St Agatha's, Landport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Agatha's Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church (since 2012) Previously Traditional Anglican Communion (1994-2012) Church of England (1894-1954) |
| Rite | Anglican Use |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish Church |
| Leadership | Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham Ordinary: The Revd Msgr David Waller Rector: The Revd Msgr Robert Mercer |
| Location | |
| Location | Landport, Portsmouth, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Joseph Henry Ball |
| Architectural style | Italianate Romanesque |
| General contractor | W. R. Light and Son of Southsea |
| Groundbreaking | 1838 |
| Completed | 1894 |
| Construction cost | £3,250 |
| Website | |
| sagathasbasilica.com | |
St Agatha's Church is a special church located in the Landport area of Portsmouth, England. It's right next to the Cascades Shopping Centre on Marketway. This beautiful building was constructed between 1893 and 1895. It was originally built for the Church of England. Today, it is part of the Roman Catholic Church through a group called the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. The church is also recognized as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a very important historical site.
Contents
History of St Agatha's Church
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St Agatha's Church has a long and interesting history. It started as a small mission church in an area where many people were struggling. The idea for a bigger church came from a dedicated priest named Father Robert William Radclyffe Dolling.
Building the Church
Father Dolling was an Irish priest who cared deeply about the people in the Landport area. He worked hard to help them with their problems. At the same time, he collected money from people in Old Portsmouth to build a new, larger church. Construction of the new St Agatha's Church began in 1893.
The church officially opened on October 27, 1895. There was a special ceremony that started at the old mission church. Then, everyone walked in a procession to the new church. This grand opening caused some disagreement with the Bishop of Winchester because of the type of religious ceremony held.
Early Years and Changes
After Father Dolling, Father Tremenheere continued to decorate the inside of the church. This work went on until 1914. During this time, beautiful murals were finished, and a wooden pulpit was added. A pulpit is a raised platform where a preacher stands.
Father C. W. Coles took over after Tremenheere. He served the church through two major world wars. The last service in the church as a Church of England building was held in 1954. Later, in 1964, a part of the church called the lady chapel was taken down. This was done to make space for widening the road nearby.
New Beginnings
For about 40 years, St Agatha's Church was used as a naval storage building. Then, in the 1990s, a group called the Traditional Anglican Communion took it over. They used it for worship that was very similar to what Father Dolling had originally intended. The church remained mostly the same during this period, even though the lady chapel had been removed earlier.
In 2012, the church joined the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. This group was created in 2011 for former Anglicans who wanted to become Catholic. It allowed them to keep some of their Anglican traditions while joining the Catholic Church.
St Agatha's Church Today
Today, St Agatha's Church is not only a place of worship but also hosts concerts. People have described it as a magnificent building with a rich and beautiful interior. Some even call it the "Cathedral of the car parks" because of its grand appearance in Portsmouth's shopping area.
A retired bishop named Robert Mercer used to worship at St Agatha's. When he and other church leaders joined the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, St Agatha's became a main place of worship for this group. Many of the church's interior decorations and furnishings came from other churches that were no longer in use. For example, the main altar came from Trinity Church.
The church holds one Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM. It also has weekday Masses at 11:00 AM on Monday, Friday, and Saturday.
See also
