St John the Baptist's Church, Brighton

Laws against Roman Catholic worship were in place in Britain until the early 19th century, although some restrictions were relaxed by the passing of Acts of Parliament in 1778 (the Papists Act) and 1791 (the Roman Catholic Relief Act). The 1791 Act allowed Catholic churches to be built for the first time, although there were restrictions on their design and appearance: no bells or steeples were allowed. Brighton's Roman Catholic community at the time of the Relief Act was small, but two factors caused it to grow in the 1790s. Many refugees from the French Revolution settled in Brighton after escaping from France; and Maria Fitzherbert, a twice-widowed Catholic, began a relationship with the…

William Hallett, the architect, is not known to have been responsible for any other buildings in Brighton or elsewhere, 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…

St John the Baptist Catholic School moved away from its original site next to the church in 1989, when a new building was provided on Whitehawk Hill. The convent chapel is now used as a rest home, although its origins as a chapel are still apparent. The church holds Masses on Saturday evenings, Sunday mornings and Holy Days of Obligation. The church has been listed at Grade II* since 13 October 1952. As of February 2001, it was one of 70 Grade II*-listed buildings and structures, and 1,218 listed buildings of all grades, in the city of Brighton and Hove.