Milestones in Our Story
The Norman Conquest
William of Normandy defeats Harold at the Battle of Hastings and takes the English throne. A significant Norman presence quickly establishes itself in Southampton — the scene is set for the founding of St Michael's.
The Tower is Built — Our Church is Founded
Just four years after the Conquest, a sufficient Norman presence in Southampton enables the building of the tower. St Michael's begins as a simple cross-shaped building, with the tower at its centre. It is one of the first Norman ecclesiastical structures in the region.
The Church is Rebuilt
Apart from the original tower, the body of the church is rebuilt in the twelfth century, reflecting the growing importance of Southampton as a Norman port town.
Two Chapels Added
Two chapels are added either side of the high altar. The changing shapes of the arches throughout the church still bear witness to these successive phases of construction.
The North Aisle
The north aisle is added in the fourteenth century, further widening the church and increasing its capacity for worship.
South Aisle & the First Spire
The south aisle is added. The spire is also probably first built in this century, completing the silhouette that has defined the Southampton skyline for half a millennium.
The Spire is Rebuilt
The spire is rebuilt. It would be altered again in the following century.
Spire Heightened by Nine Feet
At the request of Trinity House, the spire is heightened by nine feet to serve as a navigational aid for ships coming up Southampton Water. The church literally guided sailors home.
Victorian Transformation
The population of Southampton nearly doubles in the first half of the nineteenth century. To accommodate more worshippers, the medieval stone pillars supporting the nave roof are replaced with the slender columns you see today — in fact, cast iron encased in brick, an imaginative use of modern technology that bequeathed later generations a remarkably light and spacious building.
The Blitz & the New East Window
The City of Southampton suffers terribly in the bombing of 1940. St Michael's escapes direct destruction but sustains damage — especially to its windows — from a bomb which falls nearby. The damage to the great East window enables the installation of the current window, which commemorates the five medieval churches of the Old Town, of which St Michael's alone survives.
A Living Parish
St Michael's continues as an active, welcoming Church of England parish. Weekly services, a renowned choir (Cantores Michaelis), a fine Victorian organ, and a congregation that carries the 956-year story forward. The church is open to visitors and welcomes all who cross its threshold.
View from Mayflower Park, 2022. Photography by Keith Davis.
