St. Edmund's, Southampton

Introduction

Saint Edmund's in Southampton, within the Diocese of Portsmouth, was built in 1889 by J W Lunn of Great Malvern.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is in Decorated style with a tower on the south side and a transept on the north side planned but not built. The east end has a large rose window with intricate Decorated tracery and a canopied Crucifix above. The nave has a 10-bay arch-braced crown-post roof with three tiers of wind-braces. The sanctuary was re-ordered and the altar brought forward.

The Lady Chapel has a carved stone Gothic reredos and an iron and brass Communion rail. The church is built of English bond red brick with stone dressings and Double Roman clay tile roofs with stone coped gables. The plan comprises a nave, 5-bay north and south aisles, a transeptal lady chapel and a sacristy. The north and south aisles have 2-light windows with reticulated tracery and a clerestory above with 3-light curvilinear tracery windows.

The church has a bellcote on the south side and a short gabled transept (Lady Chapel) on the north side with a 5-light window set in a large arch. The interior has plastered walls with stone arcades, chancel arch and rear-arches. The nave has 5-bay north and south arcades with octagonal piers, moulded capitals and double-chamfered pointed arches. The church contains C19 benches and a C20 organ loft installed at the east (liturgical west) end.