St Mark's Church, Magham Down

A Memory of Magham Down.

The church was a mission hall, part of Hailsham Parish. It was constructed of green painted corrugated iron. There was just one large room, with a curtained vestry at the rear. There were two services a month, a communion service at 8am on the 4th Sunday, and on the third Sunday of the month, an afternoon service which was a mixture of Matins and Evening Prayer. On every Sunday except the third, Sunday School was held in the afternoons, 2.30 - 4pm. In the 1950's, there were about 40 children attending.

The Lord's Table (NOT altar, according to the Vicar) was plain and enclosed by a wooden rail on a raised dais. Music was initially supplied by a little American organ, but this was later replaced by a piano.

On the wall was a text "I can...through Christ", Phil 4.13, a copy of Holman Hunt's The Light of the World and two Margaret Tarrant pictures. The Vicar wanted them removed but the Sunday School Superintendent was adamant that they were part of the Sunday School.

Also in the church were two locked bookcases with metal lattice and green curtaining on the doors; these held a selection of books from the county library. The library was open on, I think, alternate Thursday afternoons, and the books changed occasionally.

The church had one cracked bell. The toilet was outside at the back;a seat and bucket.