English Heritage - Royal Garrison Church — Attraction in Portsmouth

Also known as Domus Dei, it was partially destroyed in an attack by German bombers. 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...

A beautiful monument to the savagery of the blitz. However, these ruins stand as a testament to the British resolve. Despite the catastrophic damage the soul of this structure remains intact. The visage of the open atrium to the skies was poignantly marked with the ability to peer skyward as a Super-marine Spitfire flew overhead. I can’t imagine a tribute more befitting to the victory of the allies over the barbaric hostility of Nazi Germany....

This is a beautiful 13th Century church. The nave was destroyed by a German firebomb raid in 1941 but the nave ruins still stand in front of the surviving chancel. I love the stonemasonry, the chancel's elaborate vaulted roof, the rich oak carved pews and the magnificant stained glass windows. Stepping into this church is truly stepping into history. A visit when you're in the area is highly...