Monument MPM1855 - Holy Trinity Church, Ruin

Ruins of Holy Trinity Church, Portsmouth Dockyard. The church was built in North Street Portsea in 1839. In 1905 it was bought by the admiralty and was subsequently used as a chapel to the Royal Naval Barracks. The majority of the building was destroyed in an air raid in 1941.

The ruins of Holy Trinity, Portsea, are situated within the area of Portsmouth Dockyard to the north of King William Street. The church, designed by Augustus Livesey, was built in North Street in 1839 (consecrated 30th September 1841). It became the first 'High' church on Portsea Island. The interior was renovated by dockyard shipwrights in 1877. In 1905 the Admiralty bought the land and the church, and it became part of Portsmouth Dockyard. The dockyard wall was extended to separate the church from Portsea. The parish of Holy Trinity was abolished by Act of Parliament and the church was used as the chapel for the Royal Naval Barracks. In 1941 most of the building was destroyed in an air raid. The north elevation is all that survives. [1, 2]

A First World War memorial plaque and Reredos salvaged from the ruin were on display in the Dockyard Apprentice Museum in 2007. [3]

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

<2> Naval Dockyards Society, 2015, 20th Century Naval Dockyards: Devonport and Portsmouth Characterisation Report (Bibliographic reference). SPM399.

<3> Backhouse, Tim, 2002-17, Memorials and Monuments in Portsmouth (Bibliographic reference). SPM259.