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There are three possible reasons for
the establishment of the Chapel. The founder could have been driven by a desire
for prestige and money, a desire to accommodate the growing population, or to
bring the Church to the Prince.
The founder of the
Chapel was the Reverend Thomas Hudson. Hudson was licensed by the Vicar of
Brighton as his curate, and spent the first eight years of his ministry in Brighton. In 1784 he moved into the "London Tavern" - the sixth highest rated house in the town.
In 1792, Hudson embarked upon the project for which he is best remembered, the building of the Chapel Royal.
On February 24th, he purchased several pieces of land in the centre of the town.
The land, which was on both sides of North Street, was owned by a powerful group which comprised Lord Leslie, Sir Lucan Pepys, his wife, the Countess of Rothes and Sir William Weller Pepys.
This group contains some of the most influential people in Brighton at the time, and were part of the fashionable set which centred around the irascible Dr. Johnson.
By July 21st Thomas Hudson was left with only the piece of land on which he intended to build his chapel.
On November 25th, 1793, the foundation stone was laid by the Prince Regent. Among those who took part was Mrs. Fitzherbert. There was much "loyal speechifying", music from the Prince's own band and peals of bells from St. Nicholas'. After the Prince had laid the foundation stone, Hudson led the gathering into the Promenade Gardens, the most fashionable place of amusement in Brighton. There they all enjoyed an excellent déjeuner at his expense. The plans which were drawn up by Mr. Saunders of Golden Square, London, were for a typical example of Georgian architecture. The original facing has now disappeared under the Victorian brick reconstruction. The material from which the walls were built came very largely from the beach!
The Chapel was covered
in by the end of the following year, October 1794. On August 3rd, 1795, the Chapel was officially opened. The Prince Regent and his newly-wedded wife, Caroline, attended the opening at which the Reverend Dr. Canon Longford of Windsor preached on behalf of the School of Industry. From then on the Chapel's popularity was ensured. It was open every Sunday during the Brighton season, which ran from June to September, to cater for the great influx of the fashionable visitors. Many of the clergy who were attached to the Court preached and the Chapel Royal, under royal patronage, became the place at which to attend Divine worship on a Sunday.
Despite growing popularity, the financial situation did
not improve for several years. The turn of the century saw the turn of the
Chapel's fortunes.
The Chapel was increasing in fashionableness and Hudson appears to have the debts
which he had incurred in the building operations well under control. What
then had motivated Hudson to build the Chapel Royal? The building of the Chapel should
be viewed in the light of what was common practice in the eighteenth century. In
"the Building of the Eighteenth Century Church", B.F.L. Clarke asserts that when a parish was
faced with a problem of town growth (as was certainly the case in Brighton) it was
usual to take a building which could be used for worship, without being consecrated
and could be got rid of if it did not succeed. It seems
this was what Hudson was doing. He may, of course, have hoped for increased
prestige and reputation. But it seems more likely that, as with the churchyard
and vicarage, when faced with a great problem in the parish, Hudson
did not delay but set about solving it.
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