A late and conventional Gothic Revival church by Edward Walters, with a good collection of stained glass. The building has some townscape presence in the Lewes Conservation Area.

A small church dedicated to the Sacred Heart and Pancras was built in 1870 (Mr Crispin and Mr Fisher being respectively architect and builder, according to press reports of the time). The opening was accompanied by noisy protests from hostile local people. The foundation stone of the present larger church, on the same site, was laid by Archbishop Amigo in August 1938, and the archbishop returned to open the church in April 1939. The architect was Edward Walters, son of F.A. Walters. According to the compiler of F.A. Walters’ biographical file at the RIBA Library, “after Edward joined his father as a partner [in the firm] the output became even more traditional and archaeological in outlook.”

Description

A compact building on a tight corner site. No tower, but nave and sanctuary with south transept, sacristy, aisle and porch building up on the south side to car park enclosed by boundary walls. The church is of red brick with stone and flint dressings. The flint is confined to buttresses and a chequer work frieze to the south aisle parapet. The style is a very restrained and simplified gothic with the show reserved for the west front built hard up to the High Street. Plain plastered interior, with a king post roof on corbels and a timber panelled barrel vault to the sanctuary. The church has a good collection of stained glass, including several by Mayer dating from 1897 and brought over from the old church, as well as more recent glass by Harry Clarke Studios (1948 and 1949) and Cox & Barnard (1989). The presbytery from the 1870 church remains.

Entry amended by AHP 28.10.2026

Heritage Details