A Short History of St Andrew's

St Andrew’s Church is located in the East End of Eastbourne and is often known locally as St Andrew’s, Norway. This name has nothing to do with the Scandinavian country, but comes from the church’s original position on the North Way — commonly known as the Nor’ Way — out of Eastbourne.

St Andrew’s began as a daughter parish of Christ Church, Eastbourne. In the early 1880s, the Revd Edward Ebenezer Crake was appointed as the first curate in charge of the Norway Hamlet, with services initially held in one of the Norway Cottages.

On Sunday 23 October 1881, the Bishop of Chichester opened a School Mission Room in Vine Square to serve the growing community. Part of this building was set aside for worship and was also used for mothers’ meetings, temperance meetings, a clothing club, and a library. These mission rooms later became part of what is now St Andrew’s Church of England Infant School.

In 1885, an iron church originally built for the Ceylon Baptists was relocated to Norway. This Iron Church was opened and dedicated on 9 June 1885 by the Bishop of Chichester. The priest in charge at that time was the Revd Hurney Whitchurch, who had succeeded Revd Crake in 1884. The Iron Church served the parish for 25 years but was eventually deemed unsafe.

Plans for a permanent church were approved in 1911, and the foundation stone was laid on 23 October 1911 by the Mayor of Eastbourne. The first vicar, the Revd Harold Pain, arrived in May 1912, and St Andrew’s Church was consecrated on 25 July 1912 by the Bishop of Chichester, Dr Ridgeway.

As the parish continued to grow, a parish meeting place became necessary. On 23 January 1918, St Andrew’s Church House was opened by Revd Pain. Created by joining two houses on High Pavement, it served parish groups for many years. The building still stands today and is now a shop on the corner of Rye Street, with the painted sign for St Andrew’s Men’s Club still visible.