Holy Trinity Church, Brighton

Holy Trinity Church stands in the centre of Brighton, a former Anglican place of worship now used as an art gallery. Built early in the 19th century by Thomas Read Kemp, it began as an independent Nonconformist chapel before becoming an Anglican chapel of ease. The church closed in 1984 and was later converted into a museum and then an art gallery. Its architectural and historical importance earned it Grade II listing in 1981. The building reflects Kemp’s role in Brighton’s early development and the town’s changing religious life. The church is worth visiting for its links to notable figures and events in Brighton’s history. Thomas Read Kemp, a magistrate and landowner, helped shape Kemp Town and served as MP for Lewes. Revd Frederick W. Robertson, a later priest here, became famous for his radical sermons and social work in the town. The church also saw changes by architects George Somers Clarke Jr. and John T. Micklethwaite in the 1880s. A plaque on the wall records Robertson’s six-year ministry. The building’s Grade II listing recognises its importance among Brighton and Hove’s listed structures. Inside, visitors find a space adapted for art exhibitions, with high ceilings and Gothic Revival details. The east façade, reclad in knapped flint and stone, shows Perpendicular and Decorated Gothic styles. The south side, once hidden behind a house, now faces widened Duke Street with round-headed arches. A chancel added in 1867 has three lancet windows on the eastern wall. The gallery, run by Fabrica, hosts changing exhibitions in a setting shaped by 19th-century alterations. The interior light comes through the original glass dome beneath the tower.