Portsmouth Cathedral

Religious, Portsea

Portsmouth Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, stands in Old Portsmouth on the southern border of Portsea. The cathedral's origins date to 1180, when a chapel was established by the Norman lord of the manor, Jean de Gisors. The building was elevated to cathedral status in 1927 when the Diocese of Portsmouth was created. The architecture spans several centuries, with the medieval chancel and transepts dating from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and the nave completed in a sympathetic modern style in 1991. The cathedral contains memorials to those lost at sea and has strong associations with the Royal Navy. It is a short walk from the Portsea area and provides an important historical and spiritual landmark for the wider community.