St. Mary's Church, South Stoneham

St. Mary's Church, South Stoneham
Church of St. Mary
St Mary's Church, South Stoneham
St. Mary's Church, South Stoneham Shown within Southampton
50°56′12″N 1°22′31″W / 50.93656°N 1.37530°W / 50.93656; -1.37530Coordinates: 50°56′12″N 1°22′31″W / 50.93656°N 1.37530°W / 50.93656; -1.37530
Location	Swaythling, Hampshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Parish of Swaythling
History
Founded	12th century
Dedication	St Mary
Architecture
Status	Parish church
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Listed building - Grade I
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman
Specifications
Materials	Stone
Administration
Parish	Swaythling
Deanery	Southampton
Archdeaconry	Bournemouth
Diocese	Winchester
Province	Canterbury
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Bishop of Southampton
Vicar(s)	Revd Peter Dockree
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated	14 July 1953 Amended 8 October 1981
Reference no.	1179339

St. Mary's Church, South Stoneham is one of the two remaining medieval churches in the city of Southampton, England. Parts of the building date from the Norman period and the chancel arch is 12th century. The church lies in a secluded position off Wessex Lane, near the north-eastern edge of Southampton and is almost hidden in the Southampton University accommodation campus.

The original parish of South Stoneham covered over 8,000 acres (32.37 km²; 12.50 sq mi) and extended along the eastern side of the River Itchen from the site of the present day Eastleigh in the north to just above Northam Bridge in the south, and from Swaythling to the outskirts of the original town of Southampton on the western side of the river, and included the tithings of Allington, Barton, Pollack, Shamblehurst, and Portswood. Other than the church and a few adjacent houses, there was no village of "South Stoneham", which is now part of Swaythling, a suburb of Southampton.

In the Domesday Book, the church at South Stoneham was the property of Richer the clerk, "who held this, with two dependent churches near Southampton, of the bishop of Winchester". Richer ("Richerius") was also the priest and holder of the benefice of St. Mary's Church at Southampton. The parish was listed as "Stanham – Manebrige Hundred – Hantscire".

By the 16th century, South Stoneham was described as "an appropriation of St. Mary's Church, Southampton" and both churches were in the gift and under the special jurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester. The living at South Stoneham then became the gift of the rector of St. Mary's, Southampton, who held the right of presentation until the early 20th century.