St Cuthman’s Church

Whitehawk’s first St Cuthman’s Church was built in 1937 to serve the housing estate which grew quickly in the 1930s. Only six years later, in 1943, the church was destroyed by an enemy bomb during the Second World War.

The church and the community
The loss was felt throughout the local community. St Cuthman’s had been more than a church: it was a place where new residents met, worshipped and built community life. While the building was gone, worship continued, including outdoor services.

The rebuilding of the church
After the war, the church was rebuilt in 1951–52 to designs by Brighton architect John Leopold Denman. Denman worked in Brighton before and after the war including designing the ‘Patcham Pylons’ in 1928 which mark the northern boundary of the then town.

The design of the new church
The present church is therefore both a post-war place of worship and a reminder of the Whitehawk congregation’s wartime loss and recovery. To find out more about the design and opening of the new church see the research of the Bevendean History Group

To find out more about worship and other activities at St Cuthman’s Church please see their website.

Image credits:

• Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove