Royal Garrison Church, Grand Parade, Portsmouth
Originally a medieval hospital, then a Tudor ammunition store and church for the Forces since the 1580s, the Royal Garrison Church has stood in Portsmouth for nearly 800 years. The church was founded in about 1212 by Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester, as part of a complex of buildings serving as a hostel for pilgrims and a hospital for the sick and elderly. In 1540, after the Reformation, the building was used as an ammunition store. In the late 16th century, the house of the military governor was built adjoining the site, and the church was restored and used by the garrison. This site is now in the care of English Heritage (2011). Read detailed archaeological description.
