Coast

This church known as The Domus Dei (God's House) started life in 1212 as a hospice and shelter for pilgrims from overseas who were heading for the Holy Shrines at Canterbury, Chichester and Winchester.

The area got a bad name for itself in January 1449 when the Bishop of Chichester, Adam Moleyns was murdered near the church's entrance by a mutinous group of seamen after an argument over their wages.

The Garrison Church

For this chilling crime, Portsmouth was excommunicated - which meant that religious services couldn't be held in the town for 50 years.

In the 17th Century this was where Charles II married Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese Princess.  She had a very rough sea voyage over from Portugal and asked the locals if she could have something to drink -  being Portsmouth they gave her a jug of ale which she didn’t like.

She sent out to her ship for some supplies to keep her going while she waited for her fiancee to arrive and they came back with some tea. So it’s possible that the first cup of tea in Britain was drunk in Portsmouth.

The Garrison Church

In 1814 this area saw a great deal of excitement when the Prince Regent, The Duke of Wellington, The King of Prussia, Marshall Blucher and The Emperor of Russia all came down here for a big party.

The bash was put on to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon who’d been exiled.  They soon found out that their celebrations were premature when he escaped a year later and fought in the Battle of Waterloo!

On the night of 10th January 1941 a fire bomb raid on Portsmouth gutted the nave of the church leaving it roofless. It is now a memorial.

Continue the walk into Pier Road to hear about the last battle fought on Portsmouth soil...