St Michael and All Angels Church, Bassett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Michael and All Angels |
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St Michael & All Angels Church, Bassett Avenue, Southampton
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 St. Michael and All Angels
Location in Southampton
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| 50°56′41″N 1°24′19″W / 50.94465°N 1.40531°W | |
| Location | Bassett, Southampton |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | nsab.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1897 |
| Dedication | St. Michael |
| Dedicated | 1897 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Listed building - Grade II |
| Designated | 14 December 1969 |
| Architect(s) | Edward Prioleau Warren |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 29 September 1897 |
| Completed | May 1910 |
| Construction cost | £4,139 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick with stone dressings |
| Administration | |
| Parish | North Stoneham and Bassett |
| Deanery | Southampton |
| Archdeaconry | Bournemouth |
| Diocese | Winchester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. Michael and All Angels Church is an Anglican parish church located in Bassett, Southampton. It was built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Contents
Where is the Church?
The church stands on the east side of Bassett Avenue in Southampton. This road is known for its beautiful tree-lined path leading into Southampton.
The church is part of the North Stoneham and Bassett parish. It has the largest group of worshippers among the three churches in this area.
Church Design and Look
Outside the Church
The outside of St. Michael and All Angels Church is made of red bricks. It has special stone around the doors and windows. The roof is slated, and there is a small bell-tower on the west side.
While the outside might seem simple, experts like Pevsner and Lloyd thought the inside was very special. They called its design "intriguing and distinguished."
Inside the Church
The church's main area, called the nave, has four wide, arched sections. These sections are separated from the chancel (the area near the altar) by a rood-screen. This screen has a carving of the Crucifixion of Jesus.
The large window at the east end shows Jesus with the archangels Michael and Gabriel. This was the first stained-glass window ever made by the artist Frank O. Salisbury.
Another important window is on the west side. It was given in 1962 by Hector Young, a former mayor of Southampton. He gave it to remember his wife, Ethel, who died during the Southampton Blitz in September 1940. The Blitz was a time when German planes bombed British cities during World War II. This window shows the Archangel Michael defeating Satan. It was designed by Francis Skeat.
Church History
The Parish Area
The area around the church, called North Stoneham, has a very long history. It was first mentioned in the early 800s! Back then, it was known as "Abbots Stoneham" and was connected to Hyde Abbey in Winchester.
After the monasteries were closed in the 1540s, the land was bought by Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton. Later, in 1599, his family sold it to Sir Thomas Fleming. His family owned the church's rights until 1997.
Until the late 1800s, Bassett was part of North Stoneham. The rector (main priest) of St. Nicolas' Church looked after everyone in the large area. One rector, Revd. Elliott Kenworthy-Browne, often walked over 10 miles a day to visit people!
By the mid-1880s, Bassett had grown with many large houses. Even though it looked like a wealthy area, Revd. Kenworthy-Browne noted that many people were poor workers.
Today, the parish is called North Stoneham and Bassett. It includes North Stoneham, all of Bassett, part of Bassett Green, and part of Chilworth. It even covers Southampton Airport.
Building the Church
Before the church was built, services were held in a small coach-house and later in a mission room.
The land for the new church was given by John Brown Willis Fleming. The church was designed by Edward Prioleau Warren. The first stone was laid on September 29, 1897.
The church was built in two parts because they ran out of money. It was finally finished in May 1910. The total cost was £4,139. When it was done, people thought it was an amazing building, and visitors came from far away, even America!
In 1934, the church was made bigger to add an assembly room. In 1937, a new altar and a decorated screen behind it were added.
In 1962, the church was recognized as an important building. In 1969, it was officially listed as a "Grade II listed" building, meaning it's historically important.
In 1980, work began to fix the roof and protect the brickwork from damp. This cost £13,000.
In 2011, the old wooden church benches (pews) were removed. They were replaced with chairs that are more flexible and comfortable.
In October 2014, the church was put on the Heritage at Risk Register. This meant it needed urgent repairs. Luckily, in March 2015, the church received a grant of £90,000 to fix its roof. The repair work was completed in October 2016.
Church Leaders
The current Rector, Reverend Sheena Williams, started her role on February 3, 2017. She grew up in Scotland and studied law before becoming a priest. She is helped by other clergy and lay ministers. Together, they serve the three churches in the Parish: St. Michael and All Angels, St. Nicolas, and All Saints.
Worship and Music
St. Michael and All Angels Church has a style of worship that focuses strongly on the Eucharist (also known as Holy Communion).
On Sundays, services are held at 8 am (using the Book of Common Prayer) and 10 am (using Common Worship). There is also Choral Evensong on the second and fourth Sundays at 6:30 pm. During the week, there is a service on Thursdays at 9:30 am and a special Taize Service on the last Friday of most months.
The Choir
St. Michael's has a long history of excellent choir music. The main choir is the Senior Choir, which includes people of all ages. They sing traditional church music and help lead the worship at Sunday morning services. They also sing Choral Evensong twice a month.
The choir often sings at famous places like Winchester Cathedral and Chichester Cathedral when those cathedrals' own choirs are on holiday. They also travel further away each August for a longer stay at a cathedral.
The church also has a Junior Choir, which joins the Senior Choir for two services each month.
The Organ
The church's organ was built in 1937 by Rushworth and Dreaper. It is a special type of organ with four sets of pipes that can create 25 different sounds. The organ was updated in 2011. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
