Building MPM1481 - Church of the Ascension, Stubbington Avenue

Anglican Church designed by A. E. Cogswell, built between 1913 and 1914. A Mission Church to St Mark's, the Church of the Ascension was built to replace a temporary iron building in use 1908-1910 and Church Hall in Chichester Road which had been converted to hold services for parishioners in 1910. A plain red brick building, with brick pillars and tiled arches inside. The congregation supplied the High Altar, panelling and the pulpit. A panel on the east wall depicting Christ in Glory was designed by J. Coates Carter. The spires and towers of Portsea Island are carved below the figure of Christ, together with figures including a First World War soldier, sailor and a Crusader. Unveiled in 1921, the panel was intended to be part of a much larger reredos commissioned as a War Memorial to the 1914-18 War. Three stained glass windows in the south transept depicting Mary, Joseph and the Boy Christ were installed in 1954 in memory of C. H. Lineham. The Lady Chapel contains glass by Percy Brown dating to 1929. [1]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Church of townscape value. Red brick with red clay tile roof, with belfry at west end. Built in 1916. [2]

<1> Offord, J, 1989, Churches, Chapels and Places of Worship on Portsea Island (Bibliographic reference). SPM39.

<2> Portsmouth City Council, 2011, City of Portsmouth Local List of Buildings (Bibliographic reference). SPM37.