St Dunstan of Canterbury Orthodox Church

St Dunstan of Canterbury Orthodox Church stands in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. It is an Antiochian Orthodox parish church serving Bournemouth and Poole. The building is a Grade II* listed structure designed in the early 20th century by architects G. A. B. Livesay, Edward Schroeder Prior and Arthur Grove. Originally built as the Anglican Church of St Osmund, it later became an Orthodox church after being closed by the Church of England in 2001. The church’s west front is regarded as Prior’s final masterpiece in church architecture. The church’s architecture blends Byzantine and Arts and Crafts styles, using handmade bricks from Wareham and Prior’s patented stained glass. The chancel features a semi-domed apse and a semicircular ambulatory, with a ciborium above the crypt. The crossing dome and aisle vaults were constructed with reinforced concrete, though flaws required later repairs. The west front includes a double door topped by a terracotta arch, flanked by polygonal turrets and a wheel window with geometric stained glass. Terracotta angels adorn the capitals of the crossing columns. Inside, the church retains its original organ structure, though its functional parts were removed when it became Orthodox. The building’s interior reflects its Byzantine influences, with wheel windows and detailed brickwork throughout. The transept ends feature smaller wheel windows, adding to the eclectic mix of styles. The church’s transformation from Anglican to Orthodox use preserved its architectural significance while giving it a new spiritual purpose.