Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and English Martyrs, St Leonards-on-Sea

The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and English Martyrs stands in St Leonards-on-Sea, a seaside town in East Sussex built in the 19th century by James Burton. The present building, designed by Charles Alban Buckler, replaced an earlier church destroyed by fire in 1887. Its plain Gothic Revival exterior contrasts sharply with the richly decorated interior, painted between 1908 and 1911 by Nathaniel Westlake with vivid murals of biblical scenes. The church is recognised for its architectural and historical importance, listed at Grade II by English Heritage. Buckler’s design includes a nave with vaulted side chapels, a chancel with apsidal ends, and a sanctuary without a tower. The interior features murals by Westlake, stained glass by Charles Eamer Kempe and others, and original fittings such as a carved organ case and a marble font depicting the Seven Sacraments. Inside, visitors find a nave with six bays, a Lady chapel with a Bath Stone altar, and a mortuary chapel added later. The murals cover walls and ceilings with scenes including the Nativity, the Last Supper, and the English Martyrs. The church remains an active place of worship, serving a parish that extends into nearby Hollington.