Patients, staff and members of the public are being invited to share their experiences of the Chapel at the Royal Sussex County Hospital ahead of its move to a new home on the site.
The interior of the 165 year old Chapel will start a new life as part of the 3Ts Redevelopment of the hospital. A purpose built space in the redevelopment’s first new building will house the beautiful, grade 2 listed Chapel.
The Chaplaincy Team would like to hear about memories and experiences of the Chapel to help commemorate its role in the life of the hospital to date. These can be shared on the Chapel Move webpage that also features a navigable 3D model of the Chapel’s interior. There is also a book in the Chapel for recording memories.
Each day up to Sunday 9th May there will be a thirty minute period of reflection between 12:30 and 1:00 pm. There will be readings, music and a candle lit to mark the transition of the Chapel.
The Chapel will close its doors in its current location on the evening of Sunday 9th May. This will mark the start of the careful process to dismantle its interior; stone work, windows, memorial plaques and all, ready for transfer to its new home. The elements that cannot be moved, such as the plasterwork, will be faithfully recreated in the new space. The move will take approximately 18 months.
The memorial books usually on display in the Chapel will be kept in the Chaplain’s Office where they will be available to view. A space for quiet reflection and prayer is being prepared in the Barry Building for use while the Chapel is closed.
If you have any queries about the move of the Chapel or its inclusion in the 3Ts Redevelopment, please email the Hospital Redevelopment Team on UHSussex.3ts@nhs.net.