WHO ARE WE?

St Wilfrid's is a C of E church in Cowplain (England)

The Parish is within the Diocese of Portsmouth and the Deanery of Havant.

The Parish is within the Borough of Havant and East Hampshire District Council. There are some 4,000 dwellings and approximately 12,000 residents in Cowplain.

The Parish, although now partially urbanised, is surrounded by breathtaking scenery: the South Downs, Butser and the Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Possibly one of the biggest challenges is the lack of a centre to the community caused by the fragmented growth within the parish.

Church and Halls.

The Mission Church of St.Wilfrid, located in Padnell Road was built in 1923. In the thirties a hall was added behind the church and in 1952 the Vicarage was built behind the hall. St.Wilfrid’s became a parish in 1962. To enable the Church to cater for the needs of an enlarged population, building plans were drawn up in 1991 and five years later the old hall was demolished and a major extension project began. The results were a larger church, the axis of which had turned to face south, church halls on two storeys with a lift and a parish office. The church is linked to the halls and forms one building. Just the chancel, vestries and two walls remain of the original building, the roof of the nave also having been replaced during the alterations.

The new sanctuary area has a carpeted raised dais the full width of the church with five outstanding modern stained glass windows, together with a complementing new oak communion table and sanctuary chairs. The church seats 220 and a further 200 when the screens of the lower hall are folded back. The chancel faces east and is now used as a chapel for small services, seating up to 25 people. The pipe organ is located in the chapel as is the choir. The entire building project was funded through gifts, fund-raising, pledges and loans by the congregation, together with a loan from the diocese and a few grants.

Westbrook Church

Our church plant provides for those living in new housing on the edge of the parish boundary and worships in Queen’s Inclosure School.

Where Are We?