Peartree Green

Peartree Green is an open space on high ground on the east bank of the River Itchen in Southampton. A 16/17th century building, Peartree House, still stands, though is today concealed by private housing. The house and the green take their name from a pear tree that grew near the parish church. Some of the original open space has been built on, but a large proportion remains as a recreational area. It contains a church and the remains of a boarding school. It overlooks the River Itchen to St Mary's Church in Southampton.

Peartree Green adjoins the districts of Woolston, Bitterne, Sholing and Merryoak within the city of Southampton. It overlooks the River Itchen to St Mary's Church in Southampton.

Francis Mylles, M.P. for Winchester from 1588 to 1593, built Peartree House in the late 16th century, using stone from Bitterne Manor which had previously been used by the Romans at their settlement at Clausentum. Captain Richard Smith, former governor of Calshot Castle lived at Peartree House from approximately 1617.

A small church, now named Peartree Parish Church, was built as Jesus Chapel by Captain Richard Smith in 1618. It was dedicated in 1620. Although it was not part of Southampton at that time, Jesus Chapel served the parish of St Marys Extra which was used as an overflow for the parish of St Marys in Southampton. Construction of Jesus Chapel saved parishioners from a rough crossing over the Itchen to Southampton or a long journey to the neighbouring churches at Hound, Botley or South Stoneham. The church website makes an inaccurate claim to being the world's oldest Anglican church, believing that it was the first one to be built after the English Reformation. However, between 1560 and 1830 most of the existing churches in England were converted to Anglican worship, and several churches were built quite soon after the reformation, such as St George's Church, Esher, built in 1540, and Old St Leonard's Church, Langho, which was built in 1557.

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