Holyrood church is thought to be of Saxon origins. It was rebuilt and moved to the east side of the street in 1320. It was one of five churches serving the old walled town of Southampton.

From 1851 to 1940, when it was destroyed by enemy bombing, it became the place to see the new year in and also was known as the Church of the Sailors.  In 1957 the ruins of the church were dedicated as a memorial to sailors of the Merchant Navy who died at sea and it was scheduled as an ancient monunent.

On the west face of the tower there is a memorial plaque to Charles Dibdin (1745–1814) a poet, dramatist, composer and author.  Amongst other things, he composed patriotic sea songs one of which - the tune of "Tom Bowling" - forms part of the medley of English sea-songs customarily played on the Last Night of the Proms.

Above this plaque are the clock and church bells which feature pre 1760 Quarter Jacks, small figures that strike the quarters of each hour.

There are other interesting plaques / memorials inside and outside the church. Inside is a memorial fountain built in 1912-14 for the crew/stewards of the Titanic disaster - she sank in 1912 five days after sailing on her maiden voyage from Southampton. Beside this memorial is a listening point where you can hear readings from accounts of the arrival onto the ship, departure, disaster, rescue and reflections about the Titanic.

The church is closed from 6:00 pm - 8:00 am.

(info from Wilkipedia).

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There’s a memorial plaque to “brave and disinterested men” who perished attempting to "check the ravages of a calamitous fire in this parish”

The password is the number of men for whom the sympathising public erected "this grateful but melancholy memorial of their intrepidity, their sufferings, and their awfully sudden removal into an eternal state."