St Michael’s Church
Glassenbury Drive
Bexhill-on-Sea
Glassenbury Drive
Bexhill-
St Michael’s Church
Bexhill Parish Team Ministry
Charity No 1131504
Short History of St Michael and All Angels
In 1924 a decision was taken to build a church on the East side of Bexhill anticipating the expansion of the town in this direction and with the intention of easing the overcrowding in term time of the churches of St Peter and St Barnabas. At the time there were many private schools in the area.
Having chosen the site, on the then empty Glyne Hill, the church rose quickly and was dedicated on the eve of Ascension Day, May 28th 1930. The final Consecration took place in 1933. The war years were spent quietly with most of the private schools being evacuated away from the South Coast, but once a curate’s house had been purchased in Glassenbury Drive, the church was able to develop its own ministry to the expanding East Bexhill.
The Church is built in a Gothic revival style from locally made bricks and dressed stone. The interior has a Sussex barn roof. The tower was hung with tiles in the 1960’s to try to ameliorate the damage done by the sea air to the pointing. The very large altar had originally fitted into the alcove below the East window and had later been brought to the centre of the raised area in the sanctuary. With the re-ordering of the church sanctuary in 1997, the altar was remade into the pedestal seen now and moved centrally in the sanctuary, which was extended into the present apron. The wall hangings were commissioned and created to fill the alcove.
The addition of a hall in 1961 allowed the introduction of the community activities that have been a feature of our outreach ever since. This hall had to be replaced in 2003. The large hall was built
in 1972 or rather rebuilt as it had served for many years as the gymnasium of St Francis School by Bexhill Down. These halls are
in daily use with a variety of activities for all age groups.
In 1924 a decision was taken to build a church on the East side of Bexhill anticipating the expansion of the town in this direction and with the intention of easing the overcrowding in term time of the churches of St Peter and St Barnabas. At the time there were many private schools in the area.
Having chosen the site, on the then empty Glyne Hill, the church rose quickly and was dedicated on the eve of Ascension Day, May 28th 1930. The final Consecration took place in 1933. The war years were spent quietly with most of the private schools being evacuated away from the South Coast, but once a curate’s house had been purchased in Glassenbury Drive, the church was able to develop its own ministry to the expanding East Bexhill.
The Church is built in a Gothic revival style from locally made bricks and dressed stone. The interior has a Sussex barn roof. The tower was hung with tiles in the 1960’s to try to ameliorate the damage done by the sea air to the pointing. The very large altar had originally fitted into the alcove below the East window and had later been brought to the centre of the raised area in the sanctuary. With the re-
The addition of a hall in 1961 allowed the introduction of the community activities that have been a feature of our outreach ever since. This hall had to be replaced in 2003. The large hall was built
in 1972 or rather rebuilt as it had served for many years as the gymnasium of St Francis School by Bexhill Down. These halls are
in daily use with a variety of activities for all age groups.