the church remains a powerful example of Victorian ecclesiastical architecture.