St Helen's Church, Hangleton

St Helen’s Church stands on a quiet rise above Hove, its flint walls catching the light of the South Downs. Built in the 11th century, it is the oldest surviving building in Brighton and Hove. The church began as a simple rectangle, 62 feet long, with walls three and a half feet thick. A square tower was added in the 13th century, and the roof was re-tiled then. By the 14th century the village around it had declined, leaving the church isolated on open farmland. The building survived because it was remote and overlooked for restoration. In 1870 George Cokayne paid for a small repair that saved the structure. Later restorations in 1929 and 1949 added a porch, vestry and new roof, returning the church to regular use. In 1950 it was recognised with Grade II* listed status. The churchyard still holds graves of notable figures from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Inside, the nave and chancel preserve their medieval plan, with a 13th-century tower and later additions. Herringbone flintwork on the south wall dates from Saxon times. Wall paintings from the 14th and 15th centuries were uncovered in 1949, along with early 13th-century scrollwork. A low window in the chancel may have allowed lepers to hear services without entering. Outside, the gravestones include those of social reformer Samuel Barnett and barrister Edward Kenealy, who defended the Tichborne claimant.