The Church of the Ascension is situated on the corner of Thorold Road and Cobden Avenue. The foundation stone was laid in May 1924, the church being consecrated in February 1926. It was built by Sir Charles Nicholson, the leading church architect of his day. David Lloyd (Building of England: Hampshire and the I.O.W.) called it “the most rewarding post-medieval church in Southampton”. It replaced an older 'tin' church on the same site which had served the parish since 1899. Sir Charles' original design included a spire, but it was never built. It is Grade II listed.
The church is notable for its stained glass windows often described as some of the finest modern stained glass windows in the country. Sir John Betjeman said they were worth a 100-mile journey to see.
The four windows depicting the hymns of Isaac Watts (see clipping 2 below) were designed by master glass painter Gerald Edward Robert Smith and installed in 1957.
Church Of The Ascension
Photograph, c.2000
Newspaper clipping:
- 1. New church at Bitterne Park - (Hampshire Advertiser 25/09/1925)
- 2. New windows will illustrate the famous hymns of Isaac Watts - (SDE February 1957)
Further reading:
Building of England: Hampshire and the I.O.W., by Nikolaus Pevsner and David Lloyd, p590-2. (H/i)
Souvenir of Completion Brochure. (HS/j)
Golden Jubilee Brochure. (HS/j)
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