Search churches in Southampton
Find churches across Southampton and the surrounding Hampshire towns.
Historic churches in Southampton
- St Michael the Archangel: founded around 1070 and the oldest building still in use in the city, standing in the old town near the Tudor House. Its slender spire has been a seamark for shipping for centuries, and the church holds a rare black Tournai marble font.
- St Mary's: the mother church of Southampton, rebuilt several times on a Saxon site and again after wartime bombing. The peal of its bells is said to have inspired the song "The Bells of St Mary's", carried around the world by sailors.
- Holyrood Church ruins: bombed in 1940 and preserved as a memorial to the merchant navy, a moving stop on any walk through the old town. Crew members of the Titanic were remembered here; the ship sailed from Southampton in 1912.
- St Joseph's, Bugle Street: a historic Catholic parish serving the old town.
Church life across the city
Modern Southampton has a broad and busy church scene. Highfield Church and other Anglican congregations near the universities run large student ministries, while Above Bar Church, an independent evangelical congregation in the city centre, has served Southampton since the 19th century. Catholic parishes across the city include Polish, Filipino and Indian communities, a reflection of the port's long habit of welcoming newcomers. Pentecostal and African majority churches meet in Shirley, St Mary's and Swaythling, and the city also hosts Chinese, Korean and Iranian fellowships. The Diocese of Winchester covers the Anglican parishes, and church-run projects, including street pastors and food banks, are well established across the city.
Browse Southampton churches in the directory
See every church we list in Southampton, or explore Winchester, Portsmouth and the rest of the county on our Hampshire county page.
Practical notes for visitors
- Sunday services mostly run between 9.30am and 11am, with evening services at the larger student-focused churches.
- St Michael's is normally open to visitors during the day; the old town churches are minutes apart on foot.
- The Unilink buses connect the universities, the centre and the station, making church visits easy without a car.
- On cruise turnaround days the old town is busy; allow extra time for parking near the waterfront churches.
Frequently asked questions
What is Southampton's oldest church?
St Michael the Archangel, begun shortly after the Norman Conquest. It survived the French raid that destroyed much of the medieval town and the bombing that flattened its neighbours, making it the old town's great survivor.
Is there a church connection to the Titanic?
Yes. Southampton was the Titanic's home port and lost more residents than any other city when she sank. Memorials stand across the city, and churches held the funerals and memorial services that marked the disaster.