Canon O`Donnell Hall Lewes - Lewes Bonfire Night Celebrations

July 21, 2014 at 10:58 pm by v

This deliberately abandoned and derelict arts and crafts style building is the Canon O`Donnell Hall which was once a community centre for the people of Lewes and built in 1907. Sold to a property developer, Only to be commercially vandalised! Looking at the art forms on the walls and doors inside the building, one wonders on the state of mind of the last inhabitants! The following text was adapted from The Friends Of Lewes Website and I left only my footprints and took only pics.

Originally the Canon O`Donnell Hall was used by the local C of E church and then more recently by the Catholic church, The community centre hall had also hosted many community functions over the years, there are few Lewes children who will not have gone there at some point. After decades of use, it was sold to a property developer who closed the building and then deliberately let it fall into disrepair. In 2009 a planning application was made to demolish the Canon O`Donnell Hall and turn it into flats. This was opposed and turned down.

“English Heritage have acknowledged the merit of this significant building, and just because it isn’t listed now, doesn’t mean it couldn’t be. The dereliction the owner has allowed makes it hard to imagine how fine this old community centre hall could look, and it is a very well thought out, and cleverly designed structure in a tricky space. Just look at the unusual lines of the Canon O`Donnell roof line when driving past from the prison. It is very modern indeed.”

“It is an example of a retro Arts and Crafts building – now very rare in Lewes – and it sits very well on a very difficult site without dominating the surrounding area, Unlike the proposed brash new flats. The varying roof line along Western Road is, I think, irreplaceable; apart from the obvious historical community issues, It is part of the streetscape and its history.”

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Canon O Donnell Hall Community Centre Building Lewes Abandoned Derelict Arts Crafts