Our Heritage: Your Heritage

Our Story

St Mary’s was built in 1866-67 by the Winchester architect John Colson. The foundation stone was laid on 21 July 1865 and the church was consecrated on 1 November 1866. It was a by-product of the rapid development of Sholing following the opening of Netley Hospital. The church features a large transept and a quirky bell turret.

Heritage 160

St Mary's Church Sholing architectural floor plan of a church with a nave, chancel, altar, pulpit, and adjacent rooms.

In late 2025, we were awarded a grant of £248,874 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver an ambitious project: “Heritage 160 at St Mary’s, Sholing – Securing our Stories of the Past for the Future.”

Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, this vital project will safeguard both the historic church building and the community heritage it represents, as St Mary’s prepares to celebrate the 160th anniversary of its consecration in 2026.

The works include the installation of a new, environmentally sensitive heating system to protect the Grade II listed Victorian building, the creation of a more accessible and welcoming space with new facilities, and the introduction of interactive digital displays and archives. These improvements will allow more people to discover and engage with the rich heritage of Sholing.

As well as caring for the church’s tangible heritage, the project will preserve and share the intangible cultural heritage of the community. This includes:

  • the parish’s connections with Southampton’s maritime history, including the Titanic,

  • the memory of local men and women commemorated in the church’s war memorials and Commonwealth War Graves,

  • the stories and traditions of the local Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community, many of whom are buried at St Mary’s.

Share your Stories

We’d love to hear from anyone with personal or family connections to St Mary’s or the wider Parish of Sholing - especially memories or materials linked to:

  • Your personal connection with St Mary's Church Sholing

  • Connections to WWI and WWII (we have war graves in the churchyard)

  • Links to the RMS Titanic

  • Stories and connections from the Gypsy, Romany and Traveller communities

  • Everyday life in Sholing through the years

If you have a story, photograph, diary, letter, or object please get in touch. Every contribution helps preserve our shared heritage for generations to come.

share your stories

How you can help

Due to rising building costs and additional requirements mean that we now face a funding shortfall. To complete this work well, we are inviting support from our congregation and from all those who have worshipped here or used St Mary’s for baptisms, weddings, funerals, or moments of quiet prayer.

If St Mary’s has been part of your story, we would be deeply grateful for any donation you are able to make. Every gift, large or small, will help ensure that this church and its stories are cared for and shared with future generations.

If you are able to make a donation, please email office@sholing.church

Project Progress

Interior of St Mary's church Sholing with white walls, wooden ceiling beams, stained glass windows, and a small altar at the front.

JAN 2026 Church is emptied ready for works to begin.