Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary, built around 1133, is located inside the walls of the Roman fort in Portchester. It was founded by Henry I as a small priory for Augustinian Canons, who soon relocated to Southwick. The church underwent restoration in 1710 by Queen Anne's Bounty and again in 1888. Originally designed in a cruciform shape, the south transept is now missing. The church features a short tower at the crossing topped with a pyramidal roof, and its exterior is rendered with an old tiled roof. The nave is aisle-less and has four round-arched recessed Norman windows, while the transept includes one window with another above it. The Norman west window is distinguished by round-arched panels filled with quatrefoil designs within circles. A notable feature is the fine Norman west doorway, which consists of three orders. Inside, there are references to Elizabeth I and Queen Anne, whose body rested in the church in 1710. The interior also includes arcading along part of the walls and a squint in the north wall near the chancel arch. The church is part of a group with Portchester Castle, the churchyard walls, the lamp in the churchyard, and the lychgate.