In answer to Rev John Webster (Letters, April 13), St Stephen's Church in Montpelier Place was dedicated on July 25, 1851.

The interior was reconstructed from the Royal Chapel in Palace Place which, until 1822, had been the ballroom of the Castle Inn (1766).

The church was remodelled and restored by A Blomfield in 1908 and it closed as a place of worship in 1939.

The Diocesan Association for the Deaf and Dumb then used it until 1974, when it passed to the Brighton Housing Trust.

Regarding threatened closures of ten churches in Brighton, this are only the latest of many such closures.

but it not pulled down until 1968 as it was used as a meat market.

and St Mary Madeleine, Bread Street, in 1963 and St Margaret's in Cannon Place in 1959.

Four more closed soon after - St Matthews and All Souls, Eastern Road, both in 1968) and St Annes, Burlington Street and St Saviour in Ditchling Road, both in 1970.

St Wilfrid's closed in the Seventies, St Agnes, Hove, in 1977 and Christ Church, Montpelier Road, in 1978, Since then, six more churches closed: Holy Trinity, Ship Street, 1985, St Mark, Eastern Road, 1985, St Peter in Preston, 1988, St John's, CartonHill, 1991, St Andrew's, Waterloo Street, 1991, St Thomas, Davigdor Road, 1993 and, finally, so far, St Augustine with St Saviour, Stanford Avenue, in 2002.

That is a total of 20 Anglican churches lost in Brighton and Hove.

There have also been two Roman Catholic churches closed, eight Baptist, six congregational, two presbyterian and six Methodist closures.

Finally, another 16 independent churches and chapels have gone from various locations throughout Brighton and Hove which means in total 60 places of worship have disappeared in the past century.

Paul RA Stacey

-Hereford Street, Brighton