St John The Baptist's Church, Brighton - Architecture

Architecture

William Hallett, the architect, is not known to have been responsible for any other buildings in Brighton or elsewhere, and he based the design of St John the Baptist's very closely on that of St Mary Moorfields in London, completed in 1820. In particular, the southern frontage – which faces Bristol Road – is almost identical to that of St Mary's. The church is Classical in style, with a stuccoed exterior and a large pediment above the entrance. The shallow roof is made of slate. The entrance porch is flanked by two columns with accompanying pilasters, and there are two more pilasters at the corner of the building. Blind doorways between the two sets of pilasters have small pediments and two deep-set windows above them. Below the main pediment and dentil cornice is a Latin inscription: DEO SUB INVOC. S. JOANNIS BAPT. ("To God, under the invocation of St. John the Baptist.") There is a side entrance in the western face, again with a pediment above it.