Asset type
Park and garden- Landscape of remembrance
Local Listing Reference
LLHA0052
Conservation Area (CA)
Montpelier and Clifton Hill CA
Description
Churchyard to St Nicholas of Myra Church; the original parish church to Brighthelmston. It is said that the churchyard marks the site of a Black Death plague-pit of 1348. Certainly parts of the church date from the 14th century. By 1818 the churchyard was full, and an extension was consecrated to the east (followed by two further extensions immediately adjacent to this site).
The churchyard retains headstones to Phoebe Hessel, Martha Gunn, Amon Wilds, Sake Deen Mahomed, Nicholas Tettersell and Anna Maria Crouch (all listed), as well as the base of a medieval cross.
The path is paved in red brick paviours, and follows the alignment shown on historic OS maps. Although the boundaries of the churchyard are evident on the 1840 tithe map, there is no detail provided, and the church appears to have been missed off. It forms a pleasant green space, bounded by flint walls and containing substantial mature planting. Through this, the church and churchyard retain the character of a rural village church.
Sources: Collis 2010, Antram and Morrice 2008
B. Historic and evidential interest
i. Retains the graves of a number of notable local historic figures, as itemised above. Also historic interest as the churchyard to the original parish church of Brighton.
C. Townscape interest
i. Within the Montpelier and Clifton Hill Conservation Area. The churchyard forms the most historic part of the area, and is an important green and peaceful space (in contrast to the built up nature of much of the conservation area), which is also clearly visible within the streetscape.
iv. Considerable group value as the setting of St Nicholas of Myra Church, the original parish church to Brighton, and the associated listed monuments. The churchyard is the green space that unifies these different elements.
E. Rarity and representativeness
i. The most historic churchyard space in Brighton.
F. Intactness
i. Retains elements of its original design, as well as its original boundaries and boundary treatments.
ii. Retains its original function as the churchyard and setting to St Nicholas Church.
Date of inclusion
2015
