Church of St Michael

The Church of St Michael is the only medieval parish church still intact in central Southampton. It dates from around 1070, when Norman immigrants were settling in this area of the town, with further work completed in the 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, as well as in 1828 and 1872. This church served as the civic church of Southampton until 1835 and is constructed of ashlar stone.

The base of the central tower dates back to around 1070, while the rest of the tower is late medieval. The nave's west wall is Norman, but it was rebuilt in the 14th to 15th centuries. The north and south aisles and chapels were rebuilt and widened in the late 14th to 15th centuries, featuring windows from various periods, primarily the 14th to 15th centuries. A steeple was added in 1732 to serve as a landmark for shipping. Between 1828 and 1829, galleries designed by Francis Goodwin were inserted, the aisles were heightened, the north aisle was extended, the medieval nave arcades were replaced, and new low-pitched roofs were constructed. The galleries were later removed in 1872.

Inside the church, there are two 13th-century trefoiled piscinas, one located in the north chapel and the other against the north wall of the tower. A notable feature is the fine black Tournai marble font from around 1170, which is similar to one found in Winchester Cathedral. There are also two medieval lecterns: one is an early 15th-century Flemish lectern rescued from Holy Rood Church, and the other is from the late 15th century. Additionally, there is a tomb with an effigy of Chief Justice Sir Richard Lyster, who died in 1553 and lived nearby at Tudor House on Bugle Street. The church also contains 18th and 19th-century tablets.

Beneath the church in the north-west corner, there is a late medieval vault, which is a scheduled ancient monument.