English Martyrs' Catholic Church, Goring-by-Sea

English Martyrs' Church is in Compton Avenue, Goring-by-Sea, Worthing, West Sussex, England. It is an active Roman Catholic parish church in the diocese of Arundel & Brighton and the Worthing deanery. Hand-painted by Gary Bevans over five and a half years, English Martyrs' Church has the world's only known reproduction of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling,[3][4] which has been described as "a marvel"[1] and "astonishing".[4]

English Martyrs Catholic Church, Goring-by-Sea
The church from the northeast
50.8158°N 0.4277°W / 50.8158; -0.4277
DenominationRoman Catholic
Websitehttps://english-martyrs.co.uk/
History
StatusParish church
DedicationEnglish Martyrs
Consecrated1970
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architectural typeChurch, utilitarian[1]
Completed1968
Specifications
Width13 metres (44 ft)[2]
Administration
DeaneryWorthing
DioceseArundel & Brighton
ProvinceSouthwark
Clergy
Priest(s)Fr Liam O'Connor
Deacon(s)Gary Bevans

Reproduction of Sistine Chapel ceiling

Following a visit with his wife and children to the Sistine Chapel in Rome for the beatification of the English Martyrs in 1987, sign-painter Gary Bevans was inspired to paint a copy of the Sistine Chapel frescoes on the ceiling of English Martyrs' Church.[5] The frescoes painted by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel from 1508 are regarded as one of the major artistic accomplishments of human civilisation.[6][7] Bevans realised that English Martyrs' Church is the same width as the Sistine Chapel in Rome, and slightly shorter in length.[5] Bevans had already produced works of art for the church. These included images of two of the English Martyrs - St Thomas More and St John Fisher, and a painting of the Last Supper which unusually includes Mary on Jesus' left, a young child and a Yorkshire Terrier.[8]

Having secured the backing of the parish priest he received permission from the bishop of Arundel and Brighton, Cormac Murphy-O'Connor[9] and began work later in 1987. Bevans completed the painting of the ceiling in 1993, five and a half years later. Bevans completed the works by himself, working in the evening and at weekends, in addition to his full-time job. The painted area is on a wooden vaulted surface fixed to the church roof, painted white, with frescos painted in acrylic paint.[4]

The church also has a stained glass west window installed in 1990, by Annie Goodman and coloured Irish glass in the clerestory.[1]

Adjoining barn

Next to the church lies the barn that is used as a church hall. Built in 1771 for George Jupp, a local farmer, the barn with its outbuildings was designated as a Grade II listed building on 31 January 1989.[10] In December 1937 the barn was in a derelict state when it was bought with adjoining land and turned into a chapel, with priests from St Mary of the Angels in the centre of Worthing saying mass. When the new parish was created in 1952 the barn was used as a church until it was replaced by the present church building.[11]

References
  1. Williamson et al. 2019, p. 748
  2. "Learn how Worthing church's reproduction of Sistine Chapel ceiling came about at special exhibition". Worthing Herald. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  3. "Welcome to The Sistine Chapel Reproduction United Kingdom". Sistine Chapel UK. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  4. Jones, Jonathan (14 January 2020). "The Sistine Chapel in Sussex – painted by the Michelangelo of Goring-by-Sea". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  5. Rule, Sheila (27 March 1989). "Worthing Journal; Sign-Painter's Sistine Ceiling: Acrylic on Plywood". New York Times. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  6. Gardner 1970, p. 469
  7. Coughlan 1966, p. 116
  8. Schweitzer, Louise (30 August 2016). "A Look Inside Goring's Sistine Chapel". Sussex Life. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  9. Hughes 2017
  10. "Jupps Barn". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  11. "The Barn". English Martyrs Catholic Church. Retrieved 2 March 2020.

Bibliography
  • Coughlan, Robert (1966). The World of Michelangelo. Time-Life International.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gardner, Helen (1970). Art through the Ages. Harcourt, Brace and World. ISBN 978-0-15-508315-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Hughes, Wendy (2017). The A-Z of Curious Sussex: Strange Stories of Mysteries, Crimes and Eccentrics. The History Press. ISBN 9780750986434.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Williamson, Elizabeth; Hudson, Tim; Musson, Jeremy; Nairn, Ian; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2019). Sussex: West. Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300225211.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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