As the mediaeval parish church of St Nicholas proved too small for the growing population, St Peter's was consecrated as a Chapel of Ease in January 1828 by the Right Reverend Dr Robert Carr, Lord Bishop of Chichester, who, as Vicar of Brighton, had laid the foundation stone in May 1824. The first priest was the Reverend Thomas Cook who remained for 45 years until St Peter's became Brighton Parish Church in 1873. The font, made from Sussex marble, was given by his widow as a memorial to him.: Source: http://www.stpeterschurchbrighton.org.uk/history.html, accessed 12/4/2007