Friends of St Michael's

The Friends of St Michael’s are a charity set up in the 1970′s at a time when the Church of England was proposing to close St Michael’s along with a number of churches in the centre of Southampton. This caused alarm with many who thought that this should not happen to what is probably the oldest “lived-in” building, still standing, in Southampton.

The objective of the Friends’ is not only to preserve the physical building structure and its furnishings, but also to ensure that it by its very physical presence as a historical masterpiece in the centre of Southampton, it continues to represent a valuable benefit for the whole of the community of Southampton.

Originally constructed following the Norman Conquest, St Michael’s is a living testimony to the history of Southampton. Today, the Friends provide invaluable support not only to the maintenance of the Church itself but to many of its activities. Of special note is the Friends support for the music scholars of Southampton University and their formidably impressive choir, Cantores.

Looking to the future, the Friend’s are working on a series of initiatives including the development of a highly interactive website incorporating video content provided by the innovative media arm of Southampton Solent University, Solent Creatives.