Southwell, Avalanche Road and Memorial Church

Image: © David Dixon Taken: 17 Jun 2017

The Avalanche Memorial Church, also known as the Church of St Andrew, is a 19th-century Anglican parish church, located in Southwell village on the Isle of Portland. In September 1877, two ships, the SS Avalanche and the SS Forest, collided off Portland Bill during stormy conditions. The Avalanche was taking 63 passengers to their homes in New Zealand. The Forest had a crew of 22. The disaster became national news, claiming the lives of 106 people. A new church was built as a memorial to those who had lost their lives. It was consecrated and dedicated to Saint Andrew by the Bishop of Salisbury on 3 July 1879. The inside of St Andrew’s (Avalanche) Church is unique because it contains stained glass windows and memorials all associated with the collision of the Avalanche and Forest and the devastating loss of life. See http://www.geoffkirby.co.uk/Portland/685700/#Church (Geoff Kirby Exploring Portland) for interior photographs of the church showing some of the windows, memorials and artefacts from the ship. An interesting tour of the church (interior and exterior) by a camera carrying drone may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M71ALx9vSgE (Chris Hornby Youtube). The church, along with its boundary wall, has been a Grade II Listed building since September 1978 (List Entry Number: 1281886 http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1281886&resourceID=5 Heritage Gateway).

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