St Alban's Church, Southampton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Alban's Church |
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| Church of St Alban the Martyr | |
St. Alban's Church, Southampton
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 St. Alban's Church
Location in Southampton
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| 50°56′20″N 1°23′15″W / 50.9390°N 1.3874°W | |
| Location | Swaythling, Hampshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Parish of Swaythling |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 20th century |
| Dedication | St. Alban |
| Consecrated | 17 June 1933 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Listed building - Grade II |
| Architect(s) | Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Lime mortar rendered brick |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Swaythling |
| Deanery | Southampton |
| Archdeaconry | Bournemouth |
| Diocese | Winchester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. Alban's Church is a beautiful church located in Swaythling, a part of Southampton, England. You can find it on Tulip Road, near Burgess Road. This church, along with its nearby hall, is a very important building. It is listed as a Grade II listed building, which means it is protected because of its special history and architecture.
Building a New Church for Swaythling
In early 1932, a new church area, called the Parish of St. Alban, was created. It was mostly formed from the older South Stoneham Parish. At first, there was no actual St. Alban's church building. There was only a piece of land where it could be built. This land used to be part of Swaythling Farm.
Before the new church was finished, people in the new parish went to St. Agnes Church or the Burgess Road Mission for worship. Finally, St. Alban's Church was completed in 1933. The land was big enough for the church, a vicar's house, and large halls. All these buildings together are special and are protected as Grade II listed buildings.
The Church's Design and Look
St. Alban's Church was one of the first churches designed by a famous architect named Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day. It was built by GE Prince & Sons, a company from Southampton.
The church has a "cruciform" shape, which means it looks like a cross from above. It has a low, wide tower in the middle. Its style is called "late Gothic," which is a traditional church design. Even though it looks traditional on the outside, the inside is very open and well-designed.
The main altar, where services are held, is placed under the central tower. This means it is much closer to the people attending church. This was a new and "innovative" idea at the time. Usually, the choir would sit between the people and the altar. At St. Alban's, space for the choir was planned for a balcony at the back, but it was never finished because there wasn't enough money.
The beautiful east window was made by Christopher Webb, a very important artist who created stained-glass windows in the mid-1900s. His other works can be seen in places like the Bishop's Chapel at Wolvesey Palace. The main figures in the window are Christ, with the Virgin Mary and St. Boniface on one side, and St. Alban and St. Wilfrid on the other. This window was a gift from Mrs. F. Watkins, in memory of her husband.
The Church Leaders (Vicars)
A vicar is a type of priest who leads a church parish. Here are the people who have served as vicars at St. Alban's Church:
- 1932–1946: The Revd Harold Bennett
- 1946–1967: The Revd Howard Rees-Jones
- 1968–1976: The Revd Kenneth Bachell
- 1976–1988: The Revd Frank Chivers
- 1988–1991: The Revd John Moore (Priest-in-Charge)
In 1992, the parishes of St. Alban's and St. Mary's joined together. They became known as Swaythling Parish.
- 1992–1999: The Revd John Moore
- 2000–2013: The Revd Canon Gary Philbrick
- 2014–Present: The Revd Peter Dockree
