Saint George's Church, Portsmouth

The Church of Saint George is a remarkable Grade II*-listed Georgian ecclesiastical building. Constructed between 1753 and 1754 by local dockyard shipwrights-likely under the direction of Nicholas Vass-it was originally known as the “Shipwrights’ Church” and remains a powerful symbol of Portsmouth’s 18th-century naval community. Its architectural style, often described as “New England Colonial,” reflects the transatlantic influences of the time.

Red-brick in appearance with grey headers and a classic hipped roof, the church features a distinctive wooden bell turret capped by a gold sphere and weather vane. The façade is notably symmetrical, with uniform windows on two tiers and a central entrance that blends Georgian restraint with colonial charm. Inside, the building offers a serene yet uplifting atmosphere, with its barrel-vaulted ceiling, Tuscan columns, and galleries preserved through mid-20th-century restoration efforts following wartime damage.

During the Second World War, Saintt George’s Church sustained significant bombing damage but was courageously restored-first in 1952, then again in 1972-to maintain its historical and architectural legacy. In recent years, further enhancements funded by the National Churches Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund have helped preserve the building as a cherished community hub, now part of Harbour Church Portsmouth since 2018.