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St. John's Roman Catholic Cathedral Portsmouth

Edinburgh Road
Portsmouth
Hamsphire
PO1 3HG

Tel: 023 9282 6170

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About

Take in the splendour of this Victorian church, with wooden vaulted ceiling, that was built in five phases from 1882-1925 and consecrated in 1887.

During World War II, St. John's was extensively damaged and Bishop's House was destroyed by a bomb. All stained glass windows, except rose window over the organ, were either damaged or destroyed, and were repaired or replaced. The sanctuary walls, where the High Altar was positioned, were covered by paintings by Nathanel Westlake. These were also damaged and in 1972 were painted out. In 1906 the High Altar was moved forward and placed under an elaborate baldacchino.

The cathedral was designed by John Crawley in 1877-1881. Crawley died just as building started and his partner Joseph Hansom took over the project and modified the design, working on it until 1896. The church is built of Fareham Red Brick with Portland stone dressings.

More recently, in 2010, a three-metre statue of St John the Evangelist - sponsored by the Friends of the Cathedral - was unveiled outside. It was sculpted by Philip Jackson, one of the foremost figurative sculptors in Britain today.

Opening Times

Open Christmas

Open New Year

St. John's Roman Catholic Cathedral (28 Aug 2025 - 31 Dec 2026)
Day	Times
Monday - Sunday	08:00	- 18:00*

Dates and times marked with a '*' are provisional and may be subject to change

Map & Directions

Click to Activate

View Map

Facilities

Accessibility

All Areas Accessible to Disabled Visitors
Disabled Parking
Disabled persons toilet
Facilities for Hearing Impaired Visitors - Induction loop system
Facilities for Visually Impaired Visitors
Guide Dogs Permitted
Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors
Ramp/Level Access
Toilets for Disabled Visitors
Wheelchair user accessible

Catering

Catering for groups
On-Site cafe/restaurant - Light refreshments, sandwiches, hot and cold beverages. Buffet for groups when pre-arranged.

Children & Infants

Baby changing

Establishment Features

Conference facilities
Open New Year
Open on bank holidays
Printed Material in Foreign Languages
Toilets

Parking & Transport

On site parking
Railway station within 5 miles
Railway station within walking distance

Payment Methods

Delta
Delta accepted
Maestro
Maestro Accepted
MasterCard
MasterCard accepted
Sterling Travellers Cheques accepted
Visa
Visa accepted

Printed Material in Foreign Languages

French printed material
German printed material
Italian printed material
Spanish printed material

Specialist Features

Cyclists welcome

Tours and Demonstrations

Educational Visits Accepted
Guided Tours Available for Groups

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St. John's Roman Catholic Cathedral Portsmouth

About

Opening Times

Map & Directions

View Map

Facilities

Accessibility

Catering

Children & Infants

Establishment Features

Parking & Transport

Payment Methods

Printed Material in Foreign Languages

Specialist Features

Tours and Demonstrations

What's Nearby

Search What's Nearby

Follow Visit Hampshire

Follow Visit Hampshire

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