Scaffolding finally down at St Peter’s, Brighton
- Mad Harper
- Dec 31, 2025
- 2 min read
Scaffolding that has enshrouded the tower of St Peter’s Church in Brighton has finally come down after more than a decade.
The tower of the Grade II* listed building has been a huge concern for years due to eroding masonry and crumbling stone and rust.
Often dubbed Brighton’s cathedral, the church one of the city’s most prominent landmarks and is considered one of the finest examples of the pre-Victorian Gothic Revival style.
Restoration work has been going on for more than 15 years but it was the latest phase, begun in late 2024, which was partly funded by a £10,000 grant from the Sussex Historic Churches Trust.
The most recent phase focused on structural repairs and essential stone replacement, removal of rusting cramps and extensive lime mortar repointing. Additional restoration work, which was identified and completed during the project, included the removal and replacement of external loose rendering around the south door and additional mechanical fixings added to the south parapet stones.
Once the restoration work was completed, most of the scaffolding which has encased the church since 2014 could finally be dismantled and the splendid tower revealed once more.
At the start of the project, building conservation specialists DBR (Southern) Limited described the building as in an "extremely dilapidated condition", with significant stone erosion and corroding iron cramps which had been exacerbated by the coastal environment.
Fundraiser Sara Marsden-King said: “Thanks again for the support of the Trust. The impact of this project has been significant - not only in restoring our Tower but also in engaging our community. We are excited to continue to build on this momentum going forward.”
St Peter’s Church was built between 1824-1828 and designed by Sir Charles Barry when he was only 28. He won the commission in a competition and it marked the start of a glittering career. Just ten years later, he was commissioned to design the new Houses of Parliament, the old Palace of Westminster having been destroyed in a fire.
