Royal Garrison Church - Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK
Posted by: 
ashberry
N 50° 47.341 W 001° 06.233
30U E 633647 N 5628076
Royal Garrison Church, also Domus Dei, was constructed c. 1212 as a an almshouse and hospice at Old Portsmouth. Although the church was badly damaged in a 1941 fire-bomb raid on Portsmouth, the chancel was saved.
Waymark Code: WM14YPW
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/13/2021
Views: 0
"Domus Dei (Hospital of Saint Nicholas and Saint John the Baptist) was an almshouse and hospice at Old Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom. It is now also known as the Royal Garrison Church and is an English Heritage property and a Grade II listed building.
History: The hospice was established by Peter des Roches (sometimes wrongly named as de Rupibus), Bishop of Winchester in around 1212 A.D.
In 1450 an unpopular advisor to the king, Bishop Adam Moleyns of Chichester was conducting a service at the chapel of Domus Dei when a number of naval seamen (resentful of being only partially paid and only provided with limited provisions) burst into the church, dragged out the bishop and murdered him.
As a result of this the entire town of Portsmouth was placed under the Greater Excommunication, an interdict which lasted until 1508, removed at the request of Bishop Foxe of Winchester.
In 1540, like many other chantry buildings, it was seized by King Henry VIII and until 1560 was used as an armoury. After 1560, a mansion built close by the south-side became the home of the local military governor.
In 1662 the mansion hosted the wedding of King Charles II and Princess Catherine of Braganza.
Towards the end of the seventeenth century it fell into disrepair until it was restored in 1767 to become the Garrison church. Once again, the Church fell into disrepair and in 1865 a new restoration project began under the direction of G. E. Street which lasted ten years.
On 10 January 1941 the buildings of Domus Dei were partially destroyed in an attack by German bombers, when all the stained glass windows were blown out and the nave was rendered roofless by incendiary bombs and a single high explosive bomb. New glazing was subsequently fitted. Apart from the East window with its traditional design, all the other windows show much of the British Army's relationship to the Church and the City of Portsmouth. The chancel is intact, but the nave remains roofless."
Source: (
visit link)
Visit Instructions:As a suggestion for your visit log, please make every effort to supply a brief-to-detailed note about your experience at the Waymark. If possible also include an image that was taken when you visited the Waymark. Images can be of yourself, a personal Waymarking signature item or just one of general interest that would be of value to others. Sharing your experience helps promote Waymarking and provides a dynamic history of your adventures.