Jane's Midlife Journey

The Saxon town of Christchurch is steeped in history. At its heart is the 11th Century Christchurch Priory. This church, dating from Norman times holds the title of largest parish church in England.

How to get to Christchurch Priory

Christchurch is 5 miles east of Bournemouth along the A35. The Priory is located at the bottom of the High Street, which becomes Church Street just before the church itself.

By Bus

Buses 1a/1b/1c and X1/X2 stop at the Town Centre, a 5 minute walk from the Priory. (Note: On Mondays, the High Street is closed to traffic for Market Day and buses stop at Fountain Way, which is a 10 minute walk away).

Parking

There is parking at Priory Car Park. Parking costs £2.50 for 2 hours (£1.90 for 2 hours in winter). Further details can be found here.

Opening Times

You can visit the Priory to admire its grandeur and its spectacular stained glass windows daily between 10 am and 5 pm (as long as there is no service taking place). Friendly ‘welcomers‘ are on hand to provide information about the priory and answer any questions you might have.

Price

Entry to the priory is free. You can wander round the building at your leisure or a guided tour may be possible if a steward is available to show you round.

Tours

On specific dates, other tours are offered. For example, a tour of the roof, crypts and museum or how about a tour of heraldry or historic graffiti? It is sometimes possible to climb the 176 stairs to the top of the tower for spectacular views across Dorset and beyond. Most tours cost £7.50, with the exception of the Cream Tea Tour, which costs £15. Dates for 2025 can be found here.

History

There has been a church on the site of the priory for over 1300 years. Building work began in 1094 on the site of an old Saxon Priory, with the Nave being added in the 13th Century and the Lady Chapel in the 14th Century.

Nave

The Norman arches of the Nave tower above you. It is believed to have been raised to its current height in 1350.

Lady Chapel

The Lady Chapel has a large stained glass window depicting the life of Mary, mother of Jesus.

The Miraculous Beam

At the rear of the church you will find the Miraculous Beam. According to legend, when the church was built in the town of Twynham, a mysterious carpenter appeared and helped to cut timber beams for the room. One day, someone cut a beam too short. The next day, the beam had miraculously lengthened. The mysterious carpenter was never seen again… It was believed that this carpenter was in fact Jesus, so the town changed its name to Christchurch.

Priory Gardens

To the rear of the church are the monastic lawns known as Priory Gardens, which offer views of the Priory as you head towards the River Avon.

A sculpture marks the priory’s 900th anniversary, with each side telling a different part of the building’s history.

Convent Walk

The pretty Convent Walk follows the edge of Mill Stream, past the rear of the Priory, ending at the foot of the ruins of Christchurch Castle.

Gargoyles

If you look up at the church, you will notice some recently renovated gargoyles. These were completed in 2021 and have been brought up-to-date with modern day images. The first time I looked up and spotted a gargoyle wearing a surgical face mask I thought I was hallucinating! The sculpture was inspired by architect Columba Cook’s niece, an intensive care doctor during the pandemic. It’s quite high up, so here’s a close-up picture I borrowed…

Tea Rooms

The tea rooms offer drinks and snacks and are open daily except Sundays from 10 am until 4 pm. If the weather is nice, it’s possible to take refreshments on the lawn.

Christchurch Priory For Children

The Priory holds a Parent & Toddler Group on Monday mornings (9.30 am until 11 am) in Priory House, just behind the church.

• Updated: January 2025

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my other ideas for ‘101 Things to do in Bournemouth’ here.