About Us
St Matthew's is a Church of England parish within the Lyndhurst Deanery, which is part of the Diocese of Winchester.
Until April 1 2021 we were part of the Totton Team Ministry alongside St Anne's (Calmore), St Mary's (Eling) and St Winfrid's (Testwood).
We are now a parish in our own right serving Netley Marsh, Woodlands and West Totton.
We are a member of Churches Together in Totton and the Forest Edge.
St Matthew’s was built in 1855 by J P Harrison and is a Grade 2 listed building. The listing details are as follows:-
"Walls of coursed limestone, plinth, stepped buttresses, windows with decorated tracery. The roof, with the ridge broken above the chancels by a bell turret. Nave of 4 bays with narrow aisles, which continue to the west bay of the chancel, chancel of 2 bays, small north vestry, south porch. The bell turret has a shingled broad shire above a timber-framed bell stage (partly shingled) and a stone base of slightly battered form. Inside, the feature of the building is the pair of chancel arches (supporting the bell turret) which springs from decorative bosses. The chancel is lined with panelling but the interior generally is plain, and there is a C15 style font."
Netley Marsh is the site of the battle in 508 when the Saxons Cerdic and Cynric, having landed at Fawley, met the British king Natanleod. There is an Iron Age hill fort at Tatchbury, near the former Hospital. The thirteenth century Manor House still stands at Tatchbury, but has been added to in later years. The Tudor style Colbury Manor House-about 300 years old- is of particular interest.
